Trailblazing translator of Korean classics turns to writing biographies of Korean heroes in English

The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for the 2023 Korean Literature Translation, Research, and Publishing Support program. Applicants for this year’s translation grants will be accepted until 3 p.m. on June 1 through the foundation’s official website. Successful applicants will be announced in August. Applicants can select from Daesan Literary Award-winning works that have not been translated into the target language, or any other literary work in need of translation. The

South Korean content company Kidari Studio’s beloved webtoon “Surgeon Elise” is being adapted into a Japanese animated series. “Surgeon Elise,” originally adapted from author Yuin’s 2015 web novel of a same title, was released as a webtoon series via Kakao Entertainment, a content subsidiary of the South Korean IT giant Kakao, in 2017. The series came to an end with a total of 143 episodes in February 2021. The romance fantasy revolves around Elise, a wicked e

Compelling webtoon adapted into traditional Korean musical, TV series

The unnamed protagonist, referred to only as “the man,” is dispatched by his pharmaceutical company on an extended assignment to Country C -- an imaginary country descending into chaos after a contagious disease has taken over. As soon as he disembarks, the man is whisked away by two health inspectors in their “puffy suits and face masks” that look like “rubber lifeboats bobbing towards him.” The man is detained overnight -- isolated and forgotten. When he fin

Writing poetry is like a discovery, says the 77-year old poet who also collaborates with Hallyu stars

Children’s book author Lee Geum-yi and illustrator Kwon Yoon-duck have been selected as the Korean candidates for the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award. The Korean Board on Books for Young People, the Korean branch of the International Board on Books for Young People, announced the nominees for the prestigious literary award during a general meeting held at the Suwon Convention Center on Saturday. Lee, 61, debuted in 1984 with the short story “With Younggu and Heukgu.” Her wor

'The Incendiaries,' now available in Korea, is to be made into a drama series by company who made 'Pachinko'

A translator who is not fluent in Korean winning the webtoon category at the 2022 Korea Translation Award has sparked controversy about the use of artificial intelligence in translation. A local newspaper reported Wednesday that Yukiko Matsusue, a Japanese translator who won Rookie of the Year at the annual award organized by the Korean Literature Translation Institute in December, had used Naver’s AI-translating system Papago while translating Gu A-jin’s occult thriller “Mirae

After becoming a new major source for alternate forms of multimedia content, web novels -- written works available primarily online -- are poised to continue following the successful footsteps of webtoons, setting new sales records and yielding successful drama adaptations. Naver Series, South Korean tech giant Naver’s web-based book platform, said that the accumulated sales of its action fantasy novel “Return of the Blossoming Blade” hit a record-high of 40 billion won ($31.8

Seoul Selection publishes six-volume series of English translations of works by Japanese Korean and Chinese Korean writers

The Korean edition of the science fiction fantasy novel “Phoenix Extravagant” by Korean American author Yoon Ha Lee hit local bookshelves on Jan. 17. The book was published by Hubble, a sci-fi imprint of East-Asia Publishing Co. The English edition was released in October 2020. The three-time Hugo Award nominee for his space opera trilogy “Machineries of Empire” -- which includes “Ninefox Gambit,” “Raven Stratagem” and “Revenant Gun” --

Webtoon “Dark Moon: The Blood Altar” has recorded 100 million views worldwide as of Wednesday, Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind the superband BTS said. An original webtoon collaboration between Hybe and Naver Webtoon, “Dark Moon: The Blood Altar” is a fantasy webtoon featuring seven members of Hybe boy band Enhyphen as werewolves. The story develops as a mysterious new student Soo-ha -- a vampire -- transfers to the school and draws the attention of the werewolves. Seria

"Tale of Department Head Kim at a Conglomerate Who Owns a House in Seoul" by first-time writer Song Hee-koo is a three-volume series about characters who work at a large conglomerate in Seoul. The last of the series hit local bookshelves in November 2021. The title may raise questions about the "ideal" image of a middle-class worker in South Korea. It would be someone who owns a house -- preferably in Seoul -- and works at a big company like Samsung, LG or SK and ultimately b

Best known for playing the archetypal Korean mother, Kim Hye-ja, 81, has established herself as an iconic actor in the Korean entertainment industry. Over some 60 years, the beloved actress has starred in more than 100 drama series and films, including the recent series “Our Blues” (2022), “The Light in Your Eyes” (2019) and “Dear My Friends” (2016). Kim’s recent memoir, “Thank You For Life” (Suo Books), released Dec. 22, is a "confessio