Han Kang Receives Nobel Prize in Literature in Stockholm

Han Kang, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, was praised for her powerful prose and exploration of historical trauma at the 124th Nobel Awards in Stockholm.

on Dec 11, 2024

Renowned author Han Kang received the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature at the 124th Nobel Awards ceremony held in Stockholm, Sweden, on Wednesday. Dressed in a striking black dress, Han accepted the award from King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the Swedish king, followed by the laureates taking their places on stage to the sounds of Mozart’s March in D Major. Han will receive a Nobel medal and 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately $1.07 million) as part of the prize.

Ellen Mattson, a Swedish writer and member of the Nobel Committee for Literature, delivered the literature award speech, praising Han's work for its powerful use of symbolism. "Two colors meet in Han Kang’s writing: white and red," Mattson said. "The white is the snow that falls in so many of her books, drawing a protective curtain between the narrator and the world, but white is also the color of sorrow and of death. Red stands for life, but also for pain, blood, the deep cuts of a knife."

Mattson highlighted Han’s acclaimed 2021 novel, We Do Not Part, describing it as a journey through memory and historical layers amidst a snowstorm, where the narrative self interacts with shadows of the dead in search of painful truths.

Mattson initially planned to introduce Han in Korean but opted for English due to pronunciation challenges. Professor Astrid Söderbergh Widding, Chair of the Nobel Foundation, commended Han’s profound exploration of human vulnerability and historical trauma.

The 80-minute ceremony also recognized laureates across various disciplines, including John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton in physics; David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper in chemistry; Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun in physiology or medicine; and Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson in economics. The Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo in Oslo, Norway, as per tradition.

Han Kang, celebrated for her "intense poetic prose confronting historical trauma," is the first Asian female to win the literature prize and the second Korean Nobel laureate, after President Kim Dae-jung, who received the Peace Prize in 2000.

The event concluded with the Swedish national anthem, with a lavish banquet at Stockholm’s City Hall marking the final celebration of the evening.