top of page

和媼 • 이평화 • Peace Pyunghwa Lee

  • Instagram
  • Threads
peacedrawing.JPG
portrait by chabitna

Peace Pyunghwa Lee (she/they) is a decolonial and feminist diasporic writer, Korean-to-English literary translator, interfaith spiritual director, and intuitive tarot reader.


Growing up in Korea and the Philippines before immigrating to the United States as a preteen, Peace's life has been shaped by the intersection of cultures and faiths. As a member of the Korean diaspora, her work is deeply informed by the histories of colonialism, war, migration, and Christian missionization. These experiences continue to shape her commitment to decolonial practice, reindigenization, and honoring the spiritual inheritance of her ancestors.
 

After years of serving in the Christian church and seminary as an award-winning preacher, pastoral care provider, and instructor of homiletics, she stepped away from institutional ministry to fully embrace her lifelong calling.
 

Today, she translates Korean literature into English and accompanies clients through tarot and spiritual direction. Her translations honor the layered histories, traumas, and resilience embedded in Korean literature, while her spiritual practice creates space for intuition, meaning-making, and healing.
 

Through both translation and divination, Peace seeks to bridge the written and unwritten, the historical and mythical, the personal and collective.

Education

  • Duke University Divinity School — Th.D. studies (ABD) in Homiletics, minor in Black Theology (2016–2022)

  • Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development — Certificate in Spiritual Direction (2014–2016)

  • Princeton Theological Seminary — M.Div. and M.A. in Spiritual Formation (2012–2016)

  • Macalester College — B.A. in English, minors in Political Theory and Philosophy (2005–2009)
     

Honors & Fellowships

  • Modern Korea Times Kevin O'Rourke Literary Translation Prize (2025)

  • Literary Translation Grant for Hyun Kiyoung's O Jejudo, The Daesan Foundation (2024)

  • Dissertation Fellowship, The Louisville Institute (2020–2021)

  • Doctoral Fellowship, Forum for Theological Exploration (2019–2020)

  • Seymour H. Shore Research Prize, International Network for Interreligious Research and Education (2018, 2020)

  • Graduate Scholar Award, Korean American Scholarship Foundation (2016–2019)

  • Doctoral Fellowship, The Louisville Institute (2017–2019)

  • John T. Galloway Award in Expository Preaching, Princeton Theological Seminary (2016)

  • Asian American Ministry Award, Princeton Theological Seminary (2016)

  • Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, Macalester College (2007–2009)
     

Professional Development

  • BCLT International Literary Translation & Creative Writing Summer School (2026)

  • Professional Development Program for Korean-to-English Literary Translators, LTI Korea (2025)

  • PhD Lab in Digital Knowledge, Duke University (2018–2019)

  • Religions and Public Life Graduate Student Workgroup, Duke University (2018–2019)

bottom of page