한국문학 번역에서 문학 번역가의 역할: 브루스 풀턴, 주찬 풀턴의 한 명 번역 결정부터 One Left 출판까지의 과정을 중심으로

Abstract

The translation of Korean literary works has received considerable attention in domestic translation studies, but little attention has been paid to the role of literary translators. Hence, this study aims to spotlight literary translators by means of an interview with two representative Korean-to-English literary translators, Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton. The interview investigates their task in deciding to translate Kim Soom’s novel “한 명” and finally securing publication of their translation, One Left. The interview results bring to the fore a portrait of literary translators as enthusiastic artists who select a literary work to translate based on their own values and beliefs, who translate with deep affection and respect for an author and her work, and who undergo ceaseless negotiations with publishers and literary agents to get their work published — an enormous and time-consuming effort mostly hidden and rarely discussed so far. The results point to the necessity of shedding further light on the role of literary translators and their extra-textual efforts in order to better understand the sociocultural and socioeconomic aspects of literary translation.