Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Kingdom of Sweden

The Swedish Academy announced on Thursday, October 10, that Korean author Han Kang has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Academy noted her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life" as the reason for her selection.  

This marks the first Nobel Prize in Literature in Korean history and the first for an Asian female author. It is expected that this award will serve as an opportunity to globally recognize and imprint the originality and depth of Korean literature. We extend our congratulations to the author.

Han Kang, who began her writing career in the mid-1990s, won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 for her work "The Vegetarian." Since then, she has received major literary awards in Italy, Spain, and France, gaining international recognition for her literary merit.

In Sweden, four of her novels have been translated so far, and they have been greatly loved by Swedish readers. At the Stockholm Book Concert and Umeå International Literature Festival in March of this year, where Han Kang was invited, we could observe the high interest and affection of Swedish literature enthusiasts for her latest work, 「I Do Not Bid Farewell」.

Amidst the global fever for Korean culture in general, the popularity of K-content such as Korean food, dramas, beauty products, and pop music is also rising in the Nordic region. With Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature as a catalyst, the Korean Embassy and Cultural Center will also strive to help Korean literature spread to the Nordic countries and the rest of the world.

Once again, congratulations to Han Kang on her award.