At the age of 53, famous South Korean writer Han Kang received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Han, whose works include The Vegetarian, The White Book, Human Acts, and Greek Lessons, is praised for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”

After the Swedish Academy’s permanent secretary, Mats Malm, announced, Han expressed her astonishment and pride at being recognized. During a phone call, she conveyed her appreciation and affinity for Korean literature, expressing the hope that the news will inspire readers and other authors.

Significant online interest was generated by the announcement, which led to a surge in traffic at many bookshops and public celebrations by officials. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also praised Han for turning the painful parts of modern history into meaningful literary works in a statement.

Han has studied difficult subjects including violence, loss, humanity, and patriarchy throughout her career. She won the 2016 International Booker Prize for her 2007 book The Vegetarian, which was translated into English in 2015.

Her distinct viewpoint and sympathetic narrative have garnered widespread praise, and she is the first South Korean writer and the 18th woman to receive the Nobel Prize. Her ability to portray the relationships between the living and the dead in an artistically inventive manner was praised by Anders Olsson, chair of the Nobel committee.

Critics and other writers have praised Han’s writing and emphasised how important she is as a voice in modern literature. Max Porter called Han a writer of exceptional humanity, and author Deborah Levy acknowledged her as one of the world’s most talented authors.

Han, who was reared in Seoul after being born in Gwangju in 1970, started writing in 1993 and rose to fame in 1995 with her debut collection of short stories, Love of Yeosu. Her first English-language translation, The Vegetarian, increased her readership.

Her writing frequently examines historical occurrences, including the Gwangju massacre, which is portrayed in her 2014 book Human Acts, and its effects on both victims and survivors. We Do Not Part, Han’s upcoming book, will be published in English in 2025 and explores the effects of the 1948–49 Jeju revolt on a friend’s family.