Han Kang, the First Korean Writer to Win the Nobel Prize in Literature 2024

South Korean author Han Kang (한강) has become the first Korean writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, marking the second Korean Nobel laureate since former Korean president Kim Dae-jung’s 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. Han Kang was honored ”for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.“

Born in Gwangju in 1970, Han Kang moved to Seoul at age nine and comes from a literary family, with her father being a novelist. Alongside writing, her artistic pursuits also include music and visual art, which are evident throughout her work. Han began her literary career with poetry in 1993 and debuted as a prose writer in 1995 with the short story collection Love of Yeosu. Her international breakthrough came with The Vegetarian (2007), a novel exploring the violent effects of a woman’s decision to stop eating meat, a metaphor for rebellion against societal norms.

Known for her depiction of both physical and psychological pain, Han‘s writing often delves into themes of historical trauma and the delicate interplay between body, mind, and soul, establishing her as an innovator in contemporary literature.

Data from Chair of the Nobel Committee The Swedish Academy

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