한국문학 번역의 문제점

Problems in Korean Literary Translation : focused on Jeju Literature

In the midst of the strong Korean Wave with popular Korean TV dramas, musicals, Korean celebrities, and Korean IT, Korean literature is found nearly nowhere. Compared with Korean pop culture, music performances, or art exhibitions, which have direct access to the audiences of the world, Korean literature reaches the readers through translation. Korean literature is the epitome of the history, tragedy, stories, culture and the emotion of the Korean people. Foreigners who are familiar with the Korean culture in one way or another can understand Korean literature. To enhance the understanding of Korean literature for readers of the world, a few points should be kept in mind. Translators should have a good command of the Korean and English languages. They should be sensitive enough to understand Korean literature and the source texts and skillful enough to translate them into target texts. The usual practice is that Koreans translate first and foreigners who understand Korean culture proofread them later. The best way may be that foreigners who understand Korean literature translate it. However, there are not many such people. Another problem is the selection of the Korean literary works. Some of them are very popular in Korea, but they are not anymore when they are translated. Good Korean literature to be translated should have both universal and unique Korean elements. The collection of Jeju writers works are a good example of having both universal and unique elements. There are many difficulties facing the translator and some of them are elaborated in this thesis. More Korean literary works should be translated in order to inseminate the high Korean culture around the world.