By Woo Jae-yeon
Acclaimed South Korean author Han Kang has won the prestigious American National Book Critics Circle Award for “We Do Not Part,” her 2021 novel translated into English in 2024. The award was presented at the NBCC’s annual ceremony in New York on Thursday night (U.S. time).
“We Do Not Part” explores the themes of fragile yet resilient human life grappling with historical trauma. The novel portrays the devastating 1948 Jeju Island massacre in South Korea through the eyes of three women.
The Jeju uprising, which began on April 3, 1948, was a protest against U.S. military rule. The government at the time falsely labeled it a communist revolt, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.
The novel’s central character, Jung-shim, though seemingly frail and grief-stricken, embodies unwavering sorrow and continuous farewells. Han Kang has emphasized that Jung-shim’s determination to fight until the end is central to the book, symbolizing resilience and perseverance in the face of tragic historical circumstances.
The French edition of the novel, “Impossibles adieux,” previously won the Prix Medicis for foreign literature in 2023 and the Emile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature in 2024.
Han Kang, who debuted as a poet in 1993, has openly discussed the challenges of bringing “We Do Not Part” to fruition.
“It took me seven years to finally complete the story, and when I did, it was the happiest moment for me,” she stated at a press conference on November 14, 2023, following her Prix Medicis win.
At that time, she expressed a desire to explore more personal themes after dedicating herself to several historical novels.
“I’ve had enough of feeling cold, as it snows so much in ‘We Do Not Part.’ I would like spring to come,” she said.
Reflecting on the human condition, Han Kang added, “Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be alive. We are given this one-off life as a gift, whether we like it or not, and must eventually return it. I want to develop the idea of being alive and write about spring.”
