Three prominent figures in Korean literature and art highlighted an event hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) in September. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from feminist poet Kim Hyesoon, visual artist Fi Jae Lee and poet and translator Jack Jung.
Kim, a recipient of literary honors, including the Griffin Poetry Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, performed a bilingual poetry reading in both Korean and English. She was joined by Jung, who is currently translating her collection Thus Spoke No (forthcoming from Ecco, 2026). The reading was followed by an art talk from Lee, whose work is regularly featured in Kim’s books and has been showcased in exhibitions worldwide. Lee discussed the inspirations and themes behind her installations, drawings, and paintings.
“As a literature major, I enjoyed getting to know people in the literary circle and hearing from authors as they reflected on their own works,” said Dasom Han, an EALL graduate student who attended the event. “It was great to hear also from the illustrator and the translator at the poetry reading. Learning about how a book is published and translated to another language reminded me that publishing is a collective work and that the writer is not the only authority of a book.”
The event, held at the Center for Korean Studies Auditorium, also included a Q&A session, where community members and students could interact with the speakers. Following the presentations, there was a book signing with the poet and translator.
The next day, a translation workshop offered EALL graduate students a deep dive into the complexities of translating Korean poetry, led by Jung. Kim also attended to listen to and respond to student translations of her poetry.
Hee Kyung Lee Kwon Speaker Series
This speaker series is dedicated to the celebration of Korean women’s literature and culture. It will feature individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field as authors, artists, translators, scholars, etc. The series was made possible thanks to the contribution of Esther Arinaga to commemorate her mother, Hee Kyung Lee Kwon. Lee Kwon was born in Daegu in 1894 and emigrated to Hawaiʻi in 1912, where she supported the Korean Independence Movement abroad from 1915 to 1945.
For further details, inquiries can be directed to event coordinators David Krolikoski or Emily Yoon at dkroli@hawaii.edu or ejyoon@hawaii.edu.
EALL is housed in UH Mānoa’s College of Arts, Languages, and Letters.
