Han Kang's first work since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, the essay collection Light and Shadow (Munhakgwa Jiseongsa), is scheduled to be published on the 24th.
The essay collection includes about 10 pieces, such as the lecture given at the time of receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature and unpublished diaries. It also contains two poems, "(Meditation on Pain)" and "North-facing Room," which were published in the fall 2023 issue (No. 147) of Literature and Society.
This is Han Kang's third essay collection. Previously, she published Quietly Singing Songs (Bichae) in 2007 and Love and Things Surrounding Love (Yeollimwon) in 2009. However, both books are currently out of print, making this new work the only essay collection available for purchase on the market, attracting attention.
However, the promotion of the book is expected to be minimal. Following Han Kang's wishes to minimize media exposure after winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, no separate press conferences or events are planned. The new book will also be released for general sale on the 24th without prior reservation.
Munhakgwa Jiseongsa, the publisher of this book, is where Han Kang first stepped into the literary world as a poet. In 1993, Han Kang published five poems, including "Winter in Seoul," in the winter issue of the literary magazine Literature and Society published by Munhakgwa Jiseongsa, marking her debut as a poet. She debuted as a novelist the following year when her novel Red Anchor, under the pen name "Han Kanghyun," won the Seoul Shinmun New Year's Literary Contest.
The final installment of the "Winter Trilogy," which she has been writing since the end of last year, is expected to be published in the second half of this year. It is the last novel following While a Snowflake Melts, which won the Hwang Sun-won Literary Award in 2015, and Farewell, which won the Kim Yu-jeong Literary Award in 2018.
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