Radical feminist translations and strategies: A South Korean case

Abstract

ABSTRACT In South Korea, a recent wave of feminism has brought about substantial changes in the book industry. Many publishing houses have expanded their list of feminism-related titles to cater for a growing number of women readers who seek awareness-raising. In addition, small-scale ventures dedicated to feminist publishing emerged to serve as a new platform for feminist activism. Among these ventures is Yeolda Books, a radical feminist publisher that openly advocates for “trans-exclusionary radical feminism” (TERF) and its translators use experimental language to emphasize women’s experiences in a creative and disruptive way. Against this backdrop, the present study discusses various textual representations of radical feminist translation, drawing on four translations by Hyedam Yu, one of Yeolda’s translators. The primary focus of this study is a theoretical formulation of feminist writing strategies derived from Yu’s translations. Findings could broaden the scope of discussion of (radical) feminist translation performed in a non-Western context.