I've translated two of Bae's novels, A Greater Music and Recitation, which are coming from Open Letter and Deep Vellum in October… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
I first came across her [Bae Suah] when I read some elderly male critic castigating her for 'doing violence to the Korean… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Actually, I'm frequently described as the UK's only translator of Korean literature, but even that isn't accurate - Agnita Tennant is UK-based,… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Hwang Jung-eun is one of the brightest stars of the new South Korean generation - she's Han Kang's favourite, and the novel… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Alongside Han Kang, there's only one other author I've chosen to translate so far - Bae Suah. Her work is radical both… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
I teach Korean translation at the British Centre for Literary Translation summer school, so I see an emerging generation too, who are… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
All of which suggested literary translation, and Korean seemed a good bet - barely anything available in English, yet it was a… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Happy people look young. You’re really afraid of getting older, aren’t you? You should only be afraid of getting less happy. — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
I read The Vegetarian and fell in love with it. A year later, I was invited to go and speak at the London Book… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
A chorus of tough southern belles whispered, You need a loyal husband around here. Loyal to you, loyal to your family, loyal to your… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded! — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
I suspected learning a language would be both useful and enjoyable (I love memorising lists of things), and would get rid of the embarrassment… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
“A vida é fugaz. A vida é preciosa. Temos de gozar cada momento. A sensualidade de respirar, de sentir, de querer.” — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
“The best sex takes us somewhere. Somewhere warm and expansive, a paradise of lust and happiness. Sex is and can be and should be… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Possibly the best thing about the whole experience is that Kang and I are now really good friends. It's as much of a pleasure… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
I've translated two of Bae's novels, A Greater Music and Recitation, which are coming from Open Letter and Deep Vellum in October and January… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
Simon Collinson, of digital publisher Canelo and über-cool Aussie mag The Lifted Brow, is our digital producer; Sarah Shin, Verso's comms director, is helping… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
There's no linear narrative - the structure is more like a series of variations on a theme (how identity is shaped by language), with… — Deborah Smith Copy Share Image
![“I first came across her [Bae Suah] when I read some elderly male critic castigating her for 'doing violence to the Korean language', which of course was catnip to me, especially as I'd recently discovered Lispector doing pretty much the same to Portuguese.” quote by Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0e1/deborah-smith-13837_bae_i-first-came-across-her-bae-suah-when-i_1429631.jpg)
