Hyun Ki-young's epic 'Oh, Jejudo' and 15 others receive Daesan translation grants

Novelist Hyun Ki-young (Daesan Foundation)

Novelist Hyun Ki-young's three-volume epic novel "Oh, Jejudo” and 15 other Korean literary works have been selected for the 2024 Grants for the Translation, Research and Publication of Korean Literary Works, the Daesan Foundation said Monday.

The novel, which won the fiction prize of the 31st Daesan Literary Awards last year, narrates Jeju Island myths and tales following the history of the island from the late Joseon period to the Japanese colonial period and the April 3 uprising.

The Daesan Foundation has been awarding the annual grant, which introduces Korean literature to the world in various languages, since 2010.

This year, the foundation is providing a total of 220 million won ($160,613) to support 16 selected projects across six languages -- English, French, Spanish, Chinese, German and Japanese.

Among the recipients are the French and Chinese translations of poet Kim Ki-taek's “A Knife Called a Sickle,” which won the poetry category at last year's Daesan Literary Awards; the English and Chinese translations of "Oh, Jejudo"; the Spanish translation of Han Kang's "I Do Not Bid Farewell" and the English translation of Lee Seong-bok's poetry collection "That Summer’s End."

"Oh, Jejudo" by Hyun Ki-young (Changbi Publishers)

By Hwang Dong-hee(hwangdh@heraldcorp.com)