Another Great Resource on the KLTI Site!

This is just brilliant.

10 pages containing nearly 50 downloadable texts (in PDF form) of Korean fiction and poetry.

Not all the texts are translated - If the listing looks like this:



There is NOT yet an English translation.

But if the listing has two pdf symbols, click on the second pdf symbol to open an English version of the work.



And away you go - more lovely free literature...

Get Yer Red-Hot Korean Literature and Poetry!

KLTI has printed its second annual (if it's not a bit cheeky to call something that is two years old "annual?" Heck, by that standard the USFL was an annual football league. I suppose that comparison won't work for non-US citizens) collection of translations of recent Korean fiction and poetry, "New Writing from Korea 2."

I dunno. I might work on jazzing up the title?

In any case, you can request one at mill@klti.or.kr.

The indefatigable Brother Anthony (who I believe was involved in the translation and editing?) says:

This year's issue is easier on the eyes than last year's, and rather less bulky, but it includes short stories by: Ham Yujoo. Kwon Yeo-sun, Park Min Gyu. Kim Aeran and Gong Sun-ok as well as extracts from novels by Kim Jinkyoo and Kim Yeonsu, and a lot of poems by about 11 poets including Shin Yong-mok, Ham Min Bok and Kim Sa-In . . . a bargain for the price (it's free)! The translations are good, too! (I hope)

Please do not blame me for the spelling of the names, KLTI prints writers' names as the writers wish to have them spelled.

I am particularly amused and bemused by his last comment. As though the world of Korean translation into English were such a monstrous success that participants should waste time attacking each other for 'deviant' Romanization.

Anyway, drop the KLTI a line - they continue to do the good work in the trenches..

And always remember you can check out their killer website at: http://www.klti.or.kr/eng/

Excellent Resources on the KLTI Site

I've been looking around the Korean Literature Translation Institute website and they've quietly created quite a powerful research tool. I'll look at aspects of this site over the next few days and will begin with what I think would be an excellent classroom resource for teachers outside Korea who are teaching Korean culture, or for listening or culture classes taught to Koreans in Korea.

One part of the site is called Journeys in Korean Lit and it can be found here:

http://www.klti.or.kr/LetterApp?mode=6005&language=eng

features 66 movies (with versions in Chinese, English and Spanish) each one of which briefly (all that I looked at were under 10 minutes long) explores a Korean author through his work. The authors include such modern luminaries as Lee Dong-ha (Toy City) and Park Wan-suh (Who Ate Up All the Shinga?) and older works such as The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong.

Unfortunately, the movies are somewhat haphazardly organized, so you'll have to sort through them to find the authors or subjects you are interested in, but it is quite worth checking out.

The other 3 areas (look for a menu towards the upper left) of the site are equally great:

• Author Introductions - allows you to search for the name of an author and pull up a brief biography of that authors.
  
  
• Interviews with authors - I think this speaks for itself!
  
  
• Readings of works - Currently 25 authors are represented here
  

Definitely worth checking out!