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Han Gang - "the man who resists"
Hangang’s story is a journey through the complex and dark labyrinth of human consciousness. She is not just a writer, but a literary surgeon of sorts, uncovering layers of trauma, violence, and internal resistance. Her work has inspired readers for decades, challenging them to see the world through the lens of shock, pain, and harsh truth.
Han Kang was born in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1970. From an early age, she was surrounded by books. Her father, also a writer, instilled in his daughter a love of reading, although he was not successful. It was books that helped Han survive poverty and constant movement. But one of the key moments that shaped her worldview occurred in 1980, when her family fled the city amid the recent violent crackdown on student protests known as the Gwangju Uprising.
Han Kang’s memoir tells the story of how, at age 10, she discovered a hidden book containing photographs of brutally murdered protesters, including a young girl’s face disfigured by a bayonet. Kang said the moment “shattered something soft” inside her and became the starting point for a deeper understanding of the nature of violence that would later become a central theme in her work.
Han Kang is best known for his novel The Vegetarian, first published in Korea in 2007. The novel became an international sensation when it was translated into English and won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. But despite its seemingly simple plot, The Vegetarian is far from superficial. The story of a woman who decides to become a vegetarian after a nightmare sets off a chain of changes not only in her life, but in the lives of those around her.
The novel's protagonist, Yeon-hye, decides to give up meat, but this move goes beyond a simple dietary choice and is a symbol of a kind of internal protest against patriarchal foundations and the cruelty of the world. As the story unfolds, her transformation becomes more intense. First, she stops eating meat, then food altogether, and tries to become something completely different: a tree that feeds on sunlight.
This metaphor is implanted in the readers’ minds, making them think about the limits of human existence and how external and internal forces can destroy identity. The novel has been criticized for its darkness and scenes of violence, including sexual violence, but in these scenes, Hangan shows the vulnerability of human nature and the horror of the frameworks that limit our lives. The writer’s ability to subtly and deeply penetrate the most hidden corners of the human psyche surprised many.
Gan herself does not regard her characters as warriors in the traditional sense of the word. She does not see them as heroes, but rather as “perseverance” that can withstand the pain and violence of everyday life. This quiet struggle can be seen not only in “The Vegetarian,” but also in her other works.
In an interview, Han Kang tells the story of how an event from his childhood changed his perception of reality. While researching a book about the Gwangju Uprising, I came across a girl whose face had been disfigured by a soldier’s bayonet. For Han, this face became a symbol of all the injustice and cruelty he sought to expose in his work. She admits that she does not try to “heal” or hide these internal cracks that all who have experienced violence feel.
Han Kang's Nobel Prize win was a significant event not only for the author but for Korean culture as a whole. As many writers have noted, his work has become a catalyst for a whole generation of Korean writers who are now trying to be more honest and bold in their choice of subject matter. Despite the brutality and cultural limitations of his subject matter, Han has always spoken out against censorship and social pressure.
For Korea, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature is a source of national pride. President Seok Yeol-yun said, “This is a great achievement for Korean literature and a reason for national celebration,” emphasizing that Han Kang’s work deals with a painful episode in recent Korean history. However, the author’s fans include not only intellectuals, but also members of the popular K-pop group BTS.
Today, Han Kang is a voice that pierces the silence of the literary world and speaks loudly and clearly. Her work is not just a book, but an honest exploration of the dark corners of the human soul, where each character struggles with their own inner pain. Her works leave no one indifferent, forcing readers to confront what is often hidden beneath the surface of our everyday lives.
The Nobel Prize has confirmed the power of Han Kang’s voice and brought him international recognition. But for the author, it is just another step on a long and difficult journey of understanding and appreciating human nature. “I never thought of myself as a hero, but rather as someone who resisted,” she said in an interview. And in this resistance, true masterpieces are born, leaving their mark on literary history.
Ekaterina Petrova is a literary columnist for the online newspaper Realnoe Vremya, the author of the Telegram channel Pulochki s makom (Pills with poppy seeds) and the founder of the first online book club by subscription, Makulatura (Maculature).