English biography of Ryu Song-nyong may be the first, but won't be the last
Published: 29 Mar. 2023, 16:59
Updated: 29 Mar. 2023, 17:36
“Ryu Sŏngnyong, Chancellor of Chosŏn Korea: On the Battlefield and in Memory,” written by Choi Byong-hyon, a scholar in English literature and a translator of Korean classics, who is also the director of the Center for Globalizing Korean Classics, is probably the first in-depth biography of a Korean historical figure written in English. The 560-page book was published last month through the Institute of East Asian Studies at University of California, Berkeley.
Though Choi has translated an array of important Korean classics, such as Chung Yak-yong's "Mongmin Simseo,” King Taejo’s (the founder of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty) section of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and Ryu Sŏng-nyong’s “Chingbirok,” over the past two decades, allowing students studying Korean Studies in English in the West to finally have decent English books to study with, Choi’s latest book was his first attempt at writing a biography on a Korean historical figure.
“I think globalization of historical figures is just as important as the globalization of Korean classics,” said Choi during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily last week.
Poongsan Group Chairman and CEO Ryu Jin, who has been a longtime supporter of the 73-year-old author and a scholar ever since finding out Choi translated the important historical text Chingbirok, or the “Book of Corrections” written by Ryu’s ancestor, hosted a book launch party at the Westin Josun Hotel in central Seoul on Tuesday evening.
Some 300 guests attended the event, including Lee Hong-koo, a former Korean prime minister, Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings and Lee Dae-soon, former president of Honam University, where Choi used to teach English Language and Literature.
Former Prime Minister Lee congratulated Choi during the event and said it’s a great achievement not just for Choi but also “for Korea to be able to convey the history of our country to the world through such a publication of high academic level.”
Honam University’s former president Lee described Choi in his congratulatory speech as a scholar who has been walking a narrow path that people usually avoid as it’s a lonely and arduous one.
“He’s indeed a diplomat of Korean culture, helping it to be globalized,” Lee said. “What we celebrate today is not just the publication of a book, but marking the beginning and the milestones of a historical figure of Korea becoming globalized.”
Katherine Lawn Chouta, a managing editor from the Institute of East Asian Studies at University of California, Berkeley, was also present at the event to congratulate Choi. She said it was her first visit to Korea.
“We thank Choi for bringing this book to our institute,” she said. “Although he has published [Chingbirok] with us previously with previous editors, we did not give him any special treatment. We reviewed the book as we do for all our books to make sure it is top quality, which of course it is. So we at the institute are very pleased with the book and hope you all are too.”
While translating the national treasure Chingbirok (also spelt Jingbirok), a memoir of the Imjin War (1592-98) written by Ryu in an attempt to prevent the same mistakes from taking place in the future, Choi said he was greatly moved by Ryu’s achievements and especially by his attitude toward life.
Choi gave his thanks for all the support from the Poongsan Group and everyone else who helped him to write the biography on Ryu Sŏng-nyong, which was a difficult task due to insufficient historical texts. Choi was determined to write his first biography on this relatively lesser-known figure to foreigners compared to his long-time friend Admiral Yi Sun-sin, because Choi wanted to “correct prejudices against Ryu that continue to be passed down.”
“There is some prejudice formed against him. That’s because many of the historical texts about him were written by his political opponents and made-up stories were much more appealing to the people than the real history,” said Choi.
Choi hopes his English translations of Korean classics and biographies will continue to be published and act as a database for artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT to better produce quality information about Korea and its history and ultimately, speed up the translation of existing historical texts in English like the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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