[기획] The ‘Han River’ novel that even Japan is passionate about

The column that has been published in this corner was published as a book titled ‘Same Japan, Different Japan’ in 2022, and the book has now been translated into Japanese and published in Japan. I am half excited and half afraid of how a column that explains Japanese society and culture to Korean readers will be received by Japanese readers. As more time is needed to understand the reactions of Japanese readers, I would like to introduce my special impressions as a reader in this column. Although I am not good at sharing my personal thoughts, reading my writing translated by others gave me a new insight into the linguistic and cultural charm of translating between Korea and Japan.

Although many gaps are sometimes identified, if we use the cultural tool of thoughtful translation, we can find meaningful consensus on the historical conflicts and wounds shared by Korea and Japan. Illustration Kim Il-young

Korean and Japanese are both familiar languages ​​to me. Although it is not as good as my native language, Korean, I can read and write Japanese without much difficulty. I have previously published a book in Japan with a manuscript written in Japanese. There may be many cases where one’s own writing has been translated into another language, but the opportunity to read the translated text from the perspective of a pure reader is unlikely to be common. It was a strange feeling to read my writing through the hands of a thoughtful translator. I felt happy, as if I had met another writer who thought the same way as me, and also felt awkward, as if my clumsy sentences had suddenly transformed into beautiful sentences.

I also have translation experience. I tried translating Japanese to Korean and vice versa. I know very well how serious translation requires deep thought and effort. This is because it is essential to select and reconstruct words appropriate to the society without distorting the intent of the original text, rather than simply changing the sentence to another language. Therefore, translation is not a mechanical ‘transformation’ but a cultural ‘interpretation’. This is also the reason why I firmly believe that automatic translation without the power of artificial intelligence cannot surpass a translator with thoughtfulness and writing skills.

There is an irreplaceable charm in translation between Korea and Japan.

The translation work between Korea and Japan is truly fascinating. In particular, the article translated and published in Japan this time was a popular article for newspaper readers. Because the writing was often mixed with buzzwords and slang to add fun, there were parts where I was concerned about how it would be translated. However, Korean slang was naturally converted into Japanese.

For example, there is a term called ‘inssa’ that is commonly used among young Koreans. Derived from the English word ‘insider’, it is a slang term meaning a person who actively participates in a meeting or group and gets along well with it. This word was translated as ‘Youchara (陽キャラ)’ in the Japanese translation. ‘Youchara’ is a Japanese slang meaning ‘a character of bright energy (キャラクター)’, meaning a bright and sociable personality. Although the expressions are different, both are slang for human relationships and sociability, and are topics that young people in Korea and Japan are very interested in.

The same goes for the word ‘old man’. It is a slang term used to describe an older person who has an authoritarian attitude, and in the Japanese translation, it was translated as ‘Rogai (老害)’. It is a sarcastic word referring to the negative behavior of the elderly. In Japan, too, there are many cases where older powerful people frown on the harm they cause to those around them, so there was a concept that accurately corresponded to ‘old man’. As I read the translated text, where exactly the corresponding words appear in the right places, I once again thought about the beauty of translating between Korea and Japan.

Korean and Japanese have many similarities in terms of grammar and vocabulary, so they are known as languages ​​that are relatively easy to learn. However, the beauty of translation between Korea and Japan does not lie simply in these linguistic similarities. Because the social problems and cultural dilemmas facing the two societies are similar, exact and unexpected words or expressions may be found during the translation process. There may be ways to express it in other languages, such as English or Chinese, but such expressions often fit more naturally when translating between Korea and Japan.

So this does not mean that translation between Korea and Japan is easy. Expressions or idioms that contain subtle nuances or cultural differences require more careful interpretation. Although there are words that match on the surface, the process of using those words appropriately according to the social context and adding a cultural interpretation that can naturally approach readers is not easy. However, I believe that if it goes through the hands of a great translator who deeply understands both Korean and Japanese society and culture, it can convey the intention of the original text better than any other language translation without distorting the message.

How do you say Han River ‘never say goodbye’ in dialect?

There are many readers in Japan who congratulate author Han Kang on winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. Recently, interest in Korean literature has grown significantly in Japan, and Han Kang has been receiving attention as a writer representing modern Korean literature. It cannot be ignored that his representative works, such as ‘The Vegetarian’, ‘Here Comes the Boy’, and ‘The Greek Hour’, were already translated into Japanese. It is even said that the work ‘Song to Sing Gaman Gaman’, which is out of print in Korea, is now only available in Japanese translation. In fact, after the news of Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize in Literature was announced, I received calls from Japanese friends who were overjoyed. I realized that Han Kang’s powerful yet delicate writing resonated deeply with Japanese readers.

There is an interesting story related to the Japanese translation of Han Kang’s works. A Japanese version of Han Kang’s novel ‘No Goodbye’, based on the Jeju April 3 Incident, was published this year, and veteran translator Mariko Saito, who made ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ a bestseller in Japan, was in charge of the translation.

What is particularly interesting is that the Jeju Island dialect that appears in this novel was translated into Japanese while using the Okinawa dialect. Okinawa has a tragic history in which more than 100,000 civilians were driven into the crossfire of U.S. forces and sacrificed their lives during the Pacific War. The historical situation is similar to Jeju, the setting of this novel, in that it was a direct victim of state violence. In other words, by using the dialect of the Okinawa region, which experienced a tragedy similar to that of Jeju Island in Japan, the author attempted to convey the novel’s critical awareness more clearly.

It must have been a decision made after careful consideration as a translator. The Okinawan dialect itself gives a strong impression of the region. Because of this, there is a possibility that it will interfere with focusing on the unique context of this novel, which is set on Jeju Island. Therefore, some readers question whether it is appropriate to replace the Jeju Island dialect with the Okinawa dialect. However, the core message of this novel lies in the critical awareness of state violence. Saito’s translation does not stop at simply reporting the violence of the Jeju April 3 Incident, but also reminds us that something similar has happened in Japan, and in fact, acts of violence by the state, or war, are still continuing. In that respect, I would like to evaluate this translation as an attempt to bring about historical sympathy between Korea and Japan.

Cultural exchange between Korea and Japan through literature

Recently, there was a significant event in Japan’s cultural exchange between Korea and Japan through literature. Park Kyung-ni’s epic novel ‘Land’ has been translated and published in its entirety. How will Japanese readers receive this masterpiece that covers the vast narrative of modern Korean history from the end of the Joseon Dynasty to the Japanese colonial period and after liberation? Wouldn’t it provide new insight into Korea’s historical experience? If we utilize the cultural tool of thoughtful translation, we can go beyond simple linguistic conversion and form meaningful consensus on the historical conflicts and wounds shared between the two countries. We hope that this publication will serve as an opportunity for an in-depth conversation about the history between Korea and Japan. The potential for cultural exchange between Korea and Japan through literature is very great.

Kim Kyung-hwa, media anthropologist