London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected translations

Publications by Krys Lee as author

Where to start in Korean translated literature

Note: This article was written in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Since then, particularly in 2021, some fantastic translated fiction titles have appeared. We give a round-up of them here. Nevertheless, as of end December 2022 the top ten recommendations below still stand. I do, however, need to edit the choices for … [Read More]

Book review: Kim Young-ha – Diary of a Murderer

Kim Young-ha: Diary of a Murderer and other stories Translated by Krys Lee Mariner Books, 2019, 200pp Originally published as 살인자의 기억법, Munhakdongne, 2013 Somewhat rashly, I approach Kim Young-ha’s novels with a keen sense of anticipation, particularly when translated by Krys Lee. Rashly, because with high expectations you usually set yourself up for a … [Read More]

Litro Summer Literary & Arts Festival ’18

The Litro Summer Literary Festival has a few things of Korean interest, not least of which is the very welcome presence of Krys Lee, who apart from hosting a masterclass on Korean poetry and participating in a panel session on female writers will also be introducing Im Sang-soo’s adaptation of Hwang Sok-yong’s The Old Garden … [Read More]

A look back at some of the books of 2016

To cut to the chase, here are my two books of the year for 2016. For more detail, read on. Literature in translation The world of translated fiction seems to have been dominated by two names this year, one Korean and one British. The Korean name of course is Han Kang. Just as The Vegetarian … [Read More]

Krys Lee featured in the Guardian

There’s a really good interview with Krys Lee (Drifting House, How I Became a North Korean) in The Guardian: “The acclaimed short story writer talks about her debut novel, trying to understand her violent father and moving back from the US to South Korea”. The novel is available on Amazon from 18 August. Krys Lee … [Read More]

Krys Lee wins literature award

Congratulations to Krys Lee who has won a literature award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She is one of two winners of a Rome Fellowship in Literature, which involves a one-year residency (2014–2015) at the American Academy in Rome. Source [Read More]

LBF event, 10 Apr 6:45pm: Separations, at Asia House

The fourth of six evening events during London Book Fair week, which unfortunately overlaps with a session with Kim Hyesoon at the Festival Hall. Separations 10 April, 18.45-20.00 Authors from Korea, Pakistan and Singapore discuss their work and the question: How does the partition of a country and divisions of families affect its society and … [Read More]

The London Korean Links Awards 2012

The seventh eclectic and highly personal commemoration of the best of the past year. Personality of the Year Runner up There were plenty of personalities in the South Korean Olympic team, particularly the pistol shooters, archers and the gymnasts. But the athlete that everyone will remember is fencer Shin A-lam, cheated out of a place … [Read More]

Korean authors Shin Kyung-sook and Krys Lee visit Edinburgh Book Fest

We’ve all heard of the Edinburgh International Festival and its fringe; and of the Edinburgh Film Festival. Each year there’s sure to be Korean interest at these events. But this year another festival held at the same time, the Edinburgh Book Festival, together with the World Writers Conference, hosted Korea’s two most famous younger generation … [Read More]