GUWAHATI: South Korean novelist Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, for her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the honour on Thursday, October 10 commending Kang’s profound contributions to contemporary literature.
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Born in Gwangju in 1970, Kang moved to Seoul at age nine and grew up in a literary family, with her father also being a noted novelist. This background helped shape her distinctive voice, one that combines stark realism with poetic depth. In addition to her writing, Kang has explored art and music, influences that echo throughout her work.
This award marks the 116th time the Nobel Prize in Literature has been presented since its inception in 1901, adding Kang’s voice to a list of distinguished laureates who have shaped the literary landscape.
This year’s Nobel announcements kicked off with the Medicine Prize awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their pioneering work on microRNA, followed by the Physics and Chemistry prizes being revealed shortly after.