Customer lines spilled out of Korean bookstores and online stores crashed yesterday as readers tried to get their hands on the works of new Nobel laureate Han Kang.
According to Reuters, Kyobo Book Center, the country's largest book chain, said on Friday that sales of Han's books were strong, with inventory selling out almost immediately.
Korean politicians, writers, and readers celebrated her victory. President Yoon Seok-yeol congratulated her in a Facebook post, and several government hearings were suspended in Congress as officials welcomed the news.
“When I first heard the news of the award, I was very surprised. After the phone call ended, I gradually regained my sense of reality and started to get emotional,” Han said. “Thank you very much for choosing me as the winner. I was also surprised by the many warm congratulations I received throughout the day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Korean-American pachinko author Min Jin Lee said, “Han Kang is a wonderful novelist who reflects the current situation with courage, imagination, and intelligence.'' “She is the most deserving person of this global recognition.”
Han yesterday became the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Korean writer Kim Sung-il said, “If a Korean novelist had to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, it would have to be Han Kang.''
Nine of the top 10 best-selling books listed on the Kyobo site are Han's works. Her best-selling book, The Vegetarian (her 2007 novel, translated into English by Deborah Smith in 2015 and subsequently awarded the International Booker Prize), rose more than 350 places.
“We cheer and rejoice,” said South Korean writer Kim Bo-young. “I am even more proud and happy that receiving this award directly refutes the foolishness of trying to cover up and distort Korea's past history.”
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Han's work often deals with historical trauma. Her 2014 novel Human Acts is based on the May 1980 Gwangju uprising, and her 2021 novel is scheduled to be published in English next February under the title We Do Not Part. , dealing with the Jeju Uprising of 1948-1949.
Korean writer Jeong Hae-jin said, “As soon as I heard the news of Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize, I was reminded of her dedication to writing novels for people who are marginalized and discriminated against by society.'' Ta. “The next thing I thought was that Han Gang may also be from the same Honam region as Kim Dae-jung.'' Kim served as South Korea's president from 1998 to 2003 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000. Awarded.
“Both the Honam region and Gwangju have suffered from discrimination and prejudice, endured the brutality of dictatorships, and have played important historical roles in preserving South Korea's democracy during difficult times,” it added. “Like Kim Dae-jung, I believe that Han Kang will express the pain and discrimination of modern Korean history through his works, and show us all the courage to move towards a better future.”
According to Reuters, Han's father said the new recipient may decide to stay out of the spotlight. “She said, given the fierce wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Palestine, and how people are dying every day, how can you celebrate that and hold a joyful press conference? .”
He said Han received the news of his victory about 10 to 15 minutes before the rest of the world learned. She was very surprised by this and at one point wondered if this was a scam.
