The classic works of Nick Joaquin, National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, and contemporary author Mica De Leon had been translated to Hangul. The book launch commenced last February 14 at the Korea Foundation Global Center, along with Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega.
Joaquin’s ‘The Woman Who Had Two Navels’ and ‘Tales of the Tropical Gothic’ were the chosen books from his line of works translated in the said local language. De Leon’s 2023 romance book, ‘Love on the Second Read’ also joined the short list of translated books.
Dizon-De Vega proudly shared the importance of these pieces of literature to inculcate Korean readers with a deeper understanding of Philippine society, history, and culture.
The initiative was enacted by Hansae Yes24 Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering cultural exchanges and building bridges between the Association of South East Nations—where the Philippines is a participating member—and South Korea. The foundation’s goal is to introduce Philippine literature to Korean readers. The launch of these translated books was in harmony with the celebration of Philippine National Arts Month and the commemoration of the 75th year of diplomatic relations between Philippines and Korea.
Joaquin is a venerated writer and journalist best known for his short stories, novels, and essays that tackled themes of colonialism, identity, and cultural heritage. Through his works, he effectively probed the psychology of social changes among the Filipino youth. The enrichment of the English language within the country was also credited to Joaquin based on his reinventions of the foreign language that birthed ‘Filipinisms’ that Filipinos grew fond of using in everyday conversations and writings.
Meanwhile, De Leon is known for her works in various genres such as romance-comedy, science fiction, and fantasy novels. She’s a decorated author with two Don Carlos Palanca Awards For Literature in 2019 and 2022 for her essays on romance, feminism, history, fantasy, and the Filipino identity in the aftermath of Martial Law and the 2022 presidential elections in the Philippines.
These books were promised to bring both the modern and the classic tales of Filipinos to further cross-cultural appreciation between the Philippines and South Korea. This historic stride is worth the celebration for both countries. The translated books of Joaquin and De Leon are available in paperback and digital copies across Korean bookstores.
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