Melanie (Hyo-In) Han
Pronouns: she/her
Academic and research departments
Literature and Languages, Mobilities in Literature and Culture Research Centre.About
My research project
No Way of Returning Home: An Exploration of Postcolonial Transnationalism, Trauma, and Identity in Fragmented and Multilingual PoetryThis project critically and creatively examines the intersectionality of postcolonial transnationalism, trauma, and identity, and how these concepts are reflected in fragmented form and multilingual poetry. Korean-American poets Don Mee Choi, Cathy Park Hong, and Emily Jungmin Yoon are the three poets whose works I'm researching while writing my own collection of poems based on my life of having been born in Korea and raised in East Africa, and my family's experiences as postcolonial transnationals. Each chapter of the critical investigation dives into the three main topics of the study: theme, form, and language. In my own collection of poems, I showcase my concerns with my heritage by utilizing formally inventive techniques such as narrative poems, prose, erasure, and others. By thinking through the concept of postcolonial transnationalism as defined by Bahri, Ramazani, and others, this research brings out the importance of Choi, Hong, and Yoon's works, as well as my own, in the context of our current, ever-global society.
Biography
Born in Korea and raised in East Africa, Melanie Hyo-In Han (she/her) recently moved from the U.S. to the U.K., where she is a Ph.D. candidate in Creative Writing. She is the author of Uprooted, Replanted, Uprooted Again (, forthcoming in 2026), (boats against the current, 2025), (kith books, 2025), (Milk & Cake Press, 2023) and (Finishing Line Press, 2021), as well as the translator of several collections of Spanish poetry ().
Her work has been supported by fellowships from , , , , Casa Uno, and . Han has received nominations for the Pushcart Prize and awards from 鈥,鈥 , , and elsewhere.
As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), the inspiration behind her poetry comes from her own childhood experiences and an exploration of identity, belonging, and culture through the use of fragmented form and inclusion of multiple languages. She also writes nonfiction and does translation work between English, Spanish, and Korean.
Currently, Han is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of and the Two Languages Prize Editor at .
Supervisors
This project critically and creatively examines the intersectionality of postcolonial transnationalism, trauma, and identity, and how these concepts are reflected in fragmented form and multilingual poetry. Korean-American poets Don Mee Choi, Cathy Park Hong, and Emily Jungmin Yoon are the three poets whose works I'm researching while writing my own collection of poems based on my life of having been born in Korea and raised in East Africa, and my family's experiences as postcolonial transnationals. Each chapter of the critical investigation dives into the three main topics of the study: theme, form, and language. In my own collection of poems, I showcase my concerns with my heritage by utilizing formally inventive techniques such as narrative poems, prose, erasure, and others. By thinking through the concept of postcolonial transnationalism as defined by Bahri, Ramazani, and others, this research brings out the importance of Choi, Hong, and Yoon's works, as well as my own, in the context of our current, ever-global society.
Biography
Born in Korea and raised in East Africa, Melanie Hyo-In Han (she/her) recently moved from the U.S. to the U.K., where she is a Ph.D. candidate in Creative Writing. She is the author of Uprooted, Replanted, Uprooted Again (, forthcoming in 2026), (boats against the current, 2025), (kith books, 2025), (Milk & Cake Press, 2023) and (Finishing Line Press, 2021), as well as the translator of several collections of Spanish poetry ().
Her work has been supported by fellowships from , , , , Casa Uno, and . Han has received nominations for the Pushcart Prize and awards from 鈥,鈥 , , and elsewhere.
As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), the inspiration behind her poetry comes from her own childhood experiences and an exploration of identity, belonging, and culture through the use of fragmented form and inclusion of multiple languages. She also writes nonfiction and does translation work between English, Spanish, and Korean.
Currently, Han is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of and the Two Languages Prize Editor at .
