Cowl of Kim Ji-yeon’s “The Issues that Go By” / Courtey of Vookda
The Fashionable Korean Literature Translation Awards organized by The Korea Instances have lengthy been unique to those that converse Korean or English natively — typically each.
This yr, nonetheless, the winner broke that mould.
Born in Russia, Diana Akhmetova’s mom tongues are Tatar, the language of the Tatar ethnic group, and Russian. She started studying English on the age of 6 and Korean at 14. Now residing in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, she research tourism administration at Kongju Nationwide College.
Akhmetova stated she was drawn to Kim Ji-yeon’s novel “The Issues that Go By” due to its give attention to nontraditional relationships.
“What drew me to ‘The Issues that Go By’ had been the themes it explores. Nontraditional relationships are nonetheless thought-about taboo by many, which regularly silences the actual struggles confronted by those that don’t match into typical norms,” she stated.
The story follows the love between two girls.
“This story addresses problems with self-acceptance, the seek for one’s place on this planet, the method of letting go of the previous and the braveness it takes to belief one other particular person. I used to be deeply moved by how these concepts had been portrayed, and I wished to share that with others.”
The translator stated she might personally relate to the story’s themes.
“I’ve at all times been strong-willed and cussed by nature. I grew up within the countryside, the place life teaches you resilience — I realized to cut wooden, milk cows, deal with instruments, and, most significantly, by no means cry in entrance of others,” she stated.
“As I bought older, I started to face expectations that didn’t really feel pure to me. The ladies in my household wished me to behave and look extra ‘female’ — to put on clothes, use make-up, discuss boys and play with dolls. None of that ever me. For a very long time, I felt confused and misplaced, as if one thing was unsuitable with me just because I didn’t match the mould.”
By studying and assembly totally different folks, she realized that nobody owes conformity to anybody — not even to their household.
“We’re all totally different, and that’s what makes life fascinating. For me, an individual’s gender has by no means outlined my connection to them. I’m drawn to folks’s ideas, values and actions — to who they’re as human beings,” she stated.
“I discover myself concerned about each women and men, as a result of every particular person carries their very own distinctive world inside them. After I lastly understood that there was nothing unsuitable with me — that the issue was the world’s slender view of what’s ‘regular’ — all the pieces grew to become lighter. That’s why I care deeply about tales that discover nontraditional relationships and minority experiences. I imagine such tales may help individuals who really feel misplaced or ‘totally different’ notice that life is stuffed with colours and numerous shades in between.”
Requested what motivated her to use for the competition, Akhmetova stated, “As I bought older, I spotted that true progress comes from embracing challenges and stepping out of 1’s consolation zone. I already had expertise translating paperwork and subtitles, however literary translation was fully new to me, and I used to be curious to see if I might rise to the problem.”
The translator stated one of many principal challenges was translating abbreviations and wordplay from Korean into English.
“These linguistic nuances typically lose their full impact when translated. So discovering artistic equivalents was important,” she stated.
When requested concerning the problem of translating between two non-native languages, she replied, “I began studying English after I was 6, and through the years it has develop into nearly like a local language to me. So I really feel snug utilizing it. The problem lies in adapting shortly to the patterns of every language.”
Whereas honored by the award, Akhmetova stated her aspirations transcend literary translation.
“After graduating, I hope to remain in Korea and construct a profession that lets me promote the nation’s magnificence to the world. I really imagine that cultural trade could make the world a kinder, extra related place.”
