On Saturday, May 23, 2026, the 'Korean Literature Day' event was held at the 'House of Ethnic Friendship' in downtown Kazan.
160 people participated in this event, including students from the Kazan Federal University, students from Tatar Korean Language School, parents and students from Korean language schools in the Kazan region, enthusiasts of Korean literature, users of the House of Ethnic Friendship, Koryo-jin, and members of the Tatarstan Writers Association.
The event, hosted by the Institute of Korean Studies at the Federal University of Kazan with support from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, featured an introduction to Korean poetry (Professor Ko Young-cheol of the Federal University of Kazan), a special lecture on meeting the author (Kim Yong-hee, author of the novel 'Lingerie Girls' Generation' and Pyeongtaek University), a special lecture on Korean literature (Professor Choi Chang-young of Shinhan University), Korean cultural performances (Korean songs, Korean traditional dance, Taekwondo, K-pop cover dance), a Korean culture and literature quiz competition, an awards ceremony for Korean literature translation, Korean games (Yutnori, Jegichagi, Ttakjichigi, spinning tops, spinning tops, Gongginori), a Korean culture master class (origami, Korean traditional crafts, Taekwondo, Korean traditional dance, K-pop), and free Korean food tasting (Bibimbap) for all participants.
This event is part of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea's "2026 Support Project for Translation Education at Overseas Korean Studies Universities," which supports practical Korean literature translation workshops hosted by overseas Korean studies universities offering Korean language courses, with the aim of discovering prospective translators of Korean literature.
Kazan Federal University conducted translation training every Wednesday from March 4 to May 20. The goal of the training was to develop the necessary knowledge required of a translator, and the curriculum included translation theory and methods, an understanding of the work 'Lingerie Girls' Generation' by author Kim Yong-hee, case studies of translation experiences, and cultural understanding. Olga Farkhacheva, a full-time Korean language lecturer at Kazan Federal University, served as the workshop coordinator, while three individuals including Professor Ko Young-cheol of Kazan Federal University, Korean professors Jeon Hyun-ju, Kim Yong-hee, Nam Eun-kyung, and Choi Chang-young, and Professor Choi In-na of St. Petersburg State University participated as lecturers for special translation lectures.
After the translation practice of the work “Lingerie Girls’ Generation,” a total of 27 works were submitted, and among them, 5 works were selected as outstanding works and awarded. The winners are “Sungatulina Alexandra, Kalimulina Sofia,” “Verezina Alexandra, Loginova Milena, Erkilch Meliha,” “Demina Darya, Vlasenko Kseniya, Sultanov Erskar,” “Perevalnova Maria, Prolova Sofia, Mambetova Gianna,” and “Husainova Adelia, Saitova Amina, Karpenko Darya.”
Professor Ko Young-cheol of Kazan Federal University, who organized the event, said, “There have been various events introducing Korean literature in Kazan in the past, but this event was grand in terms of content and scale. It contributed to the globalization of Korean literature by not only improving the literary translation skills of aspiring translators but also by introducing the unique characteristics of Korean literature to Russian readers.”
Meanwhile, the Institute of Korean Studies at Kazan Federal University, with support from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, has been providing education and opportunities for Korean literature enthusiasts in Russia and the CIS region to understand Korean literature by holding a book review contest on Kang Byung-yung’s “I Am Viktor Tsoi” from June to October 2020, a translation workshop on Kim Se-hee’s “Quiet Days” from February to June 2021, a translation workshop on Hwang Young-kyung’s “Aunt Suji Who Went with a Ttukgeori” from February to June 2022, a book review contest on Park Min-kyu’s “Castella” from June to October 2022, a translation workshop on Park Ji-won’s “The Tale of the Nobleman + Ho-gil” from February to June 2023, and a Korean literature review contest on Han Kang’s “I Do Not Say Goodbye” from May to October 2025.
In addition, Kazan Federal University is the origin of Oriental studies in Russia, having been established as a Russian Imperial University in 1804 for the purpose of studying Oriental studies, and it is the university where the world-renowned writer Leo Tolstoy enrolled and studied in 1844.
Since 1895, it has conducted a teacher training program for Korean schools in Primorsky Krai, contributing to the preservation and development of the Korean language. In January 1904, it compiled Russia's first Russian-Korean/Korean-Russian dictionary. In September 2003, it opened a Korean language course. In September 2007, it established a major in Korean language and literature. In March 2021, it published *Korean Literature* (Russian language textbook). In September 2021, it established and is currently operating a master's program in Korean language education.
[Concluding Remarks]
This 'Korean Literature Day' event went beyond a mere one-time cultural experience, serving as an opportunity to deeply instill the depth and uniqueness of Korean literature within the Tatarstan region. Its significance is particularly profound given that Kazan Federal University, boasting a history of over 200 years and the birthplace of Leo Tolstoy, took the lead in acting as a literary bridge between the two nations. We look forward to the continued efforts of the Institute of Korean Studies at Kazan Federal University leading to the expansion of Korean literature's reach within Russia and the CIS region, and to the emergence of a large number of capable next-generation translators who will play active roles on the global stage. [Editor's Note]
