INTERVIEW: How literature is bringing South Korea and Poland closer together

A view of the Korean Cultural Center in Poland and its director Lee Dang-kweon — A view of the Korean Cultural Center in Poland and its director, Lee Dang-kweon.

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - For many South Koreans, Poland once seemed like a distant European country, often known only for legendary figures such as pianist Frédéric Chopin and Nobel laureate chemist Marie Curie. But the Slavic country in central Europe has drawn closer to South Korea in recent years thanks to a burgeoning appreciation for its rich literary tradition and cultural heritage.

“Although South Korea and Poland are geographically far apart and have had relatively few opportunities for mutual exchange or interaction, literature can serve as a bridge to help the two countries, which share cultural and historical similarities, build a deeper connection,” said Lee Dang-kweon, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Warsaw, in a recent interview with AJP.

Indeed, Poland has long been regarded as one of Europe’s most renowned countries for literature. With five Nobel Prize laureates from Henryk Sienkiewicz in 1905 to Olga Tokarczuk in 2018 and other internationally acclaimed authors, literature is truly a beloved part of Polish culture. Particularly famed for its poetic brilliance, Polish literature, deeply intertwined with the country’s turbulent history along with pride its cultural heritage, much like South Korea’s, has served as a powerful form of resistance and cultural endurance, resiliently preserving and shaping national identity through language and storytelling.

“The center, which opened in 2010 as the first of its kind in central Europe, has been offering diverse literature-themed programs, as I believe literature has the power to connect people and deepen relationships beyond cultural and territorial boundaries,” Lee said.

Among these activities, the regular gatherings of book lovers and literature enthusiasts, which began late last year, stand out the most, quickly gaining popularity among locals. “In the beginning, only a small circle of people gathered to share thoughts on literature,” Lee recalled. “But now each session attracts a large crowd.”

Such interest grew even stronger when writer Han Kang became South Korea’s first Nobel Prize recipient in literature last year, ushering in a new chapter of cultural exchange between Seoul and Warsaw.

In particular, Han’s biographical collection of essays “HYNN” instantly stole Polish readers’ hearts. Set in post-World War II Warsaw and written during her stay there, the book exemplifies Han’s distinctive style of “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life,” which was cited as the reason for awarding her the prestigious prize.

Another boost to this growing interest came in May, when South Korea was selected as the Guest of Honor at this year’s Warsaw International Book Fair, becoming the first Asian country to serve the role.

“The center received a warm response and enthusiastic support from visitors when it first presented South Korean literary works at the fair in 2023, which soon led to an invitation to fulfill this year’s honored role,” Lee recalled, sharing his joy at achieving such a meaningful milestone at one of the largest annual literary events in Europe, which brings together numerous publishers and participants from around the world every year.

Following the success of the fair, which drew even greater attention to South Korea, the center is expanding its efforts to promote the country’s literature and culture by planning a variety of additional programs. It also seeks to create more opportunities for South Korean authors and writers by connecting them with various literary events and book fairs held across Poland.

“More and more Polish people here are rediscovering South Korea through literary works and have even started organizing events to learn more about the country on their own,” Lee said. “We will continue to support them and help more people in Poland connect with Korean culture through books.”

Im Yoon-seo lyseo0330@ajupress.com