Finnish Broadcaster's Blunder Becomes Unintentional Best Promotion for Taiwanese Novel 'Taiwan Travelogue'

(Central News Agency, Helsinki, 10th) The day after Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi's 'Taiwan Travelogue' won the International Booker Prize in May, a morning show on the Finnish national broadcaster Yle invited three cultural experts to discuss the book. The experts erroneously asserted that the Finnish translation did not exist, and furthermore, that it would never be published, unaware that the translated version had already been released in March. This blunder caused an uproar on social media, ironically becoming the best possible promotion for the book in Finland.

Niko Hall, publisher of Aula & Co, the Finnish publisher, told a Central News Agency reporter that the show originally intended to pay tribute to the Booker Prize and have guests discuss the award-winning work. However, the guests asserted that the book was 'too literary,' that there would be no Finnish version, and that good books are generally not translated into Finnish because there are no translators and no one wants to do it.

After the show aired, Hall immediately sent the book cover to a guest he knew, who simply replied, 'Oops.' The translator, Rauno Sainio, also posted on social media asking, 'What's going on? What are you talking about?' The publisher followed up with a clarifying post, and the news spread overnight.

Sainio later laughed, saying the guests spent 10 minutes criticizing the book on the show, but Chinese-speaking book fans launched a 'cyber campaign' on social media, making it known to everyone. Hall said it was a small-scale media scandal, 'but for us, it was excellent publicity,' drawing public attention to the book and the translator's work.

Sainio made a special appearance on Yle's morning show on the 5th to promote 'Taiwan Travelogue' and gave an exclusive interview to Central News Agency. He said the development was actually better, as people shared it on social media, finding it absurd, 'and now the book's news has really spread.'

Following the incident, book reviews and interview requests have poured in. Sainio revealed that a Yle reporter has already traveled to Taiwan for interviews, and an interview and book review from 'Helsingin Sanomat' are also forthcoming.

At noon the same day, Sainio visited Taiwan's representative in Finland, Lin Chang-tso, bringing along four Taiwanese literary works he has translated so far. Lin reciprocated with a CD from the band Chthonic and expressed gratitude to the publishing team for making the Finnish edition the earliest published version in continental Europe. Lin also mentioned that since the Finnish edition was published, he has been working to facilitate a visit to Finland by Yang Shuang-zi.

That evening, a book launch event was held at a bookstore in downtown Helsinki. Librarian Maya told a Central News Agency reporter on site that she enjoys East Asian literature and was also drawn to the book's queer themes. She noticed the book when she shelved the English version at the library, and it turned out to be surprisingly popular for borrowing. Upon hearing that the Finnish version was released, she immediately bought a copy, 'because I like to read in my mother tongue.'

Reading the book, she was particularly moved by the theme of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan. The relationship between the two women in the book brought her to tears. 'Sometimes, even if two people have a connection, they may not be able to truly be together,' she said, describing the story as bittersweet and very beautiful.

Maya has never been to Taiwan. She said it is her dream travel destination. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150611