Modern Korean Literature: An Anthology 1908-1965 Edited by Chung Chong-wha Routledge / Kegan Paul International, 1995, 467pp If you are looking to sample Korean literature in translation, the chances are that you’ll find more short stories than full length novels. This collection, though not universally enjoyable, is extremely useful in giving an overview of the … [Read More]
Category: Translated Korean literature (page 19)
Ko Un featured in the Guardian
Korean poetry in translation isn’t much featured on the web anywhere, so when a major UK broadsheet features Ko Un, Korea’s most famous poet, together with his Cornish translator Brother Anthony, it is a cause for celebration. The Guardian has a nice piece on his appearance at the Aldeburgh poetry festival (3-4 November), which is … [Read More]
Im Kwon-Taek’s Village in the Mist — affairs on an Anonymous Island
Han Su-ok, a young schoolteacher, arrives in an isolated mountain village to take up her first job in an elementary school. As she gets off the bus, the village initially seems deserted, like a ghost town, hemmed in by the high forbidding walls of the surrounding mountains like a prison. You wonder what sort of … [Read More]
Book review: Yi Mun-yol — Our Twisted Hero
Yi Mun-yol: Our Twisted Hero Originally published 1987 Translated by Kevin O’Rourke Available on Kindle (Minumsa, 2012) or hard copy (Hyperion Books, 2001) Moving to the provinces from a school in Seoul in which the social hierarchy was one he had lived with all his life, our twelve-year-old hero Han Pyongt’ae is faced with a … [Read More]
Join the Korean Literature in Translation / Catch the Wave competition for some rare Korean literature
Charles Montgomery at KTLit.com and Catch the Wave (Arirang International Radio) are running a short essay competition to enable you to start your library of Korean Literature. 200-300 words (provided they are well chosen), and a hard-to-obtain volume of Korean literature is yours. More details here. [Read More]
Buckwheat Season to get the Green Days treatment at Busan Film Fest
One of Korea’s most famous short stories, Lee Hyo-seok’s Buckwheat Season / When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom (메밀꽃 필 무렵, 1936) is to be brought to the cinema by the creators of Green Days (Korean title 소중한 날의 꿈, 2010). Green Days was LKL’s film of the year 2010 and was the stand-out film at the … [Read More]
Asia Literary Review Spring Edition is 100% Korean
This month is the Festival of Asian Literature at Asia House. It’s been a strong year for Korean literature, with Shin Kyung-sook winning the Man Asia Literary Prize as well as being longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Award 2012. There’s an upcoming translation of a novel by Kim Young-ha, and Krys Lee has been … [Read More]
Jo Jung-rae’s Taebaek Mountains to be translated
Fans of Im Kwon-taek’s Taebaek Mountains will be pleased to hear that soon you’ll be able to read an English translation of Jo Jung-rae’s epic novel on which it was based, 태백산맥. More details on the Knowledge Pen website. (Via KTLit). But it could take a while – it’s 10 volumes long. [Read More]
Park Kyung-ni’s tomb in Tongyeong
For peope who like to track down literary landmarks, the tomb of Park Kyung-ni, author of the sweeping epic T’oji (Land) can be found on Mireukdo, Tongyeong, just above a memorial hall dedicated to her life and work. And for those who are short of time (like me), and like to tick off a number … [Read More]
Interview with Krys Lee in the Economist
There’s a Q & A with Krys Lee, author of “Drifting House” in the Economist: All the lonely people. Put the book on your reading list – so far, it’s the book to read this year. http://t.co/uTh7gri8 [Read More]
Shin Kyung-sook’s acceptance speech for the Man Asian Literary Prize
What could be more appropriate for Mother’s Day? Shin Kyung-sook’s acceptance speech on winning the Man Asian Literary prize for Please Look After Mother: (via Otherwhere) [Read More]
Shin Kyung-sook on MAN shortlist
Congratulations to Shin Kyung-sook, whose Please Look After Mother (translated by Kim Chi-young) is shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize, announced yesterday: http://t.co/hORsoPB9 (Photo: Korea Herald) Update 8 March 2012: the title has also been included in the longlist for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2012 – an award established by the Independent newspaper … [Read More]
I’m six pages in to Seopyeonje, and already I’m crying
By contrast to the glacial pace of T’oji, I’m six pages in to Yi Cheong-jun’s Seopyeonje (http://t.co/Z32AGY0p | US: http://t.co/tjQBtaAD) and already I’m crying. [Read More]
I’m one volume in to T’oji, and nothing’s happened yet
Why Park Kyung-ni’s epic novel “Land” is like the long-running BBC radio soap opera “The Archers”. And why someone should create a Reader’s Digest version. [Read More]
How to put Korean literature on the map: Charles Montgomery
Charles Montgomery gives his suggestions for Literature Translation Institute Korea for the next 10 Years. Well worth a read. [Read More]
Heinz Insu Fenkl interview
The New Yorker talks to Heinz Insu Fenkl, translator of Yi Mun-yol’s short story An Anonymous Island nyr.kr/n1i5eR [Read More]