After Han Kang's Nobel win, forum to discuss expanding global reach of Korean literature

Poster for 2025 LTI Korea Global Literature Forum (LTI Korea)

Following Han Kang’s historic Nobel Prize in literature win last year, leading academics in translation and Korean studies, as well as translators from around the world, will gather in Seoul to explore new strategies for expanding Korean literature's reach.

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea will host the 2025 LTI Korea Global Literature Forum on July 3-4 at Yonsei University, Han’s alma mater. The forum, held under the theme “Strategies for Fostering the Global Expansion of Korean Literature,” will bring together domestic and international experts to discuss long-term approaches for strengthening the global influence of Korean literary works.

The two-day program is divided into a Research Session on July 3 and a Translation Session on July 4. Discussions will focus on the global reception of Korean literature since the Nobel win, current academic research trends and ways to enhance the literary translation ecosystem. Scholars and translators working in English, European and Asian language regions will contribute to the dialogue.

The forum will open on July 3 with a keynote address by Kwon Young-min, professor emeritus at Seoul National University, who will reflect on the significance of the Nobel Prize for Korean literature and the challenges ahead for its continued international growth.

This will be followed by a series of academic presentations and discussions featuring scholars from around the world, including Antonio J. Domenech (University of Malaga), Susan Hwang (University of California, Santa Barbara) and Grace Koh (SOAS University of London).

On July 4, the Translation Session will spotlight the present and future of Korean literary translation. Renowned poet Kim Hye-soon and Jeffrey Yang, literary editor at New Directions, will open the day with a conversation on the meaning of Korean literature for international readers and the evolving role of translation.

This will be followed by thematic discussions among active translators from across the globe, including Seon Lin Halbert and Janet Hong, on key topics such as translator education, the literary translation ecosystem and global support systems.

The forum is free and open to the public, with advance registration available via the LTI Korea website until July 1.