South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making her the first South Korean writer to receive this honor and the eighteenth woman to do so. She is renowned for her novel The Vegetarian, for which she won the International Booker Prize in 2016, marking her as the first Korean author to achieve that accolade.
At 53 years old, Han Kang becomes the 121st recipient of a prize recognized globally as the pinnacle of literary achievement. Established by Alfred Nobel, the award is presented to authors whose work in literature is deemed outstanding in an ideal direction. This prestigious honor has been awarded since 1901.
Critics have noted that her work resonates well beyond South Korea. In a recent NPR review of her novel Greek Lessons, critic Leland Cheuk praised Han for creating “unsettling, transgressive work.” The narrative centers on a woman who loses her ability to speak and enrolls in ancient Greek classes with a teacher gradually going blind, ultimately conveying “a hopeful, and humane belief in the redemptive power of love.” Cheuk described reading the novel as an experience akin to watching a poignant indie film that gradually evokes deep emotions.
The Swedish Academy highlighted Han Kang’s “intense poetic prose” in its citation, appreciating her exploration of historical traumas and the vulnerabilities of human existence. The Academy remarked on her awareness of the connections between life and death, body and soul, emphasizing her innovative contributions to modern prose.
Reflecting on the darker themes in her work, Han Kang discussed her literary journey in a 2016 NPR interview, mentioning her exploration of human violence and the quest to understand it, expressing hope that readers might engage with her inquiries.
Han Kang joins a distinguished group of Nobel laureates, including literary giants like Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Toni Morrison, Gabriel García Márquez, and Bob Dylan, who controversially received the prize in 2016.
In recent decades, the Nobel Prize for Literature has seen a predominance of white authors among its recipients. From 2000 to 2023, only seven writers of color have been honored, a stark contrast to the more diverse selections from the 1980s and early 1990s, when authors from various backgrounds were celebrated.
Prior to the announcement, bookmakers speculated that Chinese writer Can Xue had favorable odds for the win due to her notable works like The Last Lover, as well as other prestigious nominations.