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Kegan Paul International

This article was contributed by the KPI to introduce its Korea-related publications and future plans.

Kegan Paul International (KPI) was founded 125 years ago and continues to be the leader in English publications on Korea. The company prides itself on printing the best scholarly works about the country and from its leading authors. Kegan Paul publishing is based in Britain but has representatives throughout the world. Important and interesting figures from many countries have published their works with Kegan Paul, and undoubtedly many more will do so in the future. Recognized worldwide as a leading publisher of books about the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Japan, and South America, Kegan Paul is especially proud of its Korean collection.

Kegan Paul International proudly stands as the only major publisher with a large Korean book list. It has published a phenomenal series on Korean culture consisting of stories written by Koreans and translated into English. The series consists of six books, each of which reflects a different aspect of Korean culture. The general editor of the series is Chung Chong-wha, professor of English at Korea University in Seoul. He is also the editor of three books in the series: Korean Classical Literature, Love in Mid-Winter Night, and Modern Korean Literature.

Korean Classical Literature, the first book in the series, and Modern Korean Literature, the last, make fitting bookends for this set. The foremost contains selected works written in Korea until the end of the 19th century. Each story is an entertaining guide to historic Korea, and some have never before been translated to English. The 20th century brought with it a new literary tradition to Korea resulting from increased contact with the West, which is embodied by the latter of the two books, Modern Korean Literature.

Here, 30 short stories written over a span of 57 years (1908-1965) by various authors have been compiled. Each story represents a monumental moment in modern Korean history. These are the first books to systematically introduce Korean culture to the West through Korean literature. Love in Mid-Winter Night, the second book in the series, is a collection of sijo poetry that was also edited and translated by Chung Chong-wha. Sijo is the only form of poetry that is uniquely Korean, yet it is almost unknown outside Korea itself. The poems are extremely delicate and compact, and the poets, because of the popularity of sijo, range from kings to politicians and minstrels to hostesses.

Memoirs of a Korean Queen is another perfect fit for the Korean Culture Series. The fourth book in the series is based on memoirs written by Lady Hong herself over 11 years. The story is interesting from a historical perspective but also compelling as real-life story. In it, Lady Hong reflects on her court life as a young girl, her adolescent years as consort to Prince Sado, and the happy and sad times throughout her life.

Rounding out the series are two Korean novels written by two very distinguished Korean authors. The first, The Shaman Sorceress, is translated from Muneodo written by the late Kim Dong-ni, who was one of Korea's most distinguished writers when he died. Gang Sin-jae, author of The Waves was also president of the Korean Women Writers Association from 1982-84 and is a member of the Korean Academy of Arts. Their books are truly a tribute to the talent and creativity of Korean writers.

Kegan Paul International has also presented Korea to the world in a less subtle fashion through guides and informative books for the discriminating reader. Korea: An Introduction describes Korea to Western readers from within the country while seeking to reveal a country often overlooked by Westerners. Korea, Light of the Orient is one of the most beautiful photographic collections on Korea available in any language.

The crowning jewel of KPI　 Korean collection is the first English translation of the Korean novel Land. Written by Bak Gyeong-ni, this book has been hailed by many as a powerful and important piece of modern Korean writing. Set against the background of a struggle between conservative and modernizing forces at the turn of the century, it follows the fortunes of several Korean villagers during the time. To Koreans, the characters and settings of the book are all too real, while the story is understood on a very personal level. To outsiders, it is a brilliant novel that provides insight into a different, but fascinating, culture. The author is well known and recognized in Korea as one of the premier authors of her time. She began writing in the 1950s when her country was struggling to recover from the Korean War. Since then, she has published many short stories, essays, and novels dealing with women　 sorrows, love, dignity, and conflict between traditional and modern values. Land, completed in 1994, was 25 years in the making and is said to embody all of the themes she explored in earlier works.

The most important factor separating Kegan Paul from other publishers of Korean material is its active efforts in seeking out new projects. It is always on the lookout for a new book to be translated or a new guide to . Persistently going where other publishers do not, Kegan Paul has a reputation for being willing to put forth a variety of material, not simply one type.

One new project is The Encyclopedia of Korea. A massive undertaking, this book will be a compilation of work by over 60 specialists in fields ranging from archaeology to international relations. It should serve as a valuable reference for Westerners, Koreans, specialists, and novices alike. It is slated for release in September and is sure to be the most complete guide to Korea available.

Trees of the Worldis another noteworthy project by KPI. This book is the translation of a poem collection by one of Korea's best known poets-Hyeonjong Jeong, who has won numerous awards and is highly respected by literary critics in Korea. His work demonstrates his obstinate pursuit of the relationship between poet and . It conveys his profound meditation on the relationship between man and man as well as man and thing. His purpose is facilitated by the clever use of puns and wordplay.

Kegan Paul International is a strong supporter of Korean culture and one of its best representatives for the rest of the world. It features a large Korean collection and remains committed to publishing more high-quality books in the future. With this kind of commitment and dedication, Kegan Paul is sure to be the most prolific publisher of Korean materials for years to come. While relishing this role, Kegan Paul looks forward to showing the world the many treasures that Korea has to offer.

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