By Kim Hyelin and Kim Minji

From a novel set in Korea’s enlightenment period, "Silvery World" by Yi In-jik, to an epic with the background of the Japanese colonial era, "Im Kkokchong" by Hong Myong-hui, a newly released English-language anthology of Korean literature offers a glimpse of Korean society in the early to mid-20th century.

The Literature Translation Institute (LTI) of Korea, in collaboration with the American academic publisher Cornell East Asia Series, has published "Silvery World and Other Stories, Anthology of Korean Literature Vol. 1." Launched in 2007, the project is intended to introduce to the world Korean literature produced over the last 100 years.

In addition to the first volume published this year, a joint LTI Korea-Cornell committee on literature selection will put out four more volumes comprising a combined 30 chronological full-length and short stories.

Four of the inaugural anthology’s six novels are set against the backdrop of Japanese colonial rule of Korea: "The Battle of Dragon with Dragon" by Shin Ch'ae-ho, "Im Kkokchong" by Hong Myeong-hee, "Naktong River" by Cho Myung-hui and "Commoners’ Village" by Yi Ki-yeong. The others are "Silvery World" by Yi In-jik, "The Shore" by Choe Chan-shik.

"The six novels reflect the chaos of Korean society when old and new, nationalism, pro-Japanese elements, socialism and capitalism coexisted," said Michael J. Pettid, a professor at Binghamton University of New York and the anthology’s annotator and editor.

LTI Korea President Kim Sa-in added, "We expect not only readers but also academic researchers will get help in understanding the various aspects and outlines of 20th-century Korean literature (through the anthology)."

LTI Korea will publish the anthology’s second volume next year and produce versions in Southeast Asian languages and Arabic.

kimhyelin211@korea.kr