Cover not available

Article published In: FORUM
Vol. 18:1 (2020) ► pp.68–85

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

The impact of translated Harry Potter on children’s fantasy literature system in South Korea

 | Ewha Womans University
Published online: 16 June 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/forum.19020.shi
Abstract
This study examined the impact of translated Harry Potter series on Korea’s literature system, adopting Even-Zohar’s polysystem theory. Literature review shows that (1) discourses on children’s fantasy literature increased; (2) the number of the country’s original children’s fantasy books apparently inspired by Harry Potter rose; (3) the country’s discourses about children’s fantasy literature began to focus more on its own originals and their distinctive features. This indicates that translated Harry Potter moved to the centre in Korea’s children’s literary system. And this is mainly attributed to the weakness of the country’s fantasy literature system. This research is based on Even-Zohar’s polysystem theory which is considered an effective framework to describe the dynamic and competitive interplay between systems, and it is significant as the first attempt to explain the rise of translated fantasy children’s books in Korea’s children’s literature system in the wake of the sweeping popularity of translated Harry Potter.
Résumé
Cette étude examine les répercussions de la série traduite de Harry Potter sur le système littéraire du pays en se basant sur la théorie du polysystème d’Even-Zohar. La revue littéraire démontre que (1) les débats sur la littérature de fantasy pour la jeunesse ont multiplié ; (2) la parution des livres de fantasy, inspirés de la saga Harry Potter, destinés aux enfants a augmenté ; et que (3) les discussions autour de la littérature de fantasy pour la jeunesse en Corée ont commencé à se focaliser sur les œuvres de fantasy originales et leurs particularités. Cela indique que la série traduite s’est placée au centre du système de la littérature de jeunesse coréenne. Ceci est principalement dû à la faiblesse de son système de littérature de fantasy de jeunesse. Cette recherche se base sur la théorie du polysystème d’Even-Zohar, considérée comme le cadre le plus efficace pour décrire le dynamisme et la réciprocité compétitive entre les systèmes. Ce travail est significatif dans sa tentative d’explication de la hausse des traductions des livres de fantasy pour les enfants depuis le succès fulgurant de Harry Potter traduit en coréen.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Discourses on children’s fantasy literature in South Korea
  • 3.The impact of translated Harry Potter on South Korea’s children’s fantasy literature system
  • 4.Changes in South Korea’s original children’s fantasy literature
  • 5.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
References (50)
References
Ahn, Ji Na. 2007. “A Study on the Ideology of Fantasy Novels.” Journal of Popular Narrative 13 (1): 219–245.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ahn, Nam Yeon. 2002. “Fantasy Journey with Harry Potter.” Folktale and Translation 31: 39–54.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Baker, Mona, and Kirsten Malmkjaer. 1998/2001. Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bak, Se Hwan. 2017. “83 Percent of Five-year-olds in Korea Go to Hagwon.” The Korea Herald, 9 January. [URL]
Bang, Eun Soo. 2018. “A Study on the Metamorphosis Motif of Modern Korean Fantasy Fairy Tales.” The Korea Association of Literature for Children and Young Adult 221: 255–286. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Choi, Jeong Won. 2008. “A Study on the Young Characters in Korean SF or Fantasy Works for Juveniles.” The Korean Journal of Children’s Literature Studies 141: 173–202.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dickman, Maggie. 2018. “Here’s the Number of ‘Harry Potter’ Books Sold – and It’s Massive.” Altpress, 1 February. [URL]
Even-Zohar, Itamar. 1979. “Polysystem Theory.” Poetics Today 1 (1/2): 287–310. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1990a. “Interference in Dependent Literary Polysystems.” Poetics Today 11 (1): 79–83. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1990b. “Polysystem Theory.” Poetics Today 11 (1): 9–26. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1990c. “The Literary System.” Poetics Today 11 (1): 27–44. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1990d. “The Position of Translated Literature within the Literary Polysystem.” Poetics Today 11 (1): 45–51. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2000. “The Position of Translated Literature Within the Literary Polysystem.” In The Translation Studies Reader, ed. by Lawrence Venuti, 192–197. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2005. Papers in Culture Research. Tel Aviv: Porter Chair of Semiotics.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ha, Jong O. 2001. “[Children’s Culture] Publication.” Hankook Ilbo, 3 May. [URL]
Han, Myoung Hwan. 2008. “On Four Types of Korean Fairy Tale’s Fantasy.” The Journal of Modern Literary Theory 351: 241–264.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hermans, Theo. 1999. Translation in Systems: Descriptive and Systemic Approaches Explained. Manchester: St. Jerome.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
“High Performance, High Pressure in South Korea’s Education System.” 2014. ICEF Monitor, 23 January. [URL]
