Han Kang Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for Poetic Prose on Historical Trauma and Human Fragility

Han Kang

Han Kang Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for Poetic Exploration of Trauma

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.” At 53, Han is the first South Korean laureate and only the 18th woman to receive the prize since its inception in 1901.

Han began her literary career with poetry before debuting in prose in 1995. Her acclaimed novel, The Vegetarian, which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, explores a woman's struggle for autonomy following disturbing nightmares about human cruelty. The novel begins with a striking line that sets the tone for Han’s exploration of identity and societal norms.

The Nobel Committee praised Han’s “unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead,” highlighting her experimental style as innovative in contemporary literature. Committee member Anna-Karin Palm recommended her 2014 novel Human Acts, which reflects on the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, illustrating the lingering effects of historical trauma on society.

Mats Malm, secretary of the Swedish Academy, revealed that Han was caught off guard when informed of her win, having just finished dinner with her son. The Nobel Prize carries an award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1 million) and will be presented at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10.

Han Kang Wins 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for Poetic Prose on Historical Trauma and Human Fragility