Seoul, Oct 13 (EFE).- More than 500,000 copies of South Korean author Han Kang’s novels and other works have been sold since she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, publishers reported on Sunday.
Kyobo and Yes24, two of South Korea’s leading online and physical book retailers, said that as of Sunday afternoon, they had sold 260,000 and 270,000 copies, respectively.
Han’s novels, short stories, and poetry have all surged into the top 10 best-seller lists on both platforms.
On Friday, just one day after her Nobel win was announced, bookshops across the country were filled with readers eager to purchase her works.
Many online retailers, including Kyobo and Yes24, have already sold out, with only reservations now available.
The South Korean was honored “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life,” the Nobel academy said.
The academy noted that Han Kang’s work frequently delves into suffering, exploring both mental and physical torment, with strong connections to Eastern philosophical thought.
Born in 1970 in Gwangju, Han Kang moved to Seoul with her family at the age of 11. She graduated in Korean literature and initially debuted as a poet, but gained wider recognition as a novelist.
In 1994, she won the Seoul Shinmun Prize for her short story “Red Candle,” and has since published several short story collections.
In 2016, Han Kang, along with her English translator Deborah Smith, won the Man Booker International Prize for her novel “The Vegetarian.”
In “The Vegetarian,” the protagonist, a Korean housewife, begins by becoming a vegetarian, eventually eliminating all animal products from her life, and ultimately dreams of transforming into a plant.
Another of her novels, “Blanco,” was shortlisted for the same award, while “Human Acts” (Obra humana) won the Malaparte Prize in Italy. EFE
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