- Korean poetry and the creative role of literary translation take centre stage in conversations with poet Lee Seong-bok, translator Anton Hur and leading international translators

The Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK), together with the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA), continued its partnership with the Edinburgh International Book Festival for a second consecutive year as part of the 2026 K-Book overseas promotion and exchange programme.

This year, KCCUK and KPIPA supported two programmes exploring Korean poetry and literary translation: a conversation between leading Korean poet Lee Seong-bok and translator Anton Hur, and an international panel examining the role of literary translation in the age of artificial intelligence.

On 20 August, poet Lee Seong-bok and translator Anton Hur took part in Anton Hur & Lee Seong-bok: That Summer’s End, discussing Lee’s poetry collection That Summer’s End and its translation for English-language readers.

Lee Seong-bok is regarded as one of South Korea’s most influential contemporary poets. He is the author of eight poetry collections, including That Summer’s End, as well as numerous other works of literary criticism and writing on poetry. The Edinburgh International Book Festival introduced Lee as “one of South Korea’s most influential poets.”

Anton Hur is a translator and writer known for bringing contemporary Korean literature to English-language readers, including Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny and Sang Young Park’s Love in the Big City. Hur previously translated Lee’s Indeterminate Inflorescence, a collection of aphorisms on poetry and writing, which was published in the UK by Allen Lane in 2024. The two came together at the Festival as poet and translator of That Summer’s End, offering audiences an opportunity to explore Lee’s poetry and its translation into English.

Chaired by poet and writer Andrew McMillan, the conversation explored themes including love, loss, suffering and beauty in That Summer’s End, as well as the ways in which these experiences take shape through poetic language. Lee and Hur also reflected on what it means for poetry to encounter new readers across languages and cultures.

Hur discussed the choices and challenges involved in translating Lee’s compressed and multilayered poetic language into English, including questions of rhythm, ambiguity, imagery and emotional resonance.

The discussion highlighted literary translation not simply as the transfer of meaning from one language to another, but as a creative process through which a work’s voice and emotional texture are recreated in a new language.

Ahead of the event on Lee’s poetry, Polly Barton, Daniel Hahn & Anton Hur: In Other Words took place on 19 August, bringing together translators and writers Polly Barton, Daniel Hahn and Anton Hur. The session was chaired by writer and translator Adam Biles.

Drawing on their experiences of literary translation, the three speakers discussed how books travel between languages and the creative role translators play in bringing works to new audiences.

The conversation also explored why human translation continues to matter in the age of artificial intelligence. The speakers considered literary translation not simply as a bridge between cultures, but as a creative act shaped by human interpretation and linguistic choices.

Regarding the programmes, Hyo-keon Park, Director of KCCUK, said: “These events featuring poet Lee Seong-bok and translator Anton Hur offered UK audiences an opportunity to discover the depth of contemporary Korean poetry and the creative possibilities of literary translation. Building on our partnership with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, we will continue to expand opportunities for Korea’s diverse literary voices to reach readers in the UK.”

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one of the UK’s leading literary festivals, bringing together writers, thinkers and readers from around the world. Under this year’s theme, Changing Your Mind, the Festival runs from 15 to 30 August, with almost 600 writers from 41 countries taking part in 600 events.

KCCUK and KPIPA will continue to work with major international literary festivals and publishing partners to create opportunities for a diverse range of Korean literature and literary voices to connect with readers around the world.