Will These Stories Ever Be the Same? A Korean Translator’s Misgivings, by Ha-yun Jung

Will These Stories Ever Be the Same? A Korean Translator’s Misgivings, by Ha-yun Jung Essay [email protected] Mon, 07/31/2023 - 17:32 Photo by Daniel Bernard / UnsplashA translator discovers that an author—whom she has translated and admired for so long—was complicit in a past administration’s efforts to silence dissenting writers. What does she find when, following her discovery, she revisits the author’s work? I had set out to write an ode. Oh Jung-hee was the first writer I ever wanted to translate; I am tempted to go so far as to say her writing was the reason I became a translator. But I am only one among a handful of translators who, over the past twenty years, have sought out opportunities to bring her stories to the English-speaking world. Oh, now in her late seventies, is, after all, one of the most influential Korean writers alive, whose writing has helped shape the country’s postwar modernist literature. However, despite the efforts of these translators, Oh has yet to be read widely around the world. I wanted to change this. I was gripped by a somewhat mysterious sense of responsibility to take on the role of a spokesperson, to help readers outside Korea see that she deserves to be read and discussed. But this plan took an unexpected turn when, on a morning in June, only a few days into an early draft of my essay, my newsfeed pulled up photos of a group of writers protesting outside the Seoul International Book... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2023-07-31 22:32:27 UTC ]
News tagged with: #small piece #opinion pieces #major opportunity

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Will These Stories Ever Be the Same? A Korean Translator’s Misgivings, by Ha-yun Jung'


2013 Best Translated Book Award Finalists Announced

Ten fiction titles and six poetry collections finalists have been announced as the finalists for this year's Best Translated Book Awards. The winners will be revealed May 3rd. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


And Other Stories launches in US

Independent publisher And Other Stories has teamed up with Consortium Distribution to launch a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent publisher


Translated fiction boost on IMPAC shortlist

Half of the novels shortlisted for this year's International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #novels shortlisted


Online translation tools changing lives

You might use Google Translate to read a hard-to-find Manga comic book or to decipher an obscure recipe for authentic Polish blintzes. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Providing Story Time in Español: Spanish Supplement Spring 2013

Despite budget cuts and insufficient bilingual staffing, United States libraries continue to invest money expanding Spanish-language children’s and YA collections. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #budget cuts


Bloomsbury offers app translation rights

Bloomsbury Children’s was selling translation rights in apps for the first time at this... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomsbury children


W&N buys Malala's story

Weidenfeld & Nicolson's deputy publishing director Arzu Tahsin has bought rights to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weidenfeld nicolson #bought rights


Diaz wins Sunday Times Short Story Award

Pulitzer Prize-winner Junot Díaz has won the £30,000 Sunday Times Short Story Award... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


One Year of Translating, Selling Swedish Literature Direct

Stockholm Text, a young publishing house translating and publishing Swedish literature in English, share lessons learned from their first year in business. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stockholm text


Amazon's new imprints give opportunities to debut authors, short story writers

Amazon's Little A imprint will release novels, memoirs, and story collections, while Day One will focus on short stories and new writers. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut authors #short stories


Literary Asia on the Rise and Translators Are Key, Says Agent

As Asian authors come to prominence, the West should publish them, something that will be impossible without nurturing translators, says a Hong Kong literary agent Kelly Falconer. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #asian authors


New Zadie Smith story for Hamish Hamilton

Penguin imprint Hamish Hamilton will publish a new short story by Zadie Smith later this year.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hamish hamilton #short story #zadie smith


South Korean Book Sales Plummeted by 20% in 2012

Sales of new books in South Korea fell by 20% in 2012, according to a report from Statistics Korea, a situation that has Han Ki-ho, head of the Korean Publishing Market Research Institute, very concerned. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Saving and Translating Timbuktu’s Ancient Libraries

A secret operation saved hundreds of thousands of Muslim manuscripts in Tumbuktu's ancient libraries from destruction by militants. Now they are being translated and published. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Sharethrough Launches Own Take on Sponsored Stories

Companies like InPowered and Disqus have rolled out ad platforms for brands to promote articles and other more media-ish content with paid placements on publishers’ sites, and now Sharethrough is upping its stake in the game. Last September, the San Francisco-based ad startup launched Sponsored... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales team #long tail #land rover #latest model #traditional banners #american express #gaining traction #regular users


Books in Translation: It’s Time for Others to Join the Fight

The publishers of UK's Stork Books argue that major publishers and the media in the UK and USA underestimate the audience for translated books and are making a big mistake. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major publishers #translated books


A Crossmedia Love Story: Cadaver by Jonah Ansell

Writer and filmmaker Jonah Ansell shares how he took his story "Cadaver" from a poem written for his sister to a short film to a graphic novel and, hopefully, a feature film. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short film #feature film


Hillary Clinton's story released

A biography of Hillary Clinton's time as US secretary of state will be released on 5th March... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hillary clinton #5th march


Curtis Brown launches Jeffrey Archer Short Story Prize

Curtis Brown has teamed up with Kobo to launch a short story competition, to be judged by author... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #curtis brown


Why WHSmith Remains the Most Remarkable Story in UK Bookselling

A tightly focused strategy on maintaining margins has enabled WHSmith to persist after than two centuries at the heart of UK bookselling, inspiring admiration and ire alike. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #remarkable story