Korean novels set to start `hallyu` boom in literature

“I started reading the novel without prior knowledge of it, but the book was so high in quality that I was fully attracted to it instantly.”

This is what Miho Matsunaga, a professor at Waseda University in Japan, wrote in the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun on July 24, in a book review on “Vegetarian (published by Kuon Publishing)” by Korean novelist Han Kang.

The Japanese edition of the book was published in mid-June, and the first edition of 5,000 copies was sold out. A second printing will soon follow.

The novel is an omnibus of stories, including the story of a man whose wife suddenly boycotts meat consumption and get too skinny.

For a novel in Japan outside of those on practical knowledge or hallyu (the Korean Wave of pop culture) to get sold out and be reprinted is highly unusual. Analysts say the second printing of "Vegetarian" is significant as a milestone in the history of Korean literature`s advance into the Japanese market.

In addition, “Please Look after Mom” by Shin Kyung-sook, which has made a big splash in the U.S. and Europe, is also set to be published by Japan`s Shuei Publishing late next month, which could foreshadow the rising popularity of Korean literature in Japan.

According to Japanese publishing commentator Akira Tateno, the number of Korean literary works published in Japan between 2008 and 2010 was just 58. Over the same period, 2,555 works of Japanese literature were translated and published in Korea.

The first printing of a book in Japan hardly sells out. Yukiko Han, in charge of Japanese-language publishing at BC Agency in Seoul, said, “I`ve never seen a case in which all first-edition copies are sold out and a second printing is conducted.”

This has experts saying "Vegetarian" has gained a good response due to a number of positive factors. These include growing interest in Korean literature, an expanding number of Japanese interested in Korean literature, including third-generation Korean-Japanese translators, and rising interest by scholars in Korean literature since the 2000s.

Kim Seung-bok, the Korean-Japanese CEO of Kuon Publishing, developed an interest in Korean literature while majoring in poetry writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. To promote Korean literary works in Japan, he established the publisher in 2009.

Another key factor is the higher quality of Korean novels. Kim said, “As a person who has studied both Korean and Japanese literature, I realize that the works of Korean writers have significantly improved since the 2000s,” adding, “I was confident that literary works themselves could be adequately competitive in the Japanese market.”

As for "Vegetarian," Kim personally called the novelist after reading the book and proposed translating and publishing it in Japanese. As a result, more than 30 newspapers including Asahi and Mainichi have given good review of the book.

Another factor is the effect of hallyu, or the popularity of Korean pop culture in Japan. Kim said, “When they talk about Korea, they can now recall an image of sophistication.”

Kuon Publishing is promoting the novel by trumpeting “K-literature” just like “K-pop.”

"Please Look after Mom" will be published in Japanese late next month. KL Management CEO Lee Gu-yong, who exported the publishing rights of this novel, said, “Since it won positive responses in the U.S. and Europe, we have high expectations (in Japan).”

BC Agency`s Han also said, “If the novel was exported directly to the Japanese market, it would not gain notable influence. But since the book received a good response in the West, it will gain popularity in Japan as well.”

Kuon will continue publishing Korean literary works in Japan under the series title “New Korean Literary Work Series.”

“The publishing of Korean literary works in Japan is still in its infancy,” said Kuon CEO Kim said. “When publishing `Vegetarian,` we received a grant of 4,000 U.S. dollars from the Korea Literature Translation Institute, which was very helpful to the book’s promotion and marketing. I hope that the Korean government expands support for the publishing of Korean literature overseas.”

smiley@donga.com