From left are Jung Ha-yun, Dafna Zur and Janet Hong, the judges for The Korea Times' 55th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards / Courtesy of Jung Ha-yun, Do Pham/Stanford University and Laura Pak

Our three judges for The Korea Times' 55th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards were in the process of selecting this year's finalists when the news arrived that Han Kang had been named the 2024 Nobel Prize recipient in literature. This recognition not only celebrates Korean literature but also fulfills Korea's long-standing aspiration for its literature to gain global acknowledgment — a vision that has driven The Korea Times' translation awards since its inception 55 years ago. So it is with great pride that we extend heartfelt congratulations to Han Kang and all her translators, whose dedication has helped make this achievement possible.

For over half a century, the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards has helped launch the careers of more than a hundred aspiring translators. This year's panel of judges — three former winners — know firsthand how transformative this award can be. Jung Ha-yun, who has served as a judge since 2009, was first involved with the award in the early 1990s as a reporter at The Korea Times' culture desk, responsible for coordinating the annual proceedings. The job inspired her to switch paths, from journalism to writing and translation, and winning the award in 2000 led to grants and publications that would be vital to keeping her on that path. She now serves on the faculty of Ewha Womans University's Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation.

Janet Hong notes that winning the award in 2001 validated her journey and opened the door to her career as a literary translator. Hong's impact continues as she now mentors the next generation of translators, including Paige Aniyah Morris, who co-translated the forthcoming “We Do Not Part” by Han Kang with e. yaewon.

Dafna Zur won the award in 2005, an achievement that helped advance her scholarship in Korean literature. She is now an associate professor at Stanford University, where she teaches Korean literature and contributes to the field through research on topics ranging from science fiction and the Korean War to popular culture in both North and South Korea.

The judges faced a significantly larger submission pool this year in both the fiction/drama and poetry categories. The increased number of submissions indicates two things. First, successful outreach: word about these awards is reaching more aspiring translators and generating greater interest. Second, the increase in high-quality submissions demonstrates the depth of talent that exists today. This is a welcome development and 2024 has shown a preview of excellent work still to come.

The Grand Prize in fiction went to the translation of Kim Cho-yeop's short story “Why Don't the Pilgrims Come Back?” It reflects a growing trend in Korea, where many talented voices, especially young women, are turning toward science fiction. The story's first-person epistolary voice was rendered convincingly in English, with thoughtful attention to the details and descriptions that shape its fictional world.

There were a number of strong contenders for the Commendation Award, but in the end, we decided on the translation of Park Ji-young's “To My Pet Rice Cooker, Cuckoo,” a heartfelt story chronicling a son's experience caring for a father with Alzheimer's. The story's narrative is a roller-coaster both in plot and style and despite some issues regarding accuracy and details, the translator rose to the challenges presented by the unique narrative voice. The strengths and shortcomings of the two winning entries, as well as those of the other finalists, serve as a reminder that aspiring translators have room to grow and would benefit from feedback on the many decisions they make.

Many excellent poetry submissions also gave the judges much to debate, but ultimately, the Grand Prize was awarded to the translation of Choi Seung-ho's poems from his collection “The Snowman Suicide Incident.” The translator skillfully captured the tone and cadence of Choi's allegorical prose poems, delivering a polished result.

There were also a handful of finalists considered in the poetry category, but in the end, the judges selected the translation of Shin Kyeong-nim's poetry as the Commendation winner. The two original works posed very different challenges, as one is closer to prose than the other, with differing constraints on word choice and breath length. Together, they demonstrate the diverse skills needed to bring Korean poetry into English with clarity and nuance.

This year, we also honor the legacy of the late Father Kevin O'Rourke (1939-2020) with the inaugural O'Rourke Prize. O'Rourke arrived in Korea in 1964 as a missionary with the Columban Order and became the first foreigner to receive a Ph.D. in Korean literature in 1982. For him, translation was the fulfillment of his calling. In addition to the thousands of translations he published, O'Rourke championed aspiring translators, always opening his home to debate translations and read poetry together.

This award also holds personal meaning for the judges. O'Rourke officiated Zur's wedding and Hong recalls a memorable skiing trip with him. Jung remembers inviting him to serve as a judge for this award in the early 1990s, to which he attended with great enthusiasm. O'Rourke also won a Commendation award for his translations in 1971 and 1972, and served as a judge from 1975 to 1980, and from 1988 to 1989. His spirit of friendship and dedication to Korean literature continues to inspire us.

In acknowledgment of the sheer delight he took in both Korean and English, the judges awarded the O'Rourke Prize to the translator of Son Young-hee's contemporary "sijo" (three-line Korean poetic) collection, “Where Did All the Heartbeats in the World Go?” The translator chose to reimagine the original's syllabic meter with a rhymed structure in English — a departure from the not-quite traditional prosody of the Korean text, yet a creative choice we believe O'Rourke would have deeply appreciated.

We are proud to celebrate a community of translators who continue to bring the richness of Korean literature to readers around the world. Congratulations to this year's winners and to everyone who submitted.