"Han Kang Does Not Want Memorial Hall or Literature Museum Named After Her"… Han Kang's Father Conveys Her Wishes

Father Han Seung-won, Writer, Conveys Daughter's Message to Gwangju City
Gwangju City Withdraws Literary Museum Plan... Replaces with Reading Support Project

Writer Han Kang is reported to have firmly declined the establishment of buildings such as memorial halls or literary museums bearing her name, which local governments and others had planned to promote in celebration of her Nobel Prize in Literature award.

On the 14th, Yonhap News reported that a Gwangju city official visited the writing studio 'Haesantogul' of Han Seung-won, Han Kang's father, located in Anyang-myeon, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, to discuss the commemorative projects related to the Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to Han Seung-won and his daughter.

At this meeting, Han Seung-won reportedly said, "Han Kang is no longer my daughter but has become an independent entity," adding, "Jangheung-gun also mentioned building a father-daughter literary museum (Han Seung-won and Han Kang), but my daughter does not want her name to be on any buildings or such." Instead, Han Seung-won proposed creating a 'The Boy is Coming' book caf? and other facilities in Jungheung-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, where Han Kang was born, to conduct poetry recitations and reading programs.

Novelist Han Seung-won, the father of writer Han Kang, met with reporters on the 11th at Haesantogul in Anyang-myeon, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, sharing his daughter's thoughts on receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung had confirmed his willingness to assist with large-scale projects such as literary museums during a phone call with Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and had planned to promote the projects by recommending them to the government. However, respecting the father's opinion reflecting the writer's own wishes, the direction was changed to pursue commemorative projects that broaden the horizon of the humanities.

At a meeting with reporters that day, Mayor Kang said, "'Why hold a feast when corpses are being carried out of war?' Han Kang said she did not want a press conference or a large memorial hall or a lavish celebration. I keep her words in my heart and am carefully considering ways to commemorate and celebrate her achievement."

On the 11th, a banner celebrating author Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature was hung on the campus of Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Han Kang's alma mater, Yonsei University, is also considering awarding her an honorary doctorate or building a literary museum.

On the 13th, Yonsei University stated in a press release, "We wish to share the glory and honor of our alumna Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature with people around the world under the spirit of truth and freedom of Yonsei." It added, "Her award is a pride and joy for Yonsei University and a source of pride and achievement shared by all humanity beyond Korea." The university continued, "We pay tribute to the writer's tireless efforts to persuade the values of peace and coexistence through her works and to poetically depict human dignity and free will against violence, and we support the values and beliefs she has pursued."

Yonsei University also announced that it would consider awarding Han Kang an honorary doctorate, inviting her as a professor, and building a literary museum. The university said, "As Han Kang's alma mater, we plan to provide honors befitting the dignity and prestige of a Nobel laureate with plans reflecting the writer's position, and we will do our best to ensure that Yonsei's humanistic spirit and literary achievements are meaningfully continued." It emphasized, "No specific proposals have yet been made to the writer at the university level. While we welcome awarding an honorary doctorate or inviting her to a position befitting a Nobel Prize laureate at any time, the most important thing is the writer's wishes and the decisions based on them."

Han Kang entered Yonsei University's Department of Korean Language and Literature in 1989 and graduated in 1993. She also earned a master's degree in Korean Language and Literature from the same university's graduate school with works of art and literature beyond that of a writer.