The purpose of this study is to collect the Japanese translated versions of Korean literature that were published in Japan from 1945 to 2016, build translation bibliographies, and examine the acceptance of Korean literature in Japan through the sta ...
The purpose of this study is to collect the Japanese translated versions of Korean literature that were published in Japan from 1945 to 2016, build translation bibliographies, and examine the acceptance of Korean literature in Japan through the status of translations. Also, this study conducted an analysis, evaluation, and criticism on the real state of translated works through the translation bibliography of translated versions and original versions.
In the first year of the research, this study reviewed the list written in the preceding study and complemented the omitted published translations and the materials after 2002 that were not examined. The study also tracked the original titles, wrote “Bibliographies of Korean Literature in Japanese Language: 1945~2016” and presented this in a paper.
During the second year of the research, this study identified the translation status. Based on the above bibliographies, a total of 496 pieces including Korean classical literature, novels, and plays were published from 1945 to 2016. Among them 286 of them were novels, taking up 58% of the entire translated publications and 131 of them were poems, taking up 26%. Classical literature, plays, and children’s literature took up 7%, 3%, and 7% respectively. In terms of time period, Japan’s growing interest toward Korea’s political situation led to increased translations into Japanese during the 1970s. From 2000 to 2016, 278 works were translated, which are above the half of entire translations. Japan’s demand on Korean literature increased amidst the Hallyu boom triggered by 1988 Seoul Olympics, 2002 Korea-Japan Soccer World Cup, and broadcasting of drama <Winter Sonata> in Japan in 2003. Such flow continues today.
Jeong-saeng Kwon was the most widely introduced Korean writer in Japan. Poets include Ji-ha Kim, Eun Ko, and Nam-jo Kim, and novelists include Wan-seo Park, In-ho Choi, Seok-young Hwang, Ji-young Kong, etc., many of whose works have been translated into Japanese. Also, Korean literature was translated into various versions such as books, literature and author’s collection, poetry collection, anthology, series, pocketbooks, etc. In terms of each time period many written works that became hot issues in Korea were introduced in Japan. At first, Korean literature translators in Japan were mostly Zainichi Koreans. Then, Koreans who studied Japanese joined it, and after 2000s the number of Japanese translators who studied abroad in Korea has increased.
In the third year of the research, the study compared and analyzed Hoon Kim’s “Song of a Sword” to its Japanese translation version “孤将”, and evaluated how it was translated into Japanese based on ‘linguistic elements’ ‘cultural elements’ and ‘literature elements’, identifying the state of translation. In addition, this study attempted at making translation criticisms by comparing with other translated works during the same period of time.