Han Kang’s Nobel win: a celebration of poetic prose and historical exploration

The South Korean writer wins the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature. "In her work, Han Kang confronts historical traumas and sets of invisible rules and, in each of her works, exposes the fragility of human life"

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to South Korean author Han Kang.

In its announcement, the Swedish Academy praised Han Kang for how “in her work, she confronts historical traumas and invisible sets of rules, and in each of her books, she unveils the fragility of human life. She possesses a unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead, and through her poetic and experimental style, she has become a pioneer in contemporary prose”.

This award recognizes her ability to give voice, with “intense poetic prose”, to the wounds of history and the fragility of human existence.

Early life and background

Born in Gwangju in 1970, Han Kang moved with her family to Seoul at the age of nine. The daughter of a writer, she grew up surrounded by literature, cultivating a parallel passion for art and music—elements that would later enrich her literary production.

Her career began in 1993 with the publication of poems in the magazine Literature and Society. She transitioned to prose in 1995 with her short story collection Love in Yeosu, and since then, she has established herself in South Korea’s literary world, publishing 18 works of fiction, essays, and novellas from 1995 to 2021.

International breakthrough with “The Vegetarian”

Han Kang’s international success came in 2007 with The Vegetarian (published in English in 2015), which has since been translated into multiple languages. The book, divided into three parts, follows Yeong-hye, a woman who decides to become a vegetarian, sparking violent and unpredictable reactions from those around her. The novel explores the intersection of body and society, individual and societal norms, employing a metaphorical style that brings deep empathy to extreme life stories.

In 2011, Han Kang published Greek Lessons (released in English in 2023), which intertwines the lives of two vulnerable individuals: a young woman who has lost her ability to speak due to trauma and a teacher of ancient Greek who is slowly losing his sight. Their shared fragilities create a unique bond in a story that reflects on loss, intimacy, and the power of language. As the Academy noted, this work highlights the profound connection between body and soul that permeates Han Kang’s entire body of work.

Han Kang’s work frequently delves into the exploration of both physical and mental pain, reflecting a deep connection with Eastern philosophy. In Europa (2012), a narrator disguised as a woman is drawn to an enigmatic female figure, a story that probes themes of desire and self-discovery.

With Human Acts (2014), Han Kang addresses a traumatic historical event: the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, in which hundreds of unarmed students and civilians lost their lives. In this novel, she gives voice to the victims, blending testimonial literature with a visionary, poetic style that goes beyond conventional forms.

Through her powerful yet delicate writing, Han Kang reminds readers of life’s fragility and the importance of giving voice to forgotten stories. Her Nobel Prize honors the literary power to bring light to the shadows of history and the human soul.

Source: Nobel Prize