Unexpected Nobel Prize for Literature...Publishers and bookstores expect 'literature boom'

Han River "Notified at around 8 p.m....I was so surprised that I was speechless."

Few experts expected Han Kang to win the Nobel Prize in Literature

the Nobel Prize for Literature A 'narrow door' for Asian and female writers

[Anchor]
Although novelist Han Kang was highly praised by critics and readers mainly in Europe, not many experts predicted the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Even the Han River himself was so surprised that he said he was speechless.

Let's connect with reporters and find out about novelist Han Kang's Nobel Prize-winning appearance. Reporter Park Soon Pyo!

Novelist Han Kang said he didn't expect his award at all, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. Novelist Han Kang had a short interview with the Nobel Committee in English for about seven minutes shortly after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Han said in an interview that he was notified by the committee around 8 p.m., and he was so surprised that he was speechless.

At first, he said he thought it was a phone scam.

It means that there was no prior information or mention that he could be the winner.

In fact, Han Kang's novel was building an international reputation by winning the 2016 Booker Prize in Europe, the Malaparte Literary Prize in Italy, and the Medici Literary Prize in France, but few experts predicted the Nobel Prize in Literature.

There's a good reason for that.

First of all, there are only 18 female writers out of 121 Nobel Prize winners.

On top of that, only four Asian artists have won awards, including Japan's Kenzaburo Oe in 1994.

As a result, it is surprising that Han Kang, a female writer in her 50s in Asia, was chosen as the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, regardless of her perfection and recognition.

[Anchor]
Novelist Han Kang had a brief interview with the Nobel Committee yesterday, but he hasn't made an official statement to his fans in Korea yet, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. As you know, the Nobel Prize for Literature is the news that our literary world has been waiting for a long time.

However, perhaps because it is so sudden, news such as where novelist Han Kang is now and when she will hold an official press conference is not known to reporters in charge of publishing literature yet.

Even if an official conference is held, it is not decided exactly which publisher will be in charge.

In fact, there are several publishers where novelist Han Kang has published books, including "The Vegetarian," creation and criticism of "The Boy Is Coming," literature and intellectual history of "The Wind Blows, Go," "I Don't Say Goodbye" and "The Essential."

However, there is a possibility that we will not hold an official meeting of the Han River.

Han Seung-won, a novelist who is Han Kang's father, told reporters today that Han Kang said he was not in a situation to hold a press conference because of joy, as wars are going on in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, and people are dying.

Eventually, Han Kang will make an official statement to domestic readers someday, but it is impossible to tell when it will be right away.

[Anchor]
With the Nobel Prize in Literature, the publishing world and bookstores are expecting a 'literature boom' again, right?

[Reporter]
That's right. Usually, when you ask literary critics whether Koreans win the Nobel Prize in Literature, the answer that usually comes back is, "What's the use of the Nobel Prize in Literature if you don't read books like these days?"

In fact, according to last year's reading rate statistics, 6 out of 10 adults last year do not read a single paper book a year.

The reality is that the reading rate has halved in 10 years.

That doesn't mean that the reading rate of e-books and audio-books has risen significantly.

Against this backdrop, experts expect that the Nobel Prize in Literature will create a boom in literature, expanding the base of Korean literature and playing a role in improving the reading rate.

In fact, large bookstores set up a special section for novelist Han Kang this morning, and many bookstores are out of stock.

Publishers are busy preparing for the release of a limited edition commemorating the Nobel Prize in Literature, believing that more readers will find Han Kang's novels over the weekend.

So far, the Ministry of Culture has informed you.