Shanna Tan is a Singaporean translator working from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. Her translations include Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum and Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun. Her latest translation is Marigold Mind Laundry by Chŏng-ŭn Yun and she recently talked about her work on it with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
How long have you worked as a translator, and how did you come to do this type of work? Was it something you actively sought, did an opportunity present itself, or something else?
Literary translation for about two years, but I’ve been doing translation work on and off for more than a decade. I fell in love with literary translation after reading Anton Hur’s translation of Kyung-sook Shin’s The Court Dancer. I found it immensely beautiful and stirring. But as to what exactly it was that struck me, I can’t really pinpoint. Perhaps it’s fate. I started self-studying Korean when I was eighteen, and it feels like a natural progression to get acquainted with Korean literature, somehow, at the back of my mind, I started thinking about pursuing literary translation. Maybe it began with the thought: I hope more people can read this! And even as I ended up doing other things, that thought was always there.
All the stars aligned when I saw that Anton was the mentor for the National Centre for Writing (NCW) Emerging Translator Mentorship. I knew I had to apply! And so I did. And in 2021/22, I got the mentorship, and it was a life-changing opportunity.
How did you come to be the translator for Jungeun Yun’s Marigold Mind Laundry?
Anton connected me with Jane Lawson, the Editorial Director at Doubleday. I’m very grateful for his generosity!
What is your process for translating a work from one language to another? How do you approach striking the balance between a literal translation of words from one language to another and maintaining the author’s voice, original intent/meaning, and, for lack of a better word, the “flavor” of their writing?
My process is continuously evolving with every book I do. I used to feel the compulsion to read a book cover-to-cover before I started on it, but these days, I quite enjoy doing my first draft as I read because it feels closer to how a reader will approach the book (and also because it saves some time).
I always believe that it’s important to carry over the style, the voice, and the mood of the writing. Languages cannot be mapped neatly to each other, so it’s a lost cause from the beginning if we’re looking at literal translation. I’m a literary translator, not a literal translator.
If a book makes me feel something as I read it, then I want to convey that feeling in my work. I tend to leave some words untranslated, too, because I believe that the readers can and should work toward the text instead of the other way around, and I never want to lose the essence of the work. But I make sure that I either gloss them or that they can be easily googled.
I understand that Jungeun Yun is a very popular author in Korea. Have you read any of her other novels?
Marigold Mind Laundry did really well in Korea, having sold more than 300,000 copies. I haven’t read her other novels; I hope to do so soon!
Is there an author who currently writes in a language other than English (and is one of the languages for which you can translate) for whom you would like to do a translation?
Too many! There are many good stories in this world.
Is there an older, classic work that you would like to be able to translate for a new edition?
I’d love to work on the classic novels of The Tales of Jeon Woo-chi—the mischievous Taoist wizard. Or a contemporary work that’s based on the character. (: I enjoyed every TV/movie adaptation about Jeon Woo-chi so far and would love to delve deeper into his story as a translator.
What’s currently on your nightstand?
I’m currently away from home, so I don’t have a nightstand, and the closest items to my bed are my phone and my water bottle. Back home, I don’t have a habit of reading in bed, so I never have books on my nightstand!
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
I didn’t grow up with a 'literary' background, and I stopped taking literature classes in middle school, so I barely knew the literary classics or authors that many of my colleagues seemed to have read. I’ll share a couple of my favourite authors (who either write in English or have been translated into English), and when I like an author, I tend to read their books multiple times.
Beverly Connor—I lost count of the number of times I read the Diane Fallon series because when you have a forensics /crime series where the protagonist is a crime lab director, a museum director, and an anthropologist, I’m sold. Juliet Marillier—my introduction to historical fantasy. I devoured her books in high school. Hiromi Kawakami—I relate a lot to her characters and will read every book she puts out!
And not forgetting the amazing translators whose work I follow and thanks to them, widening my own reading repertoire: Anton Hur, Julia Sanches, Jeremy Tiang, Sawad Hussain and Ginny Tapley Takemori.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, translated by Ralph Manheim. I remember being absolutely struck by the adventures in the story, and I love how the novel is, true to its name, never-ending. I read this after Momo (tr. J. Maxwell Brownjohn)—I believe) and these were my two favourites as a kid.
P.S. I just spent ten minutes trying to track down the translator who worked on the edition of Momo I’d read, and I’m still not entirely sure because the translator is not credited on the cover! #namethetranslatorplease
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
Um. Not really. They aren’t readers and do not care about what I read either. So I’ve never been restricted to age-appropriate books.
Is there a book you've faked reading?
Life’s too short for that. If I don’t like a book, I’ll stop reading it.
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen. I still remember how I saw this on the shelves at Daunt Books in London, and I knew I MUST HAVE IT. It was the first children’s book in English that I bought as an adult. Honestly, I would buy Marigold Mind Laundry if I wasn’t going to get contributor copies. Holly Ovenden did an absolutely amazing job with the design and illustrations!
Is there a book that changed your life?
Anton Hur’s translation of The Court Dancer by Kyung-sook Shin. Literally career and life-changing.
Can you name a book for which you are an evangelist (and you think everyone should read)?
Not really. I enjoy sharing my favourite reads on Instagram, but that’s about it. Even the books I feel the most strongly about are those that speak to my own circumstances at that particular point in time, so I’ve never thought of telling everyone they should go read it.
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
My first thought is that seems to suggest that it loses its magic a little with every re-read! I’m such a pessimist at times. Nope, there isn’t. I think there are more books that I’ll read again and again.
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
Yuja Wang’s piano performances get me in the heart every single time. The way she plays with so much fervor, passion, and talent is always inspiring, and it’s on my bucket list to see her perform live. I did once in London, and it was an unforgettable experience. I listen to her when I translate, and it’s incredibly motivating. I’d love to see her perform Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, one day! That’d be the dream.
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
Visit a quiet café nestled in a quiet residential neighbourhood in Bangkok, read a book, translate a little, and spend the evening studying Thai. ( : I don’t need much to be happy: languages, books, food, and some quiet time alone will do.
What is the question that you’re always hoping you’ll be asked but never have been?
Never thought about it (:
I wanted to say this is not the question for an introvert, but I suppose I shouldn’t cite introversion for everything.
What is your answer?
(:
What are you working on now?
This. I’m working on several book-length projects right now. I sound so secretive, but that’s because there are usually confidentiality clauses, and honestly, I’m just unsure if I’m 'allowed' to talk about them. But my next book will be Ha Tae-wan’s Every Moment was You: Notes on Loving and Parting, coming soon in May 2025. This is information available online, so I guess I’m allowed to say it.
