Seoul Metropolitan Government, operating outdoor libraries
Exhibition of over 700 translated books, including ‘Vegetarians’
Seoul Plaza attracts about 1,000 foreigners a day
Foreigners reading books at Seoul Outdoor Library in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. <Photo provided by Seoul City>
In the evening, Gwanghwamun and Cheonggyecheon area in Seoul are crowded with foreign tourists. While it’s common for foreigners to flock to these popular tourist spots in Seoul, their behavior is somewhat different from regular tourists. Rather than taking a memorable photo, they spend time leisurely in comfortable positions, each finding a spot they like. What unites them is their interest in translated ‘K-literature.’
Novelist Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature for Asian women once again proves the high interest of foreigners in K-literature. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 11th, Seoul Outdoor Library, Gwanghwamun Book Festival, and Clear Streamside Reading Room (Cheonggyecheon) operated by Seoul have become established as the ‘Mecca of K-literature,’ garnering high attention from foreign tourists.
Seoul Metropolitan Government is exhibiting over 700 Korean literature translated books donated by the Korea Literature Translation Institute at Seoul Outdoor Library. The Korea Literature Translation Institute, a public institution under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, focuses on supporting the translation and publication of Korean literature, fostering professional translators for Korean literature and arts, and producing promotional content for Korean literature and culture.
Oh Ji-eun, the director of Seoul Library, mentioned, “Seoul Plaza for reading books attracts around 10,000 visitors a day, with approximately 10% estimated to be foreigners.” He further stated, “At Gwanghwamun and Cheonggyecheon outdoor libraries, foreign tourists can make up to about 30% of the total visitors at peak times.” He added, “Cheonggyecheon and Gwanghwamun outdoor libraries are sometimes designated as a tourist course by travel agencies, where tourists are advised to ‘take a break and read a book’.”
Seoul Outdoor Library is exhibiting Korean literature translated books by theme, including Han Kang’s Man Booker International Prize-winning ‘Vegetarian,’ award-winning foreign literature, books adapted into dramas, movies, and musicals, Korean classical literature, translated into 33 different languages such as English, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Greek, totaling 59 original works.
In addition to ‘Vegetarian,’ works such as Kim Hye-sun’s Nab-go-sjeon-tong, recipient of the Poetry Society of America award, Park Sang-young’s City of Love, shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award, Kim Geum-suk’s translation of Muriel, the best-translated work in the Muriel Awards for Comics, and Cho Nam-joo’s entry for the German Liberatur Prize, ‘Kim Ji-young Born in 1982,’ are attracting foreign tourists. These collections from the Korea Literature Translation Institute will be exhibited until the end of this month.
Some argue that efforts to secure an adequate quantity of translated Korean literature are necessary for foreigners to access K-literature more easily. Director Oh mentioned, “While Korean literature in Korean can be purchased when needed, there are no other ways to obtain translated Korean literature other than receiving donations from the Korea Literature Translation Institue.” He emphasized the need for government efforts to ensure that a certain quantity of translated literature is made available in public libraries once they are published.
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