Following the announcement of Han Kang’s surprising win in the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, South Koreans flocked to both physical and online bookstores on Friday to purchase her works.
The surge in demand was so intense that major retailers struggled to manage it, with stocks rapidly depleting and websites crashing under heavy traffic.
Kyobo Book Centre, South Korea’s largest bookstore chain, reported a dramatic increase in sales, with many of Han Kang’s titles becoming unavailable almost immediately.
This sudden interest raised concerns about potential shortages in the coming days.
One customer, 32-year-old Yoon Ki-heon, expressed amazement, noting that it was the first time a Korean author had won the Nobel Prize in Literature, especially for a work written in Korean.
Kyobo revealed that nine of its top ten bestselling titles on that day were by Han Kang, while other retailers like Yes24 experienced technical difficulties as customers rushed to secure copies.
Han’s literary career had already gained substantial international acclaim, particularly after her 2016 Man Booker International Prize win for “The Vegetarian,” a pivotal moment credited by her father, author Han Seung-won, to the importance of translation.
Several of Han’s novels tackle dark periods in South Korea’s history, such as the 1980 Gwangju massacre in “Human Acts” and the Jeju Island massacre in “We Do Not Part.” These stories resonate deeply with those affected by these events.
Kim Chang-beom, representing families impacted by the Jeju massacre, expressed hope that her writings could aid in healing.
Despite the overwhelming attention, Han has remained out of the media spotlight, refraining from public statements due to global conflicts.