[Voices of the MZ Generation Column] Perhaps Something More Important Than the Nobel Prize in Literature

The Season of Literature and Books Opened by Han Kang
Finding an Author Who Resonates with My Own Taste
Someone Who Can Shake Up My Life

Jiw Woo Jeong Cultural Critic · Lawyer

The whole country is abuzz with novelist Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature win. With the news of the award, online bookstores have been overwhelmed to the point of crashing, and all of Han Kang's works have sold out, showing the immense public interest. Alongside this, there is a flood of both support and criticism regarding Han Kang's works, creating a lively forum for discussion. One wonders if there has ever been a time in South Korea's history when literature, as a cultural centerpiece, received such attention.

I, too, have long maintained a steady interest in Nobel laureates in literature. Especially in my youth, I admired Nobel Prize-winning authors like Albert Camus, Hermann Hesse, and Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez, often staying up all night reading their books. Among Han Kang's works, there are still some I have yet to read, which I have pre-ordered and am waiting to be delivered.

However, many of the authors I truly love have never won the Nobel Prize. The list is endless: Paul Auster, Philip Roth, Milan Kundera, Jean Grenier, and many more. Winning the Nobel Prize does not always mean that an author is universally loved in their own country. Many Nobel laureates such as Orhan Pamuk, M?rquez, and Pablo Neruda have faced death threats, exile, or public animosity in their homelands.

From this perspective, the Nobel Prize in Literature cannot be considered an 'absolute standard.' Rather, I believe the 'greatest author' is the one who conveys the most important truth to each individual. Everyone has their own greatest authors. Therefore, even if a famous author's work does not suit my taste, or I cannot empathize with it, or I disagree with their worldview, it does not mean I am wrong.

So, while it is good to purchase and eagerly read the works of authors who receive widespread attention, it is also worthwhile to continue the journey of exploring authors who truly resonate with oneself. Even within our country, there are many diverse authors, and if one broadens their interest globally, they will inevitably encounter 'their author'?the one who completely permeates their life and shakes their entire being from head to toe with exhilaration. That author may not be Han Kang or Albert Camus to me; they might be an unknown writer gathering dust in a corner of a bookstore that no one else cares about. I hope that, taking this opportunity to rush to the bookstore, someone will serendipitously meet their 'author' like a comet or a miracle.

Having followed filmmakers, athletes, rappers, dancers, chefs, and others who have stirred the world for several years, I have felt a slight sense of regret. After all, literature has been the cultural domain I have loved most in the world. With that sentiment, I once published a book titled Time to Lean on the Classics, and I also run a newsletter called All the Libraries of the World, recommending various books. In an era where everyone chases only sensational images and videos, I am personally very happy and delighted that a time has come when literature and books are causing such a stir.

Of course, this does not mean that the 'era' of literature and books has arrived, but at least for now, it is the 'season' of books. I hope everyone reads the works of the most prominent authors of our time to their heart's content and evaluates them freely, but also succeeds in finding 'their author' who suits their taste. Once found, no one will ever be able to escape the magic of that book for life. Somewhere in a corner of that bookstore, your author who will shake your life awaits.

Jung Ji-woo, Cultural Critic & Lawyer