LTI Korea 
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Reflecting on Korean Literature in Sweden scrap
by Anders Karlsson
November 9, 2014
Author Bio 작가 소개
Hwang Sok-yong
In Sweden, as in many other Western countries, it is often difficult for literature translated from non-Western languages to successfully enter the market and attract the attention of a larger readership. Furthermore, in Sweden the Anglo-Saxon dominance is overwhelming; 70 to 80 percent of all translated novels are originally written in English, with the result that even literature in major European languages such as German and French is marginalized.
As a scholar of Korea and a translator of Korean literature into Swedish I must say that I find it pleasing that Korean literature, despite this overall marginalization of works from non-English speaking countries, over the years has been able to slowly build up a presence on the literary scene, thanks to the efforts of the Korea Literature Translation Institute and other Korean institutions.
In the beginning it was smaller and specialized publishers like Tranan who were willing to first introduce Korean literature in Sweden. Among the earlier authors to be translated were Ko Un and Yi Mun-yol. These publishing companies continue to publish Korean authors, broadening their coverage to also include the works of authors of children’s literature like Choi Sukhee, but recently the overall situation has started to change. Now also larger and more mainstream publishers themselves are seeking out Korean literature.
Literature translated from languages like Korean can’t of course in general expect large sales numbers, but the impact of these publications is still significant since they get reviewed in the leading newspapers such as Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagbladet. Such exposure catches the attention of literary critics and the readership interested in exploring new literature from all over the world.
The works of Hwang Sok-yong are a good example of how Korean literature, having gained a larger recognition internationally, started to attract the attention of publishing companies in Sweden. Having become aware of Hwang’s work through their French translations, and having been recommended them by a leading Swedish critic, Lars-Olof Franzen, Albert Bonniers Forlag, one of the most prominent publishing houses in Sweden, took the initiative to publish a Swedish translation of A Chronology of Mr. Han. They contacted me and my co-translator Park Okkyoung to assign us the work and we produced a translation that was published in 2007 with the Swedish title Berättelsen om herr Han.
Albert Bonniers Förlag, established in 1837, is one of the oldest and most prestigious publishers in Sweden, and the publication of Hwang Sok-yong’s work is significant, not only in terms of fiction, but also when it comes to nonfiction. Each year close to 200 books are published and a hundred more re-issued. Bonniers furthermore plays a leading role in introducing foreign works in translation, in particular through the Panache series in which Hwang Sok-yong’s A Chronology of Mr. Han was included.
The reception of this first translation of Hwang Sok-yong’s works into Swedish was very positive. The book was given good reviews in the main newspapers. Svenska Dagbladet, for instance, wrote: “Hwang Sok-yong’s breakthrough novel is gripping… [Sometimes] the f low of events freezes into scenes that turn into ‘history’ and whose poetic qualities are rather reluctant, which makes them even stronger.” The national Swedish radio furthermore recorded a reading of the book that was broadcast on one of their main channels.
The publication of A Chronology of Mr. Han is now followed up by Albert Bonniers Forlag with the Swedish translation of The Old Garden, published with the Swedish title Den gamla trädgården. This event is significant for many reasons. The publication of A Chronology of Mr. Han can be seen as an attempt to introduce the literary world of Hwang Sok-yong through an early and not so lengthy work, and now, with the publication of The Old Garden, readers in Sweden will get the opportunity to read what must be considered one of the major works of Hwang Sok-yong.
Furthermore, although Korean literature has gained increasing recognition, one of the first things reviewers remark upon is that they didn’t know very much about Korea before reading the book under review, and that they appreciate the opportunity to learn something about Korean history, culture, and society. With the publication of this work, readers in Sweden will for the first time be able to acquaint themselves with the historical period in Korea that saw the struggle for democratization. Introducing the book on the homepage, Bonniers wrote: “In The Old Garden Hwang Sokyong wrestles with the big questions—love, life, and rebellion. He draws a tender portrait of a South Korean generation that sacrificed its youth and freedom, sometimes even its life, for the dream of a better tomorrow.” The publication of this important work will not only broaden the appreciation of Korean literature in Sweden, but also deepen the understanding of Korea’s modern history and trends in contemporary South Korean society.
* Anders Karlsson is an associate professor of Korean Studies at Stockholm University and chair of the Centre of Korean Studies at SOAS, London University.
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Anders Karlsson
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