Han Kang, Whose ‘The Vegetarian’ Was Made Into a Film, Wins Nobel Prize for Literature

Han Kang, Whose ‘The Vegetarian’ Was Made Into a Film, Wins Nobel Prize for Literature

As a voracious reader who has traversed countless literary landscapes, I can wholeheartedly say that Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win for Literature in 2024 is nothing short of a momentous occasion. Her poignant and powerful prose, as evidenced in her masterpiece “The Vegetarian,” has undeniably left an indelible mark on the literary world, confronting historical traumas with unflinching honesty while exposing the fragility of human life.


Han Kang, a South Korean author known for her critically acclaimed novel The Vegetarian, which was adapted into a movie, received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024.

The Swedish Academy announced the recipient on Thursday, praising their deeply moving poetry that tackles historic hardships and reveals the delicate nature of existence in a humane way.

The novel ‘The Vegetarian’ is about Yeong-hye, a semi-professional artist who works part-time and takes care of the household in Seoul. Her choice to abstain from eating meat triggers psychological issues and strains her family relationships.

One of the five prestigious awards, the Nobel Prizes, was set up according to the will of Alfred Nobel, a scientist and inventor who developed dynamite in 1895. In addition to this honor, there are prizes for achievements in chemistry, physics, medicine, and peace – the latter being known as the Nobel Peace Prize.

According to Reuters, Han Kang is first South Korean to win the big literature prize.

Among those predicted by oddsmakers to potentially win this year’s literature prize are Chinese author Can Xue, Canadian Margaret Atwood (famous for The Handmaid’s Tale), Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, Indian-born British-American novelist Salman Rushdie, who was attacked before a lecture in New York City last year, and American Don DeLillo.

In 2023, the Nobel Prize in Literature was bestowed upon Norwegian author Jon Fosse, while French author Annie Ernaux received the honor in 2022. Notably, Ernaux’s autobiography titled “Happening” was transformed into a film titled “The Abortion Drama,” directed by Audrey Diwan, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2021.

Every year since 1901, the prestigious literature award has been given to an author from anywhere around the world whose work, as stated in Nobel’s will, represents “the greatest achievement in a noble manner.” The Swedish Academy presents this honorable recognition.

Many distinguished authors from various countries have been recipients of the Nobel Prize in Literature. These include Toni Morrison and Saul Bellow from the United States, Harold Pinter and William Golding from Britain, Samuel Beckett from Ireland, Alice Munro from Canada, Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee from South Africa, Gabriel Garcia Marquez from Colombia, Jean-Paul Sartre from France, Gunter Grass from Germany, Orhan Pamuk from Turkey, and Mo Yan from China.

In 2016, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan won the honor.

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2024-10-10 14:54