On the 10th of October, an author by the name of Han Kang received the Nobel Prize for Literature, becoming the first Korean writer and first female Asian writer to receive the prize. She was awarded “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
She is known for her numerous works that deal with deep philosophical and political issues such as misogyny, human capacity for violence, cultural and personal grief, and many more topics. Some of her most renown books include The Vegetarian, Human Acts, The White Book, and We Do Not Part. Her list of short stories include The Fruit of My Woman and The Middle Voice. Additionally, she has published poetry and essays, having started her career through poetry.
Han Kang’s work explores a multitude of issues in impactful and creative ways. One of her most popular novels, The Vegetarian, portrays issues such as misogyny and violence through the story of Yeonghye, a young woman who decides to stop eating meat due to nightmares about animal slaughter, inciting extreme reactions and even violence from her family. Another novel, Human Acts, chronicles the story of multiple protagonists relating to the dfeath of a young boy and the Gwanju Uprising in 1980, a rebellion that was brutally suppressed by the South Korean military government at the time. Through poetic prose, Han Kang was able to tell a powerful story about an event that sits on the conscience of Koreans to this day.
Han Kang recieving the Nobel Prize this October was significant in many ways. In the midst of a intense wave of feminism in response to the rampant misogyny and gender-based violence in South Korea, the fact that Han Kang is not only the first Korean woman, but the first Korean person ever to recieve the Nobel Prize for Literature isn’t something to be overlooked. Additionally, as wars, conflicts, violence and even genocide is waged throughout different parts of the world, Han Kang’s work around violence, trauma and the human condition shine through as something not to be ignored. Even in October, when she heard that she had been awarded the prize, she chose not to have a press conference or any celebrations, and instead directed people’s attention to the ongoing conflicts in the world, such as those in Ukraine and Palestine. Now, more than ever, it is important to recognize why Han Kang recieved the award, and how it connects to the current issues around us.