The K-Narrative Team of SNU Contemporary Korean Studies holds a monthly colloquium to critically explore the emerging trends in contemporary Korean narratives. We invite active participation from members of the university community.

The May 30 session will focus on the themes of Korean literature in translation and the discourse surrounding K-literature.

Title: Korean Literature and Translation after Han Kang’s Nobel Prize

Presenter: Sean Lin Halbert (Literary Translator, Seoul National University)

Date & Time: May 30, 2:00–4:00 PM

Venue: Room 422, Building 14, Seoul National University

Format: In-person

On May 30, 2025, the K-Narrative Team of the Contemporary Korean Studies Institute at Seoul National University hosted the third session of its colloquium series “Narrating Contemporary Korea.” The event took place in Room 422 of Building 14, with Sean Halbert (Seoul National University) as the featured speaker.

Halbert’s presentation, “Korean Literature and Translation after Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature,” examined how Han Kang’s international recognition reframes long-standing debates about the global circulation of Korean literature. The talk traced the history of the term “K-literature,” the shifts in translation practices from early missionary translators to contemporary figures such as Deborah Smith and Anton Hur, and the role of institutional infrastructures like LTI Korea. Key examples included Han Kang’s The Vegetarian as well as the Booker-shortlisted Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung and Love in the Big City by Park Sang-young.

This colloquium underscored both the opportunities and the challenges of Korea’s literary globalization. While international prizes and branding strategies raise visibility, questions remain about genre boundaries, translator visibility, and what kinds of stories resonate with global readers. The discussion highlighted how the future of “K-literature” will depend on balancing institutional support with diverse, authentic literary voices.