Congrats to Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize Laureate
Kang spotlights Korean literature while grappling with its history
South Korean novelist and poet Han Kang was recently awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. According to The Guardian, the Nobel committee praised Kang’s “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
Kang is the first Korean author and Asian woman to be awarded this prestigious prize. She may be best known for her heartbreaking novel, The Vegetarian — the first Korean language novel to win the Booker Prize in 2016. It is an intriguing work that haunted me long after I finished it.
How the Winner is Chosen
Nobel Laureates are chosen based on their body of work, not a single publication. The Swedish Academy sends out nomination forms to qualified individuals, due by January 31. The long list is eventually narrowed down to five nominees. Academy members read each candidate’s body of work and vote. The winner is chosen and announced in October. Each year, on December 10 (the anniversary of Nobel Prize inventor Alfred Nobel’s death), the award ceremony takes place in Stockholm, Sweden, where the winners are honored.
