Han Jiang can write and sing, and pays attention to transformational justice with the tip of his pen

In a recent interview, we celebrated the achievement of South Korean author Han Kang, who has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. Han is the first South Korean writer to receive this prestigious accolade, making her only the second South Korean after former President Kim Dae-jung to win a Nobel Prize, following his Nobel Peace Prize win in 2000.

Assistant Professor Weng Chih-Chi from Taipei University’s Department of Taiwanese Literature, and a former visiting professor at Pusan National University, shared insights into Han’s literary journey. She emphasized that Han has consistently focused on issues of transitional justice, using personal narratives and grassroots historical sources to reinterpret her nation’s complex past. Weng noted that this approach resonates profoundly with current global trends, highlighting the importance of societal movements that challenge official narratives.

Weng also pointed out that since 2015, Han’s work has received significant support from the Korean Cultural Foundation, backed by the Kyobo Life Insurance Company, increasing the opportunities for her translations and visibility. This surge in exposure was further amplified when her English version won the Booker Prize, drawing international attention to her writings. She remarked that governmental support only emerged gradually after Han’s recognition with the Booker Prize.

Moreover, Weng highlighted Han’s versatility as an artist, noting her engagement not only with literature but also with music, poetry, and children’s tales, a combination that is quite rare among writers.

Hong Kong writer Tang Hsiaohua expressed her admiration for the poetic language in Han’s work, describing her ability to convey historical trauma with a delicate yet profound sensibility. Despite the categorization of Third World literature as suppressed national literature—as discussed by theorist Fredric Jameson—Han’s depiction of national trauma from a female perspective offers an innovative and inspiring narrative.

Li Yanan, editor-in-chief of a leading literary magazine, spoke about their early decision to publish Han’s acclaimed work “The Vegetarian.” Although the book was only nominated for the Booker Prize in 2016, they recognized its potential and signed it. After its critical acclaim and subsequent award, the book garnered widespread support from readers.

Li emphasized the strong literary qualities of Han’s works, detailing how “The White Book” combines autobiographical elements with experimental storytelling. The book features 65 short pieces that delve into Han’s reflections on life and loss, including memories associated with her deceased sister, all conveyed through her keenly observant and poetic prose.

Born in 1970, Han graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in Korean Literature and currently teaches at the Korea National University of Arts. She began her literary career in 1993 with a debut poem in “Literature and Society” and quickly established herself, winning the Seoul Shinmun Spring Literary Award in 1994 for her novel “Red Anchor.” In 2005, she was the first author of her generation to win the Yi Sang Literary Prize for her novella “The Trauma”.

Han’s journey reached a new milestone in 2016 when she won the Booker Prize for “The Vegetarian.” This was followed by the Italian Marapatti Literary Prize for her subsequent work “The White Book” in 2017, which further solidified her status, having been shortlisted for another Booker nomination in 2018 and selected as “Book of the Day” by The Guardian.