A bit like Nessie or Buzzati's fabled Tartars, we kept waiting for it every year but it never showed up. And all of a sudden, it just landed.
Korea's first Nobel Prize in literature.
The prestigious award didn't crown a veteran in the HWANG Sok-yong, YI Mun-yol or KIM Hoon tradition (the poet KO Un has long been metooed out of the race), but a confirmed 50-something author who (sorry KIM Young-ha and Co., but that makes it even better) happens to be female.
After her 2016 International Booker Prize and last year's Prix Medicis, HAN Kang completes a powerful global hat trick.
Great to see a modern author claim the spotlights - I'm sure other sides of the highly diverse Korean literature will also receive the exposure they deserve.
This sweet victory comes right after Korean cuisine brilliantly showcased its incredible diversity and creativity through Netflix's droolingly addictive 'Culinary Class Wars'.
As K-pop faces growing signs of 'K-fatigue' and the local movie ecosystem struggles, it's really refreshing to see Korean literature and cuisine grab the headlines... In case you needed positive answers to the question "Can Korea sustain its cultural leadership?"...
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| If you love Korean food, don't miss CCW. Fantastic dishes, amazing chefs, and a fun jury duet combining PAIK Jong-won (not always that demanding for his own venues) with ANH Sung-jae (merciless but fair) |
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| Not a HAN Kang miracle; yet another prestigious international nod |
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| Sorry boys, you lost these Literary Class Wars. Gotta up your game for Season 2! |
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