South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making her the first Korean writer and the eighteenth woman to receive this honor. In 2016, she was recognized with the Man Booker International Prize for her novel The Vegetarian, marking her as the first Korean to win that award as well.
Han is the 121st recipient of this prestigious award, established by Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and industrialist, to recognize an author whose literary work is considered exceptionally outstanding in an ideal direction. The Nobel Prize in Literature has been presented since 1901.
Praised for powerful poetic prose
The Swedish Academy praised Han Kang for her powerful poetic prose that addresses historical traumas and reveals the vulnerability of human existence. They highlighted her ability to tackle historical issues and hidden societal norms, emphasizing that her works illuminate the fragility of life. They noted her distinctive understanding of the relationships between body and soul, the living and the dead, and acknowledged her innovative approach to contemporary prose.
In an online interview for the Booker Prize, Han expressed her focus on the senses when writing fiction, aiming to evoke vivid experiences such as hearing and touch, alongside visual imagery. She described her sentences as infused with these sensations, likening it to an electric current.
Han Kang joins ranks of literary giants
Han Kang now joins the ranks of literary giants like Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Toni Morrison, Gabriel García Márquez, and Bob Dylan, the latter of whom received the award in 2016, stirring some controversy.
In recent decades, the Nobel Prize in Literature has predominantly recognized white authors. From 2000 to 2023, only seven authors of color have been honored, a notable shift from the awards of the 1980s and early 1990s when numerous authors of color from countries such as Egypt, Nigeria, Mexico, Japan, Saint Lucia, and the United States received the prize within a single decade.
This year, bookies had predicted that Chinese writer Can Xue would have the best chances of winning, with Ladbrokes offering her 6/1 odds due to the success of works like The Last Lover. Her novel Love in the New Millennium and the story collection I Live in the Slums were both longlisted for the International Booker Prize. Other authors with favorable odds included Australian Gerald Murnane, Japanese Haruki Murakami, Greek Ersi Sotiropoulos, and Argentinian César Aira.
Last year winner
Last year, the Literature Prize was awarded to Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse for his work in Nynorsk, one of the two official written forms of the Norwegian language, which the prize organizers described as giving “voice to the unsayable.”
On Monday, the Medicine Prize recognized American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA and its significant role in gene regulation. Tuesday’s Physics Prize celebrated major advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), awarded to American John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton, who is often referred to as the Godfather of AI.
On Wednesday, the Chemistry Prize went to US researchers David Baker and John Jumper, along with British scientist Demis Hassabis, for their pioneering research on proteins. Following Thursday’s announcement, the Nobel season will continue on Friday with the eagerly awaited Peace Prize, the only Nobel announced in Oslo. The Economics Prize will conclude the festivities on Monday.
Read More: 2024 Nobel Prize In Medicine: Who Are Victor Ambros And Gary Ruvkun?
