한국문학 번역의 문화번역-한국문학의 문화번역 지점을 중심으로

Abstract

This study aims to examine particular locations where cultural translation takes place in the process of translating Korean literature into English, and analyze the hegemonic conflict points between the established status of Korean literature in Korea and the emerging status of its English translation abroad. Over the course of time the Korean literature has established its own hegemonic tradition which carries the representative cultural identity of Koreans. However, recently these vested rights of Korean literature in Korea have been challenged by the successful reception of the English translations of Korean literature which seems to have established its own cannonical hegemony in English-speaking countries with a different group of Korean writers including Shin Kyung-sook and Han Kang. The particular locations where two different cultural hegemonies conflict each other include school textbook, anthology, literary award, and bestseller. The success of the English translation of Korean literature seems to present a different kind of hierarchy of the tradition of Korean literature, based on the different kind of preference by publishers and readers in English-speaking countries. Eventually, the higher status of cultural hegemony of the English translations of Korean literature in English-speaking countries seems to influence, interfere and eventually subvert the existing hegemonic hierarchy of Korean literature in Korea. The questions of ‘who does own Korean literature?’, ’who does have more authority about Korean literature’ and ‘who does know Korean literature more?’ have become a critical point of cultural translation in the process and reception of the English translation of Korean literature these days.