Events to promote Korean books will be held in 11 countries over the next few months year including the U.K., Australia and France. Shown is a scene from the event "Korean Culture Month" in October last year hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre in London at the Charing Cross Road branch of Foyles, a leading British book chain. (Facebook page of KCC in U.K.)

By Yoon Sojung

Events to promote Korean books during the rest of the year will be held in 11 countries including the U.K., Australia and France. 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea on Sept. 6 said the events designed to offer better international access to such books will be held in Mexico, Vietnam, Argentina, the U.K., Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, Poland, France, Australia and Hong Kong.

The first event is scheduled for this month at the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Sydney, Australia, including a Sept. 8 lecture with translator Sora Kim-Russell at Macquarie University and a meeting with a translator at Wiloughby City Library and a reading with "The Hall" translator Sora Kim-Russell at the KCC's Korean Book Club both on Sept. 9. The latter will be livestreamed on the KCC's YouTube channel for Korean book fans unable to attend the gathering in person.

Kim-Russell is a leading translator who has handled the works of famous Korean novelists such as Kong Ji-Young, Bae Su-ah, Shin Kyung-sook, Pyun Hye-Young and Hwang Sok-yong. Kim-Russell won the 2017 Shirley Jackson Award for her translation of "The Hall" by Pyun.

The KCC in Poland will invite Chung Bora, author of "Cursed Bunny," a book shortlisted this year for the prestigious International Booker Prize of the U.K. The center on Sept. 24 will host a dialogue with the author and her lecture for students of Korean studies, a major to be launched on Sept. 26 at the prestigious SWPS University in Warsaw. 

At the end of this month, the KCC in Egypt will host a book reading with related programs such as a Korean book exhibition, talks with authors and a translation seminar. 

In October, book exchange events will be held in the U.K., Indonesia and Vietnam. The KCC in London will host "Korean Culture Month" next month at the Charing Cross Road branch of Foyles, a leading British book chain, where Korean books will be displayed and sold. The event will include programs such as "Korean Culture Month: Fiona Bae in conversation with Youngna Kim" dubbed as "Hallyu Talks."

Bae is a London-based Korean author who recently wrote a piece on Hallyu titled "Make Break Remix: The Rise of K Style." Kim is in charge of design for the upcoming exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London slated for late this month called "Hallyu! The Korean Wave."

The KCC in Indonesia will host the event "K-Book: Beyond the Hallyu" from Oct. 7-8 in Jakarta.

To mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties, the KCC in Vietnam will host "2022 Ho Chi Minh Korean Culture Day" (unofficial translation) as well as a Korean book exhibition and meetings with Korean writers at Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City and other areas.

In November, Mexico and Argentina will host Korean book events. The KCC in Mexico City will host a translation contest for books from both countries. And that in Buenos Aires will invite Sohn Won-Pyung, author of the novel "Almond," to host a meeting with readers in Argentina. 

In December, the KCC in France will host a translation and reading festival for Korean picture books targeting students of the Korean language at the center.

The ministry said, "Higher interest from overseas readers in Korean books has recently begun to lead to cultural and commercial results," adding, "We will continue informing readers abroad of the appeal of Korean books so that Korean stories can permeate the daily life of people around the world and help expand the scope of the Korean Wave."

arete@korea.kr