South Korean Author Han Kang Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature
South Korean author Han Kang has won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
The Swedish Academy praised her as an innovator in contemporary prose, with a style that explores the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead. At 53, Han Kang has become the first South Korean author to receive this prestigious award.
Han’s literary career began in the early 1990s, initially with poetry and later with fiction. Her 1995 short story collection, Love of Yeosu, marked her debut in prose. However, her 2007 novel The Vegetarian, which gained international recognition after being translated into English in 2015, is considered her major breakthrough.
The novel, which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, centres on a woman’s decision to stop eating meat, sparking a chain of events that challenge societal norms and delve into psychological and physical conflicts.
Other notable works by Han Kang include Human Acts, which reflects on the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, and Greek Lessons, both praised for their lyrical yet intense examination of violence and grief.
Her writing often features women protagonists but is also told through the perspectives of male characters. This blend of voices contributes to her unique exploration of human experiences.
The Nobel Committee’s decision to honour Han Kang highlights not only her personal achievements but also the global significance of Korean literature.
"Her very tender, precise prose almost becomes a counterforce to the brutal noisiness of power," said Anna-Karin Palm, a member of the Nobel Committee for Literature.
Han’s career has spanned multiple genres, and her works have been translated into over 30 languages, bringing her voice to readers around the world. Despite her global reach, the author was reportedly unprepared for the news.
“She was having an ordinary day and had just finished supper with her son,” shared Mats Malm, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, when he called to congratulate her.
This marks only the 18th time that a woman has won the Nobel Prize in Literature and the second time a South Korean has won a Nobel Prize, following the 2000 Peace Prize awarded to former president Kim Dae-jung.
The official award ceremony will take place in Stockholm on December 10th, where Han Kang will receive the 11 million Swedish kronor prize.
