On October 10, South Korean author Han Kang created history by receiving the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Mats Malm, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy’s Nobel Committee, announced the award in Stockholm. The Nobel Committee praised her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." The Swedish Academy stated that Han will receive a prize of 11 million kroner (approximately $1.1 million).
Anders Olsson, chairman of the Nobel committee, commended Han Kang for her “physical empathy for the vulnerable, often female lives” depicted in her work. He also stated that her work "has a unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead, and in a poetic and experimental style, has become an innovator in contemporary prose."
Who is Han Kang?
Han Kang is a 53-year-old South Korean author born in 1970 in the vibrant city of Gwangju. As the daughter of novelist Han Seung-won, she was immersed in words and storytelling from an early age. After relocating to Seoul, Han pursued her love of literature and started studying Korean literature at Yonsei University.
The South Korean author started her literary career as a poet, debuting in the year 1993 with five poems, including "Winter in Seoul." According to reports, she won the 1994 Seoul Shinmun Spring Literary Contest with her novel "Red Anchor." In 1995, Han released her short story collection, 'Yeosu.'
Han Kang's notable work includes 'The Vegetarian' from 2007, which won the International Booker Prize in 2016. Some of her popular novels include 'Human Acts' and 'The White Book.' Her latest novel, 'I Do Not Bid Farewell,' received the Medicis Prize in France in 2023 and the Emile Guimet Prize in 2024.
A historic win for South Korea
Hang Kang has made history as the first South Korean writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. She is also the second South Korean national to win a Nobel Prize, following the late former President Kim Dae-jung, who was awarded the Peace Prize in 2000.
