Dystopian novel 'All About 247' and immigration-themed book 'This Is Your Country' chosen for translation into English
The Daesan Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2021 grants, a programme launched in 2010 to introduce Korean literature to global audiences. This year, the foundation has selected 15 projects, totalling 200 million won, for translation, research, and publication.
The initiative includes projects in seven languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Italian. Notably, no academic studies were chosen for English translation this year.
Four of the selected projects are in English, one is in French, two are in German, two are in Spanish, two are in Japanese, three are in Chinese, and one is in Italian. Among the English projects, "All About 247" by Kim Hee-sun and "This Is Your Country" by Lee U stand out.
"All About 247" is a dystopian novel that explores a post-pandemic society shaped by the aftermath of COVID-19. On the other hand, "This Is Your Country" is set in an immigration detention center.
In addition to these two novels, the poetry collection "The Fantasy Shop by Future Mart" by Kang Eun-gyo, winner of last year's Daesan Literary Award, has been selected for English translation. It's worth noting that no poetry collections besides these two were chosen for English translation this year.
The selection also includes two poetry collections and 12 novels by genre. Paige Morris, who co-translated Han Kang's "We Do Not Part," will translate "This Is Your Country."
Another English project chosen for translation is "Worrying About Rabbits on a Winter Night," a poetry collection by Yoo Hee-kyoung. The exact number of projects in each language, apart from English, was not specified in the announcement.
The Daesan Foundation's grants aim to promote Korean literature on a global scale, and this year's selection reflects this commitment to diversity and multilingualism. As the world continues to appreciate and embrace Korean culture, these translations will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper understanding and appreciation of Korean literature.