Hur, Man Ook. 2011. “A Study on the South Koreas Development Strategy with the Passage of the Fantasy Genre Literature.” The Studies of Korean Literature 341: 485–514.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jeong, Hye Won. 2009. “A Study on Fantasticality of North Korean Tales – Laying Stress on Children’s Literature Magazines in 1990s.” Folktale and Translation 171: 299–326.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jeong, Seok Man. 2007. “Children Favor Fantasy over Classics.” Veritas Alpha, 30 January. [URL]
Kim, Hyun Sook. 2000. “A Study on Fantasy of Modern Children’s Literature.” Master’s thesis, Dongduk Womens University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kim, Jin Kyung. 2003. “Korea’s Original Fantasy, Nomad’s Imagination that Goes beyond Modernism.” Changbi Review of Children’s Literature 1 (1): 76–96.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2008. “Playful Imagination and Return of the Suppressed.” Changbi Review of Children’s Literature 6 (2): 68–81.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kim, Jeong Hwan. 2008. “The Portrait of South Korea’s Translated Literature.” Daily Korea, 10 July. [URL]
Kim, Kyung Yeon. 2003. “Confusion and Groping, Discussions on Korea’s Children’s Literature.” Changbi Review of Children’s Literature 1 (2): 8–33.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kim, Sang Wook. 2006. Rediscovery of Children’s Literature. Paju: Changbi Publishers.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kim, Seo Jung. 2011. “Several Trends in Children’s Fantasy Literature.” Korean Literature Now, Summer. [URL]
Kim, Seong Gon. 2003. “What is Behind Today’s Fantasy Craze?.” Daesan Culture, Winter. [URL]
Kim, Yong Un. 2016. “Cold Snap Can’t Freeze the Harry Potter Fever.” Edaily, 17 December. [URL]
Kim, Young Soon. 2009. “Present Status and Significance of Japanese Fantasy: Centering on Significance of Being Involved in Coexistence and Protection〮Safeguard.” The Korean Journal of Children’s Literature Studies 161: 99–121.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Koh, Doo Hyun. 2007. “Harry Potter, Greek And Roman Mythology are Most Read Books in South Korea Since 2000.” The Korea Economic Daily, 221 May. [URL]
Kwon, Hyug Jun. 2009. “The Reconsideration about the Definition, Scope, and the Types of Fantasy in Children’s Literature.” The Korean Journal of Children’s Literature Studies 161: 5–42.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, Ji Ho. 2004. The Power of Children’s Story, The Power of Review. Paju: Gimmyoung Publishers.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, Soo Kyung. 2011. “A Study on Modern Fantasy Literature for Children in Russia.” Proceedings of The Korean Association of Russian Language & Literature’s 2011 Conference: Literature, Culture, November: 139–148.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2010. “Meaning of Space of Fantasy in the Works Never Ending Story and Youngmo Disappeared.” Folktale and Translation 201: 273–305.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, Yoon Joo. 2010. “Can Genre Fiction Make a Deep Reservoir of One Source Multi Use?.” Weekly Hankook, 31 March. [URL]
Lee, Young Mi. 2015. “Uni-Korea Discourses in Fantasy Novels for Children in the Two Koreas.” The Journal of Peace Studies 16 (1): 111–128. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ryu, Duck Jee and Eun Ju Shin. 2008. “A Study on Fantasy Stories in Korea.” The Journal of Korean Language and Literature Education 421: 57–90.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Seo, Hyang Sook. 2016. “A Search for Fantasy Presented in Fairy Tales by Lee Young Hee and Realization of Her Writing Style.” The Korean Journal of Children’s Literature Studies 301: 127–163. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sohn, Hyang Sook. 2005. “Can Harry Potter Become a Classic in Children’s Literature?.” CREATION & CRITICISM 33 (4): 318–332.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sun, An Na. 2000. “The Comparative Study of Fantasy Creative Fairytale and Fantasy Fiction.” The Donam Language & Literature 131: 215–232.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taylor, Sally. 2001. “Publishing in South Korea Today.” Publishers Weekly, 27 August. [URL]
“The Top 10 Culture News in 2000.” 2000. Hankook Ilbo, 26 December. [URL]
Weiss, Josh. 2018. “Harry Potter Becomes Best-selling Book Series in History with More Than 500 Million Copies Sold Worldwide.” SYFYWIRE, 2 February. [URL]
Won, Jong Chan. 2007. “Today’s Original Fantasy Stories: Monster Serpent that Failed to Ascend.” Changbi Review of Children’s Literature 5 (4): 61–81.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Won, You Soon. 2008. “An Analysis of Fantasy Structure of Korea’s Recent Children’s Stories.” The Korean Journal of Children’s Literature Studies 141: 55–79.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Woo, Jae Yeon. 2016. “Universality, Marketability Matter for S. Korean Books to Work in Foreign Market: Agent.” Yonhap News, 18 March. [URL]
Yang, Yun Jeong. 2018. “The Tradition of English Children’s Fantasy: Its Use in English Literature Classes.” The Journal of Mirae English Language and Literature 23 (3): 47–67.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Yoon, Jeong Hoon. 2000. “Is Harry Potter Just a Children’s Fantasy Book, or Literary Fiction?.” Dong-A Ilbo, 29 August. [URL]
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue