Hangang "Thankful to Everyone, Including Those Who Worry About the Calmness of My Life"

On the 17th at the PonyJeong Innovation Award Ceremony
"Believing and hoping that daily life does not change"
Communicating with the world through writing... Hopes to complete a new book next year

Han Kang, the first Korean author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, expressed her gratitude to everyone, including those who worry about the tranquility of her life.

On the 17th at 5 p.m., Han Kang attended the '18th PonyJeong Innovation Award' ceremony held at PonyJeong Hall in I-Park Tower, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and shared these thoughts. Initially, the PonyJeong Foundation announced that there would be no other schedules such as a speech or Q&A session related to Han Kang’s Nobel Prize at the ceremony. However, as this was Han Kang’s first public appearance after staying out of the public eye following the Nobel Prize decision, numerous domestic and international reporters gathered at the event. Han Kang apologized to the reporters and ceremony staff for any inconvenience and shared her position regarding the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Han Kang revealed that when she received the notification from the Nobel Committee, she could not quite grasp the reality. She said that only after hanging up the phone and checking the media reports did she feel the reality, and since it was a very joyful and grateful event, she quietly celebrated that night.

Author Han Kang attended as an award recipient at the 18th PonyJeong Innovation Awards ceremony held on the 17th at PonyJeong Hall, I-Park Tower, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and took a commemorative photo. The ceremony was attended by author Han Kang, Foundation Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, Chairman of HDC, and Park Young-ja, wife of the late Chung Se-young, Honorary Chairman of Hyundai Development Company, among others. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Han Kang expressed her thanks for the many warm congratulations she has received since then. At the same time, she mentioned that some people have also worried about the tranquility of her personal life and expressed gratitude for their thoughtful concern.

Furthermore, Han Kang conveyed her hope and belief that her daily life will not change much from before.

She also announced plans for a new book. Han Kang said, "I will strive to introduce a new novel I have been writing since this spring to readers in the first half of next year." She added that she is a person who connects with the world through writing and wants to continue writing and meet readers through her books, as she has done so far.

Below is the full acceptance speech Han Kang delivered at the PonyJeong award ceremony.

Originally, a press conference was scheduled two days ago, and if it had proceeded, many people would not have had to come here, and it might not have caused this much inconvenience to those who prepared this event, so I feel sorry. Since you have come, if you allow me, before I deliver my acceptance speech, I would like to briefly address some things that you might be curious about.

When I just received the notification from the Nobel Committee, I honestly did not feel it was real, so I tried to remain calm and just have a conversation. After hanging up and checking the media reports, I finally felt the reality. It was a very joyful and grateful event, so I quietly celebrated that night. Since then, many people have sincerely and warmly congratulated me. The past week, during which so many people were happy as if it were their own achievement, will remain a special and moving memory for me.

On the other hand, some people have worried about the tranquility of my personal life, and I am grateful for their thoughtful concern. I believe and hope that my daily life will not change much from before. Since I am a person who connects with the world through the writing I do, I want to continue writing and meet readers through my books, as I have done so far. Currently, I am trying hard to complete a novel I have been writing since this spring. I hope to meet readers with this new work in the first half of next year, but since I have always been wrong when predicting the completion time of a novel, it is difficult to specify an exact date.

Lastly, although it is a bit late, from now on, I will unify the channels through which I am contacted to eliminate all confusion, effort, and burdens on the people around me. For matters related to the books I have published, please contact the respective publishers who hold the copyrights, and for all other matters not falling into that category, please contact the editor in charge at Munhakdongne via email. I kindly ask for your understanding.

Now, I will deliver the acceptance speech I have prepared for this occasion.

I cannot drink alcohol. Recently, for health reasons, I have also quit all caffeine, including coffee. I hardly travel anymore, even though I used to enjoy it. In other words, I am often asked what I live for. Instead, I like walking. I try not to miss the many good books that pour out so much that it is impossible to catch up with them all, but I also like my bookshelf, where as many unread books are shelved as the ones I have read. I like the days spent sharing laughter and jokes with my beloved family and kind friends.

Among such calm daily life, what I like most is the time spent rolling around the novel I want to write in my mind. I imagine the outline of a novel I have not yet written, write a little as ideas come, erase more than I write, and consider the process of getting to know the characters I want to write about through various methods as important. When I actually start writing a novel, I inevitably get lost and sometimes surprise myself when I turn a corner and enter an unexpected place, but the joy of finally moving toward completion after a long detour is great. I published my first novel in January 1994, so this year marks exactly thirty years of writing.

The strange thing is that when I look back on the reality of life that I have tried to live diligently over the past thirty years, it feels short, like a handful of sand slipping through my fingers, whereas the time spent writing feels long, as if it were thirty times longer, vivid as if an electric current is flowing.

In about a month, I will turn 54. Assuming, according to common belief, that the golden age of writers is usually between 50 and 60, I have six years left. Of course, there are writers who remain active until 70 or 80, but that requires a lot of luck, so for now, I want to focus on writing the three books I am currently rolling around in my mind over the next six years. Of course, while writing, as has happened so far, other books I want to write will come to mind, and I have a foreboding that I might never properly die, always thinking about the imaginary books piled up three at a time ahead of me as long as I live.

However, I hope not to lose patience and perseverance in the process. At the same time, I want to try to maintain a balance by calmly taking care of my daily life.

Han Kang, the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, is giving her acceptance speech at the 18th PonyJeong Innovation Award ceremony held on the 17th at I'Park Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

I would like to express my gratitude to the precious literary readers who have connected with my books over the past thirty years, to all those in the publishing industry and bookstores who continue literary publishing despite difficulties, and to my colleagues and senior and junior writers. I send warm greetings to my family and friends. I deeply thank those who selected me as the award recipient and everyone at the PonyJeong Foundation.