What are the three works by Han Kang recommended by the Nobel Prize committee?

Han Kang, the first Korean writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the ‘Text Hip’ trend, which regards reading as ‘hip’. 2024.10.13.News 1″/>

On the afternoon of the 13th, citizens are immersed in reading at the ‘Seoul Outdoor Library Gwanghwamun Book Madang’ located at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. A reading craze is spreading throughout Korea due to interest in Han Kang, the first Korean writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the ‘Text Hip’ trend, which regards reading as ‘hip’. 2024.10.13.News 1

On the 13th (local time), the Nobel Prize Committee released the full interview with the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, Han Kang, and also recommended three ‘books you should read’.

The top 3 books you should read are ‘The Vegetarian’, ‘Here Comes a Boy’, and ‘The Greek Hour’.

The Nobel Prize Committee began by asking, ‘Do you want to know about the 2024 Literature Prize winner Han Kang, but are not sure which one to choose?’ and then revealed three books recommended by Steve Sem Sandberg of the Swedish Academy.

The committee recommended three books and also stated the reasons.

◇ Vegetarian : The Vegetarian is the work that won the International Booker Prize in 2016 and helped Han Kang emerge as a world-renowned writer.

On the morning of the 22nd, when Han Kang’s ‘The Vegetarian’ ranked first in the Kyobo Bookstore’s bestseller category in the novel category, citizens are reading ‘The Vegetarian’ at the Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun branch in Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. ⓒ News1

This novel is the story of a middle-aged Korean woman who suddenly decides one night not to eat meat anymore. Her appearance is depicted in three different stories by her husband, brother-in-law, and sister (in that order).

Through this process, the author sharply criticizes a patriarchal society that is rigid in careerism and is sometimes caught up in despotic social norms and customs.

◇ Greek time : This short but powerful novel is a portrait of two individuals who have lost or are in the process of losing their most important link to the outside world.

The male protagonist is slowly losing his eyesight due to a genetic disease. The female protagonist became speech impaired due to domestic violence.

To regain her ability to communicate, the heroine takes ancient Greek classes. (Because the language you no longer use can’t hurt her)

The man who is losing his eyesight is her Greek teacher. The novel, a kind of delicate love story, traces their efforts to, if not overcome, at least find common ground.

This is a book about language, examining how words give shape and meaning to our outer and inner worlds, but also how they can tear apart and destroy the most delicate thing in us all: our identity.

◇ A boy is coming : It is a prequel to the recent novel ‘No Goodbye’, which deals with the Jeju April 3 Uprising.

On the afternoon of the 11th, officials at a printing house in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, are printing ‘The Boy is Coming’, the representative work of Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang. 2024.10.11/News 1

This novel chronicles the lives of many innocent people who participated in the popular uprising that took place in Gwangju, where the author spent his childhood, in May 1980.

As in her other works, the boundaries between perpetrator and victim, body and soul, and even the living and the dead collapse, and this is reflected in straightforward yet subtle language.

In this novel and several other novels, the author gives new meaning to the expression ‘living with the past’. This is a remnant of reality that cannot be ignored or resisted.

The author constantly reminds us of the past through honest and truly awe-inspiring literary works.

(Seoul = News 1)