South Korean writer Han Kang has been awarded 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, which bestows the prestigious award, praised her unique literary style, recognizing the emotional depth and historical resonance in her works. The prize comes with a reward of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million).
Born in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1970, Han Kang comes from a literary family—her father is a well-known novelist. She began her literary journey as a poet, publishing her first poems, including “Winter in Seoul,” in the 1993 issue of Munhak-gwa-sahoe (Literature and Society). Her breakthrough as a novelist came the following year when she won the 1994 Seoul Shinmun Spring Literary Contest with the short story “Red Anchor.” Her first short story collection, Yeosu, was published in 1995.
Han Kang’s body of work includes several short story collections and novels that have garnered international acclaim. Notable works include Fruits of My Woman (2000), Fire Salamander (2012), Black Deer (1998), Your Cold Hands (2002), and the widely celebrated The Vegetarian (2007), for which she won the International Booker Prize in 2016. Other works include Human Acts (2014), The White Book (2016), and her latest novel I Do Not Bid Farewell (2021), which recently won the prestigious Médicis Prize in France in 2023 and the Emile Guimet Prize in 2024.
Known for her distinct voice and poetic prose, Han Kang’s writing delves deep into the human psyche, intertwining mental and physical suffering with Eastern philosophical influences. Her work explores historical traumas, the fragile nature of existence, and the boundaries between life and death. The Nobel Committee praised her experimental and innovative style, emphasizing her ability to push the boundaries of contemporary prose.
With her Nobel Prize win, Han Kang cements her place as one of the leading voices in modern literature, continuing to captivate readers worldwide with her profound and thought-provoking narratives.
Sources By Agencies
