skip-navigation

한국문학번역원 로고

TOP

Korean Literature Now

Back to Others

Translation is Not a One-way Street, But a Gift scrap

by Sarah K. H. Yoogo link September 5, 2025

Translation is Not a One-way Street, But a Gift 이미지 Translation is Not a One-way Street, But a Gift 이미지 Translation is Not a One-way Street, But a Gift

After Han Kang’s 2024 Nobel Prize win, many Korean writers, critics, and thinkers have been asked some variation of the following questions: What does this mean for Korean literature? How do international readers see Korean literature? Where does Korean literature go from here?

 

Landmark feminist poet, essayist, and critic Kim Hyesoon’s answer to these questions during the 2025 LTI Korea Global Literature Forum this past July elicited laughter from her audience: “I don’t even know the direction of my own literature, let alone the future of Korean literature as a whole.”

 

In a panel titled “What is Korean Literature to International Readers,” Kim discussed these issues in dialogue with Jeffrey Yang, a poet and Editor-at-Large at New Directions Publishing. Kim and Yang reflected on their experiences writing and publishing Korean poetry while offering insights into topics such as the role of literary translators, domestic vs. international readers, and the impact of AI on the publishing industry.

 

“The term ‘Korean literature’ is used rather frequently, but I’ve always gotten the impression that outside of Korea, the focus tends to be more on individual works than, say, ‘German literature’ or ‘UK literature’ collectively,” Kim said. In her own work, she strives to transcend the bounds of Korean literature to expand “the territory of this nation we call poetry.” If this has the added effect of boosting global interest in Korean literature, all the better. Yang added that as an editor, he’s seeing an increasing number of Korean works being published in recent years—a trend he partially attributes to (in the US at least) a rise in general interest in translation.

 

As far as the role of literary translators goes, Kim sees poetry translation as a way of expanding the boundaries of the target language. “Translation is not a one-way street or an export,” she said. “It is a sort of revelation that occurs within the reciprocal interaction between the source and target languages.” She encouraged translators to break free from the established expressions of their target language and seek instead to push the limits of language. “I see translation as an extremely demanding endeavor, much like performing transplant surgery, which is why I admire translators very much. What they offer is a gift, a method of exchange.”

 

 

As one of her most meaningful memories, Kim pointed to how her longtime English translator Don Mee Choi became a decorated poet in her own right. “Translation calls forth creation. Translation is writing, and it is closely connected to my own act of creating poetry as well,” Kim said.

 

When asked about the impact of AI on the publishing industry, Yang responded, “As an editor and publisher, it’s very dangerous to automatically think you’re going to cut some corners by using AI.” He emphasized how it’s particularly difficult to use AI to translate or write poetry, given the many layers of language and meaning embedded within these works as well as the existence of a “resistance to the commodification of poetry.” New Directions is currently celebrating its ninetieth anniversary and has published Kim’s poetry collections Autobiography of Death and Phantom Pain Wings, both translated by Don Mee Choi. Yang has also contributed two articles to KLN, both on Kim’s poetry. “If you have time, I think those two pieces say a lot that I don’t have time to say here about her work,” he said.

 

Ultimately, Kim’s stance was clear: We must view writers as distinct individuals and avoid grouping them together under the umbrella of Korean literature. “Each poet and each writer is their own nation, their own republic,” she said. “Even if someone were to suggest an overall direction, nobody would follow it anyway.”

 

Regarding the role of organizations like LTI Korea, Kim stressed the importance of recruiting a diverse array of translation professionals to assist with both promotion and outreach. She also highlighted the need for meaningful criticism of translated works, focusing on literary merit rather than translation errors. Yang, meanwhile, pointed to the benefits of funded residencies for translators and the submission of strong sample translations to publishers.

Writer 필자 소개

Sarah K. H. Yoo

Sarah K. H. Yoo

Sarah K. H. Yoo is a translator and writer based in Korea. Her work has appeared in Litbreak Magazine and the National Centre for Writing website. She is represented by Safae El-Ouahabi of RCW Literary Agency.

Did you enjoy this article? 별점

Did you enjoy this article? Please rate your experience

Send