Nobel Prize in Literature Awarded to Yonsei University Alumna Han Kang for Confronting Historical Trauma Through Prose
Born in Gwangju in 1970, Han Kang later moved to Seoul at the age of nine, a city that inspired her early works. Coming from a literary family—her father, Han Seung-won, is a renowned novelist
South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." A graduate of Yonsei University, Han Kang’s literary journey began in 1993 when she published a series of poems in the magazine Literature and Society, followed by her prose debut in 1995 with Love of Yeosu.
Born in Gwangju in 1970, Han Kang later moved to Seoul at the age of nine, a city that inspired her early works. Coming from a literary family—her father, Han Seung-won, is a renowned novelist—she found her calling in both poetry and prose. Her breakthrough came with The Vegetarian (2007), a novel that explores societal norms and personal rebellion, making waves internationally after its English translation in 2015.
With a career spanning decades, Han Kang has explored complex themes of human suffering, trauma, and transformation, drawing from her own experiences and her country’s history. Alongside her literary achievements, she has also worked in art and music, further enriching her work with a multidisciplinary approach.
In addition to The Vegetarian, her novel Your Cold Hands (2002) demonstrates her fascination with human anatomy and the fine line between persona and experience, highlighting her versatility as a writer. Han has also won several prestigious literary awards, including the Yi Sang Literary Prize and the Korean Literature Novel Award, and has taught creative writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.
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Abhay an alumnus of IIMC and Delhi University, has over a decade long experience of reporting on various beats of journalism. During his free time he prefers listening to music or play indoor and outdoor games.