@article{ART003318625},
author={Soon Mi Kim},
title={Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation},
journal={The Journal of Translation Studies},
issn={1229-795X},
year={2026},
volume={27},
number={1},
pages={43-81},
doi={10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002}
TY - JOUR
AU - Soon Mi Kim
TI - Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation
JO - The Journal of Translation Studies
PY - 2026
VL - 27
IS - 1
PB - The Korean Association for Translation Studies
SP - 43
EP - 81
SN - 1229-795X
AB - Against the backdrop of Hallyu’s global expansion and the increasing inclusion of Korean loanwords in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), this study proposes new norms for transliteration in Korean-into-English literary translation. By analyzing four highly successful English-language novels by Korean-heritage authors—Pachinko, Crying in H Mart, The Forest of Stolen Girls, and 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster—the research categorizes Korean loanwords and evaluates three transliteration strategies: bare transliteration, transliteration plus explanation, and the omission of italics. The findings reveal that OED-listed words are predominantly transliterated without explanation, whereas unlisted items frequently require accompanying context. Notably, among the four analyzed texts, the two novels published after 2021 abandon the use of italics for Korean vocabulary. By treating these cultural items as unmarked, standard lexicon rather than ‘foreign’ anomalies, the authors demonstrate a growing confidence in Anglophone readers’ receptivity. Ultimately, this study offers concrete implications for translation practice: rather than relying on traditional domesticating methods, translators are encouraged to adopt strategic foreignization—differentiating transliteration strategies based on word familiarity and integrating contextual cues—to authentically preserve the linguistic and cultural texture of the source text.
KW - translational norms;foreignization;transliteration;literary translation;Korean wave (K-culture)
DO - 10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
ER -
Soon Mi Kim. (2026). Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation. The Journal of Translation Studies, 27(1), 43-81.
Soon Mi Kim. 2026, "Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation", The Journal of Translation Studies, vol.27, no.1 pp.43-81. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim "Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation" The Journal of Translation Studies 27.1 pp.43-81 (2026) : 43.
Soon Mi Kim. Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation. 2026; 27(1), 43-81. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim. "Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation" The Journal of Translation Studies 27, no.1 (2026) : 43-81.doi: 10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim. Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation. The Journal of Translation Studies, 27(1), 43-81. doi: 10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim. Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation. The Journal of Translation Studies. 2026; 27(1) 43-81. doi: 10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim. Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation. 2026; 27(1), 43-81. Available from: doi:10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
Soon Mi Kim. "Shifting translational norms in the Hallyu era: Foreignization in Korean-into-English literary translation" The Journal of Translation Studies 27, no.1 (2026) : 43-81.doi: 10.15749/jts.2026.27.1.002
