Late writer Nguyễn Huy Thiệp in 2018. Photo coutersy of Nhã Nam Publishing House

HÀ NỘI — A short story collection by writer Nguyễn Huy Thiệp has been translated and released in South Korea two years after he passed away.

The collection comprises 15 short stories translated into Korean by Kim Joo-young with financial support from Dae San Culture Fund. Literature and Knowledge Publishing House issued the 462-page collection.

"My father always wanted his works to be translated into different languages," said the writer's son, Nguyễn Bách.

"Kim talked with my father to translate his works into Korean and about the copyright as well when he was alive. The publishing house presented six books to my family."

The stories are Tướng Về Hưu (The General Retires); Sang Sông (Crossing The River); Những Ngọn Gió Hua Tát (The Winds of Hua Tát); Muối Của Rừng (The Salt of Jungle) and Con Gái Thủy Thần (The Water God’s Daughter).

The General Retires is Thiệp's most popular. It has been translated into numerous languages, including English, German, Italian and French. It was also made into a movie.

In 1989, the story was published in Les Temps Moderness magazine. Then Editions de l'Aube Publisher has chosen Thiệp's works to print since 1990.

The writer released 50 short stories, ten plays, four novels, and numerous critical essays. He won several awards, including the Hà Nội Writers Association Award, the Art and Literature Medal by the French Government and Italian Premio Nonino Literature Award.

He was one of the first Vietnamese authors whose works focusing on the American War and its aftermath have been translated into English and released in the US.

The cover of a short story collection by Nguyễn Huy Thiệp in Korean. — Photo coutersy of Korean Professor Bae Yang-soo

Nguyễn Huy Thiệp (1950-2021) is a representative of Vietnamese modern literature who writes short sentences on repression. His works are controversial books to reflect people in modern life, according to the introduction by the publishing house. — VNS