My qualifications
(Summa Cum Laude, Departmental Honors)
(Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement)
(English 8-12 and Spanish 5-12)
(TEFL Certificate)
(Bill Knott Thesis Award)
Affiliations and memberships
News
In the media
ResearchResearch interests
- Postcolonialism
- Transnationalism
- Innovative and experimental poetry
- Multilingual poetry
- World literature
Awards
- Winner of 扣扣传媒 3 Minute Thesis 鈥淧eople's Choice Award鈥 鈥 2025
- Recipient of The Arts in Society 鈥淓merging Scholar Award鈥 鈥 2025
- Winner of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 鈥淧ostgraduate Researcher Poster Competition鈥 鈥 2024
- Winner of Doctoral College 鈥淧roject as a Poem鈥 Competition 鈥 2022
Conference Papers
- 鈥淏etween Languages: Negotiating Linguistic Borders through Translingual Poetry鈥
Somewhere in Between: Borders and Borderlands (LCIR) Conference
Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
April 2026
- 鈥淐reative Writing as Inclusive Practice: A Participant-Led Case Study鈥
SAHCI Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
January 2026
- 鈥淭ranslingual Poetry as a Site of Resistance within Korean History and its Diaspora鈥
IR/RELEVANT 鈥 English Department PGR Conference
King鈥檚 College, UK
May 2025
- 鈥淧oetry as Witness: Memory, Trauma, and the Korean Diaspora鈥
Bridging Disciplines 鈥 PGR/ECR Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
May 2025
- 鈥淩eframing Public Memory: The Role of Art in Postcolonial Narratives鈥
Carnegie Mellon University, USA
May 2025
- 鈥淔rom Comfort Women to Cultural Stereotypes: Korean Women's Bodies in Poetry鈥
La Salle University, USA
March 2025
- 鈥淯nveiling the Resilience of Human Stories in Poetry鈥
The Human in Humanities SLL PGR Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
May 2024
- Narratives of Transnational Korea: Migration, Identity, and Cultural Resilience in Cathy Park Hong鈥檚 Poetry
Newcastle University, UK
April 2024
- Fragmented Form and Spatiotemporal Experiences in Transnational Women's Poetry
Monopoli, Italy
September 2023
- Han in Physical and Literary Spaces: Korea鈥檚 Statue of Peace and Emily Jungmin Yoon鈥檚 Poetry
Oxford University, UK
June 2023
Research interests
- Postcolonialism
- Transnationalism
- Innovative and experimental poetry
- Multilingual poetry
- World literature
Awards
- Winner of 扣扣传媒 3 Minute Thesis 鈥淧eople's Choice Award鈥 鈥 2025
- Recipient of The Arts in Society 鈥淓merging Scholar Award鈥 鈥 2025
- Winner of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 鈥淧ostgraduate Researcher Poster Competition鈥 鈥 2024
- Winner of Doctoral College 鈥淧roject as a Poem鈥 Competition 鈥 2022
Conference Papers
- 鈥淏etween Languages: Negotiating Linguistic Borders through Translingual Poetry鈥
Somewhere in Between: Borders and Borderlands (LCIR) Conference
Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
April 2026
- 鈥淐reative Writing as Inclusive Practice: A Participant-Led Case Study鈥
SAHCI Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
January 2026
- 鈥淭ranslingual Poetry as a Site of Resistance within Korean History and its Diaspora鈥
IR/RELEVANT 鈥 English Department PGR Conference
King鈥檚 College, UK
May 2025
- 鈥淧oetry as Witness: Memory, Trauma, and the Korean Diaspora鈥
Bridging Disciplines 鈥 PGR/ECR Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
May 2025
- 鈥淩eframing Public Memory: The Role of Art in Postcolonial Narratives鈥
Carnegie Mellon University, USA
May 2025
- 鈥淔rom Comfort Women to Cultural Stereotypes: Korean Women's Bodies in Poetry鈥
La Salle University, USA
March 2025
- 鈥淯nveiling the Resilience of Human Stories in Poetry鈥
The Human in Humanities SLL PGR Conference
扣扣传媒, UK
May 2024
- Narratives of Transnational Korea: Migration, Identity, and Cultural Resilience in Cathy Park Hong鈥檚 Poetry
Newcastle University, UK
April 2024
- Fragmented Form and Spatiotemporal Experiences in Transnational Women's Poetry
Monopoli, Italy
September 2023
- Han in Physical and Literary Spaces: Korea鈥檚 Statue of Peace and Emily Jungmin Yoon鈥檚 Poetry
Oxford University, UK
June 2023
Teaching
At the 扣扣传媒, Han has been a seminar leader for ELI 1033: Thinking Like a Critic I, ELI 1034: Thinking Like a Critic II, ELI 1021: Understanding Poetry, and ELI 1026: Introduction to Creative Writing. She's currently teaching the Creative Writing seminar for ELI 2058: Life Writing.
She also teaches Introduction to Creative Writing at and has led workshops through , , Being Human Festival, and others.
Publications
Highlights
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
- 鈥淔ragmented Form and Spatiotemporal Experiences in Transnational Korean Women鈥檚 Poetry.鈥
Enthymema, 11 Mar. 2025, pp. 258鈥269. - 鈥淜orean Transnational Poetry and the Negotiation of Identity: Korean, English, and Konglish.鈥
International Journal of Bilingualism, 28 Aug. 2025. .
