[Books standing upright; Photo credit: Pixabay]

On October 10, 2024, famous South Korean writer, Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first Asian woman to receive the prestigious award.

Some of her honorably mentioned novels by the Swedish Academy include “The Vegetarian”and “Human Acts.”

They praised her spectacular ability to depict “historical trauma” through her “poetic and experimental style.”

Han Kang is best known for her novel, “The Vegetarian,” which was published in 2007 and later won the International Booker Prize in 2016 after being translated into English.

She was already a successful author prior to winning the Nobel Prize as Han had accumulated 14 awards before being recognized with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024.

A unique aspect of her books is that despite the majority of protagonists being women, the narrative perspective is often that of men, according to CNN.

The announcement was met with widespread acclaim, with fellow authors offering congratulations and Korean citizens expressing pride in the achievement.

Following the announcement, Han’s novels are difficult to find in local libraries and bookstores with sales soaring.

According to a Korean news site, her books are being purchased at an astonishing average rate of 136 copies per minute across various bookstore platforms.

On October 11, the top 9 bestselling books were all by Han Kang, with her novels’ sales rate increasing by 451 times compared to before the award.

The New York Times reported that President Yoon Suk Yeol stated, “This is a great achievement for South Korean literature and an occasion for national celebration.”

He also commended Han Kang’s outstanding ability to capture the country’s painful history in words.

Reactions from students were equally enthusiastic.

A high school student who wished to remain anonymous responded, “I’m very surprised to hear that someone from my country won a Nobel Prize in literature. Not only are there very few female winners, but it’s also very fascinating to me that such a talented person exists in our small nation. Even though I’m not the one to receive the award, this news makes me feel so proud internally.”

Another anonymous high school sophomore said, “I was really excited when I heard this news. I even went straight to the bookstore to buy one of her novels, “The Vegetarian”! I haven’t finished it yet, but I think this book might become my favorite. Her word choices express the emotions so well.”

An anonymous middle school student stated, “This is very unexpected yet inspiring news to me. Seeing someone from my home country achieve this, especially when I’m also into writing, became a huge motivational factor for me personally.”

Another anonymous 8th grader said, “I was never a big fan of reading, but this news got me rethinking. I do wonder what her books are like. Hopefully, I can get the chance to read her top novels soon!”

As evident from these responses, citizens have shown very positive reactions to this news and are eagerly anticipating further successes in the future.