South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in literature for her distinctive poetic prose that confronts historical trauma and reveals the fragility of human life. At 53, Han is the first South Korean writer to receive the prestigious honour, joining a select group of 18 women laureates in literature since the prize’s inception in 1901.
The Swedish Academy recognised Han for her “unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead.” Known for her experimental style, Han first gained international acclaim with her novel The Vegetarian, which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016. The novel tells the story of a woman who rejects societal norms after experiencing disturbing nightmares, seeking to live a more plant-like existence.
Han’s body of work frequently explores profound questions about existence, often narrated from a male perspective, even though her central characters are typically female. Her 2019 novel Europa features a protagonist haunted by nightmares, posing the existential question: “If you were able to live as you desire, what would you do with your life?”
The Nobel Prize underscores Han’s role as an innovator in contemporary prose, elevating South Korean literature on the world stage.
The Nobel Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious awards, established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in 1895.
The prize recognises individuals or groups for significant contributions in six categories:
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Peace,
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Literature,
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Chemistry
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Physics
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Physiology or Medicine
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Economic Sciences.
The awards are presented annually in Stockholm, Sweden, except for the Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo, Norway. Each laureate receives a medal, a diploma, and a cash prize.