Books
- Uprooted, Replanted, Uprooted Again (, forthcoming in 2026)
- (boats against the current, 2025)
- (kith books, 2025)
- (Milk and Cake Press, 2023)
- (Finishing Line Press, 2021)
Poetry
- 鈥淢V Sewol鈥 forthcoming in Choa Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in West Trestle Review
- 鈥溾 in Arcana Poetry Press
- 鈥溾 in The Literary Times
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Cosmic Daffodil Journal
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in The Haiku Shack
- 鈥淢ahindi鈥 in Bread & Butter Press (print)
- 鈥溾 in Yellow Arrow Publishing
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Di Biase Poetry
- 鈥淥bituary 2024鈥 in Serpentine Lit Zine (print)
- 鈥溾 in Culture Cult Magazine
- 鈥溾 in AL at DiziBooks
- 鈥溾 in Sapiens Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Flora Fiction
- 鈥溾 in Barahm Press
- 鈥溾 in Arteidolia
- 鈥溾 in East Ridge Review
- 鈥淒elonix regia鈥 in Wingless Dreamer (print)
- 鈥溾 in Transients Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Aloka Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Eclectica Press
- 鈥溾 in Nothing Much Poetry Magazine (print)
- 鈥溾 in Nothing Much Poetry Magazine (print)
- 鈥溾 in Hanok Review
- 鈥溾 in 扣扣传媒 Doctoral College
- 鈥淲indy Hill鈥 in Lacuna Festivals
- 鈥溾 in The MockingOwl Roost
- 鈥溾 in Nevermore Journal
- 鈥溾 in Stripes Magazine
- 鈥淢y ex came to me in a dream last night鈥 in Lacuna Festivals
- 鈥溾 in Feral: A Journal of Poetry and Art
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Valiant Scribe
- 鈥減lease don't refuse me鈥 in Peach Velvet Mag (print)
- 鈥淗appy Bi(rth)day鈥 in Serpentine Lit Zine
- 鈥溾 in Mason Street Review
- 鈥溾 in Constellations
- 鈥溾 in Constellations
- 鈥溾 in The Lake
- 鈥溾 in Anti-Heroin Chic
- 鈥溾 in Vita Poetica
- 鈥渢here were reasons鈥 in Flora Fiction
- 鈥溾 in Fathom Mag
- 鈥溾 in Thimble Magazine
- 鈥淭o Miss Tranquist鈥 in And So Yeah
- 鈥淯kombozi Hospital鈥 in The Blue Nib
- 鈥溾 in Among Worlds Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Anti-Heroin Chic
- 鈥淕oodbye, Raven, Goodbye鈥 in Chachalaca Review
- 鈥溾 in Red Planet Magazine
- 鈥淏ut this is a pain I enjoy鈥 in Flora Fiction
- 鈥溾 in Valiant Scribe
- 鈥溾 in Culture Miks
- 鈥溾 in Noggy Bloggy
- 鈥溾 in Noggy Bloggy
- 鈥溾 in Global Poemic
Fiction & Nonfiction
- 鈥淩eview of Ocean Vuong's Night Sky with Exit Wounds鈥 in Sound and Vision (print)
- 鈥溾 in Gladstone鈥檚 Library Blog
- 鈥溾 in Marrow Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Tint Journal
- 鈥淟etters to You鈥 in Ruminate Magazine
- 鈥溾 in Erraticus
- 鈥淥ne Liners Abound鈥 in Ponder Savant
- 鈥溾 in Boston in 100 Words
Reviews & Interviews
- 鈥溾 in 扣扣传媒 Black Scholars: September Edition
- 鈥溾 in Jottings Tangents Misc. (print)
- 鈥溾 in Pier-Glass Poetry
- 鈥溾 in MockingOwl Roost
- 鈥溾 in Valiant Scribe
- 鈥淒ispatch from the Morning Calm鈥 in Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo
- 鈥溾 in EcoTheo
- 鈥淩eview of Shrapnel Maps by Philip Metres鈥 in Entropy Mag
- 鈥淔eatured Poet Interview鈥 in The Blue Nib
- 鈥溾 in Tint Journal
Translations
- 鈥溾 in Hebel Ediciones (Spanish 鈫 English and Korean)
- 鈥溾 in Hebel Ediciones (Spanish 鈫 English)
Creative Writing Awards & Nominations
- 鈥淭omorrow 毵岇暯鞐愨︹ 鈥 Sundress Publications
Finalist (2024/5 Broadside Contest) - 鈥淭riptych: Comfort Women鈥 鈥 The International Human Rights Art Movement
1st Place Winner (Art of Creative Unity) - 鈥淟etters to You鈥 鈥 Between These Shores
Pushcart Prize Nomination - 鈥淎becedarian in 頃滉竴 (Hangul)鈥 鈥 Feral: A Journal of Poetry and Art
Pushcart Prize Nomination - 鈥淒ar es Salaam Delicacies鈥 鈥 The Lyric Magazine
1st Place Winner - 鈥淔inding Home in Chinatown鈥 鈥 Boston in 100 Words
2nd Place Winner - 鈥淜orean Survivors of Japanese Comfort Women鈥 鈥 Valiant Scribe
2nd Place Winner - 鈥淎n Exponential Function鈥 鈥 Constellations
2nd Place Winner - 鈥淭umaini Wa Maisha鈥 鈥 Emerson College
Fiction Honorable Mention