The Situation with South Korean Literature in Russia as a Marker of the Current State of Intercultural Communication

Abstract

Modern literature – both as book industry and as an art – is a sphere that reflects general cultural and intercultural trends. Mutual interest and understanding between Moscow and Seoul, the Russians and the Koreans manifests itself in such cultural derivatives – in works of art, in translated books in particular. The Yasnaya Polyana literary prize awarded November 23, 2020, in Moscow once again brought into light the novel of a South Korean writer Han Kang, The Vegetarian, that, at the same time, received less attention than other foreign works. What is therefore observed is that, in the wider milieu of foreign literatures, the South Korean achieves modest success in Russia and vice versa. With many prominent authors and their works translated, market success and wide publicity of Korean authors and books is what is lacking at the current stage of cultural interactions. This could be caused by the genre specificities of contemporary South Korean literature, as dramatism and realism of everyday problems feature prominently in novels and other works. Historical tragedies and the difficult life of Korean society are unlikely to be the details inciting wide public interest in Russia. What also imperils the cultural dialogue in this field is the unsystematic choice of texts to be published abroad and translated, which can be attributed to Russian editorial houses. This concern is the major obstacle to promoting both Russian and Korean cultures. Consequently, the development of intercultural bonds between Russia and South Korea is to a certain degree hindered by mutual stereotypes and standard patterns.