Book Talk exploring the novel 'Mater 2-10'

Book Talk exploring the novel 'Mater 2-10'

The Korean Cultural Centre UK held an in-person talk exploring the novel ‘Mater 2-10’ with the author Hwang Sok-yong and the translators Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae.

Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024, ‘Mater 2-10’ is a multi-dimensional epic tale threading three generations of Korean railroad workers. Starting with a laid-off factory worker staging a high-altitude sit-in, the story vividly depicts the lives of ordinary working Koreans from the Japanese colonial era, continuing through Liberation, and right up to the twenty-first century.

The event was held on 20 May, a day before the 2024 Booker Prize announcement. Moderated by Martin Colthorpe, we welcomed the author and two translators, exploring the inspiration behind the novel and the translation process.