Han Kang Age, Wiki and Bio

Han Kang

Quick Info

ProfessionWriter
NationalityKorean
Date of Birth27/11/1970
Age53 years
BirthplaceGwangju, South Jeolla, South Korea

Bio/Wiki

Other NameHan Kang-hyun

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 5" (165 cm)
Eye ColorDark Brown
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolPoongmoon High School
College/University
  • Yonsei University, Seoul (1989-1993)
  • University of Iowa, United States
MajorKorean language and Literature from Yonsei University
ProgramInternational Writing Program from University of Iowa

Personal Life

Marital StatusDivorced
Zodiac signSagittarius

Relationships & More

Husband/SpouseHong Yong-hee (Literary Critic, Professor) (Deceased)
ChildrenSon - Yoon Ye-ji

Family

FatherHan Seung-won (Novelist)
MotherIm Gam-oh
SiblingsBrothers - Han Dong-rim (Novelist), Han Kang-in (Novelist, Cartoonist)

Career

Awards, Honours
  • 1999 - Korean Novel Award for 'Baby Buddha'
  • 2000 - Korean Ministry of Culture Today's Young Artist Award – Literature Section
  • 2005 - Yi Sang Literary Award for 'Mongolian Mark'
  • 2010 - Dongri Literary Award for 'The Wind is Blowing'
  • 2014 - Manhae Literary Award for 'Human Acts'
  • 2015 - Hwang Sun-won Literary Award for 'While One Snowflake Melts'
  • 2016 - International Booker Prize for 'The Vegetarian'
  • 2017 - Malaparte Prize for 'Human Acts'
  • 2018 - Kim Yu-jeong Literary Award for 'Farewell'
  • 2019 - San Clemente Literary Prize for 'The Vegetarian'
  • 2023 - Prix Médicis étranger (French Literary Award for 'We Do Not Part')
  • 2024 - Nobel Prize in Literature
  • 2024 - Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature for 'We Do Not Part'
  • 2024 - Ho-Am Prize in the Arts
Literary Contributions
  • Her career began with five poems published in 'Literature and Society' in 1993.
  • In 1994, she won the New Year’s Literary Contest with her story 'The Scarlet Anchor'.
  • She published her first short story collection 'A Love of Yeosu' in 1995.
  • She quit her magazine job to focus on literature after her first collection.
  • Worked as a professor in the Department of Creative Writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts from 2007 to 2018.
  • Her novella 'Baby Buddha' was adapted into the film 'Scars' in 2011.
  • Published her acclaimed novel 'The Vegetarian' in 2007, which won the International Booker Prize.

Favourites

Book'The Brothers Lionheart' by Astrid Lindgren
Writer(s)
  • Lim Chul-woo
  • Dostoevsky

Some Lesser Known Facts

Raised in a middle-class South Korean family known as the 'family of writers'.
Served multiple terms as class president due to her leadership skills.
Moved to Suyu-ri, Seoul at the age of 9.
Deeply influenced by the tragic Gwangju massacre sparked by a student-led demonstration in 1980.
Inspired to write after witnessing her father's literary success.
Participated in the literary scene from a young age, focusing on themes of humanity.