K-Interview: Gene Png (Literary Illustrator and Translator)

Interviewer: Nikhat Parveen (Delhi, India)

Editor: Pooja Vishwanathan (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India)

In the wake of the Hallyu wave, Korean literature has gone far beyond mere music and TV, and some people devote themselves to it for its translation work that links two cultures. One such voice is Gene Png, a Singaporean literary translator and illustrator based in Seoul.

​Gene Png plays a pivotal role in bringing Korean literature to the world’s attention by translating some of the most admired feminist and female-authored works from South Korea. Her journey from being an enthusiast to an award-winning translator is inspiring.

As a teenager, you had mentioned that your study of the Korean language started with Korean pop fandom. If you had to look back, where did that interest take you? Would you ever have guessed it would get you to become an award-winning literary translator?

I started learning Korean when I got into K-pop, but my interest in Korean culture led me to apply to a university in South Korea, where my interest in Korean literature deepened. No, I would’ve never guessed that I’d win an award, and it still feels surreal whenever I get nominated for something.

A lot of people enjoy Korean culture through music and dramas but only a few of these fans make a career of it. What was the point where you became serious on studying Korean literature and translation?

I was in a creative writing class when Sora Kim-Russell came to give a talk about what she does as a translator. It seemed like something that I’d love to do: pour over words and find the best way to recreate an experience for someone through my words. A few weeks later, there was a poster for LTI Korea’s translation programme on the university notice board, so I took that as a sign.

You are an expert in the translation of female and feminist stories. What do you look up to when working on such projects? Tell us more about your vision of approaching Hangul texts. 

I don’t think I’m an expert haha! I keep an eye out for really strong character voices. Not in the sense that they must be badasses, but that they are empathetic and brave. 

What is the best approach that you personally follow to be faithful to the original Korean while making it natural and emotionally powerful for English readers?

When I look at a text, I ask myself: What’s the most important thing that’s being conveyed here? I don’t think that anything is impossible to translate. We might not have equivalents for words, but I believe that feelings are universal.

The literary terms, social ranking, and cultural references within the Korean language can be subtle and complex, which may not always be easily translated into English. Please provide an example of a difficult situation and how you handled it.

In The Legend of Lady Byeoksa, you might find a lot of references to historical events and objects. A lot of these words I’ve simply left in Korean after providing a quick gloss. I trust that my readers can figure things out on their own. Unless a publisher insists, I try not to spoon-feed readers.

Elements of fantasy, romance, and a commentary on social issues are beautifully combined in The Midnight Shift. What do you love about this novel, and what things were most fascinating (or challenging) while you were translating it?

I love that it was a blend of various genres, and I hadn’t seen anything like it in Korean literature back then. There were a few sections that relied heavily on metaphors, so I did my best to fully comprehend those passages, find their core, and think of how I could translate them in the most succinct way possible.

Two Women Living Together is about friendship between women and non-traditional understandings of companionship. What makes tales about women’s relationships and chosen families so compelling to global readers in a world today?

I think that books featuring queer lives and alternative ways of living give people the courage to chase after the life they want. Books like Two Women Living Together make us feel seen, heard, and less alone.

Do you believe your multicultural experiences have an impact on your translation and storytelling approaches, since you have experienced both Singapore and South Korea?

Yes, definitely. I consider myself a very good code switcher, and that comes in handy when I’m getting into different narrative voices. I also feel very blessed whenever I come across something that I know simply because I’d grown up in Singapore, surrounded by all these wonderful cultures and religions.

You won the Grand Prize in Poetry at the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards. Poetry is one of the most challenging forms of translation. What significance did that recognition have for you, and how have you been influenced by poetry in your role as a translator?

That award really solidified my confidence as a translator, and poetry is something that I always keep in the back of my mind and wish to go back to doing someday. When I’m translating, I pay a lot of attention to the sound of my sentences, which is a habit I got from reading and writing poetry.

Reading translation can sometimes be invisible, and the reader writes first with the original author in mind. What is your interpretation of the role of a translator in translating literature between language and culture?

I don’t think that translators are as invisible as they seem. We’re actually the second writers of our books! But the fact that people tend to forget us just means that we need more translator visibility. 

We have seen the surge of Korean literature among readers of multiculturalism. Other than the widely translated literature, have there been any modern Koreans or genres that you think should get widespread recognition from such readers and reviewers?

I’d love, love, love for publishers to pay more attention to short story collections written in Korean. I think that’s where you’ll find the best writing, and it’s a shame that a lot of them get turned down simply because of the format. Short story collections are very popular in South Korea! 

As an illustrator, do visual stories and literary translation inspire each other in your work?

Yes, I’m very good at imagining scenes in my head, which helps when I try to describe them in words.

If you were allowed to read any Korean book or literature that you have never had the time or opportunity to read, what would it be and why?

No matter how busy I am, I always find time to read. Some of my favourite authors are Lee Juran, Park Seolyeon, and Kang Hwagil. But yes, if anyone would like to invent a technology to download books straight into my head, that would be very helpful. 

Indian readers are slowly becoming aware of Korean literature too in the wake of the Hallyu trend. How do you feel about the rise of this interest in stories from Korea, and how significant has it been to make Korean stories available to Indian readers through translation work?

It makes me really happy, of course! My aunt in Japan was able to order a copy of The Midnight Shift thanks to Bloomsbury India. At the same time, I hope we can widen the pool to include other forms of Korean literature like creative non-fiction and literary short story collections. On a sidenote, we need more South Asian literature too!  

Lastly, what words of wisdom would you give to young people, particularly to those with a passion for K-culture who want to pursue careers in literature, translation, and academia?

Reeeeeeeaaaaaaddddd, read, READ. And then try translating to see if you really like it! I would be wary about turning something you love into a job, so ask yourself why it is that you want to be a translator. 

Once again, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your precious time and for sharing insights about your journey. Thank you so much. On behalf of the entire team at Hallyuism, we wish you all the best for your future projects and lots of love from India!

We hope you all loved reading this interview as much as we loved conducting it. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!