Here are some of the books we’re looking forward to in 2021. For the first time in one of these posts we’re flagging the indicative cost of the titles listed here. For me, I have a psychological barrier at around £30: a book has to be offering something pretty special for me to be prepared […]
Author: Sora Kim-Russell
Collections that include work by Sora Kim-Russell
- Mixed Korean: Our Stories, Truepeny Publishing 2018
Selected translations by Sora Kim-Russell
- Hwang Sok-yong: The Prisoner, Verso 2021
- Kim Bo-young: On the Origin of Species and Other Stories, Kaya 2021
- Pyun Hye-young: Holiday Home (K-Fiction 028), Asia Publishers 2020
- Pyun Hye-young: The Law of Lines, Arcade Publishing 2020
- Jeon Sung-tae: Old Wrestler, Strangers Press 2019
- Anthology: Readymade Bodhisattva ed Sunyoung Park and Sang Joon Park, Kaya 2019
- Kim Un-su: The Plotters, Fourth Estate 2019
- Anthology: Silvery World and Other Stories ed Michael J Pettid, Cornell East Asia Series 2019
- Hwang Sok-yong: At Dusk, Scribe 2018
- Pyun Hye-young: City of Ash and Red, Arcade Publishing 2018
- Pyun Hye-young: The Hole, Arcade Publishing 2017
- Hwang Sok-yong: Familiar Things, Scribe 2017
- Eun Hee-kyung: Beauty Looks Down on Me, Dalkey Archive 2017
- Jeon Sung-tae: Wolves, White Pine Press 2017
- Hwang Sok-yong: Princess Bari, Periscope 2015
- Bae Suah: Nowhere to be Found, Amazon Crossing 2015
- Park Hyoung-su: Arpan (K-Fiction 002), Asia Publishers 2014
- Shin Kyung-sook: I’ll be right there, Other Press 2014
- Gong Ji-young: Our Happy Time, Short Books 2014
- Bae Suah: Highway with Green Apples, StoryFront 2014
- Park Min-gyu: Is That So? I’m a Giraffe (Bi-lingual, Vol 34 – Seoul), Asia Publishers 2013
Literature and poetry in translation titles for 2021: more than a dozen to look forward to!
This is now LKL’s fifth annual post that looks at the literature and fiction titles we’re looking forward to over the coming twelve months. Since last year we’ve made things easier for ourselves by investing some time building a book database that aims to catalogue all physical publications of Korean literature in translation, as well […]
A look back at our 2020 reading diary
Like many readers, we started the year with good intention of blitzing through the pile of new titles that were promised for the coming months, as well as making inroads into the backlog. And we genuinely got off to a good start with a string of fun K-thrillers, some of them new, some not: The […]
Review: City of Ash and Red
City of Ash and Red is a novel for 2020, even though it was originally published in 2010. Inspired no doubt in part by the SARS outbreak of 2002-3, Pyun Hye-young imagines a world where a virus has the potential to shut down whole countries, in which visitors are tested for infection on arrival at […]
Review: Pyun Hye-young – The Law of Lines
Life was much deeper than he could ever imagine. It was impossible to tell just how far you could sink1 Two apparent suicides in different parts of the country kick-start two separate story-lines which turn out to be interlinked. Se-oh is the daughter of one of the deceased – a man who had fallen into […]
Literary talk with translator Sora Kim-Russell
The KCC’s September literature night is a special event: a Zoom conversation with translator Sora Kim-Russell, focusing on her latest translation to make it into print here, Pyun Hye-young’s The Law of Lines (LKL review here). To make the conversation worthwhile, the KCC expects us all to have read the book in advance. It is […]
Where to start in Korean translated literature
As a lot of us are likely to be spending more time at home over the next few weeks, I thought it would be a good opportunity to set out a list of recommendations for Korean literature in translation to keep you entertained while you’re unable to go out much. This was prompted in part […]
Book review: Jeon Sungtae – Wolves
Jeon Sungtae: Wolves Translated by Sora Kim-Russell White Pine Press, 2017, 196pp Originally published as 늑대, Changbi Publishers, 2009 Jeon Sungtae’s Wolves takes us to another world – the world of Mongolia in the early years of this century, a decade after the adoption of capitalism. The country is modernising rapidly, but out on the […]
Brief book review: The Plotters
Kim Un-su: The Plotters Translated by Sora Kim-Russell Fourth Estate, 2019, 304 pp Originally published as 설계자들, Seoul 2010 I always find when embarking on a new book it pays to have neutral expectations. That way you won’t be disappointed. But sometimes it’s hard to filter out your own personal prejudices and the word of […]
Upcoming literature and fiction titles in 2020 [updated]
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I’m hoping that, as in previous years, by posting my own list of upcoming literature and fiction titles – pulled together by some targeted searching on Amazon and a trawl through Barbara J Zitwer’s website – I might persuade others to supplement it from their own specialist knowledge. Whatever happens, books inevitably fall through the […]
Book review: Hwang Sok-yong – At Dusk
Hwang Sok-yong: At Dusk Translated by Sora Kim-Russell Scribe, 2018, 188pp Originally published as 해질 무렵, Munhakdongne, 2015 What a relief it is when a novel is both thought-provoking and a pleasure to read. Hwang Sok-yong’s At Dusk made me look forward to my daily commute (pretty much the only time I get to read). […]
March literature night: At Dusk, by Hwang Sok-yong
The Korean Literature Night is a monthly discussion group that explores various themes and topics relating to that month’s chosen book. The second literature night of 2019 looks at Sora Kim-Russell’s translation of Hwang Sok-yong’s latest: Hwang Sok-yong: At Dusk 27 March, 19.00-21.00 @KCCUK Entrance Free – Booking Essential Apply to info@kccuk.org.uk or call 020 […]
Book Review: Pyun Hye-young — The Hole
Pyun Hye-young: The Hole Translated by Sora Kim-Russell Arcade Publishing, 2017, 208pp Originally published as 홀 by 문학과지성사, 2016 In the collection of short stories entitled Evening Proposal, Pyun Hye-young introduces us to a series of different very ordinary people trapped in humdrum lives, examining what happens when they are placed in unusual situations. Pyun […]
Upcoming literature and fiction titles for 2019
Here’s my first attempt at compiling a list of fiction and poetry titles coming up in 2019. Let me know what I’ve missed. Unlike my separate list of non-fiction I have not exercised any editorial control here: this is everything I have been able to find. The list is in four parts: Modern and contemporary […]
September literature night: Pyun Hye-young’s The Hole
The KCC’s Korean Literature Night is a monthly discussion group that explores various themes and topics relating to that month’s chosen book. September brings the opportunity to explore another work by Pyun Hye-young: Pyun Hye-young: The Hole Wednesday 26 September, 19.00-21.00 Venue: Korean Cultural Centre UK Entrance Free – Booking Essential. Apply to info@kccuk.org.uk or […]
New and upcoming literature and fiction titles for 2018
From classic Joseon dynasty ghost stories, via historical fiction set in the reign of Queen Min, to the latest in translated literature, we take a look at some of the books to look forward to in 2018. Our look at non-fiction titles can be found here. Contemporary Korean literature in translation Hwang Sok-yong’s novel At […]