Nobel laureate Han Kang recently shared her profound insights on societal challenges during the Avignon Festival, one of the globe’s most prestigious performing arts events. This year, the festival significantly honored Korean as an official language, celebrating 140 years of diplomatic ties between South Korea and France. Han Kang’s discussions with Korean reporters focused on critical contemporary issues, particularly the urgent need to address and overcome hatred.
Highlighting the pervasive nature of animosity, Han Kang emphasized, “How we can overcome the issue of hatred is an important challenge for us.” She underscored the critical juncture society faces, stating, “We are at a time, in which we have to put our heads together to discuss how we can change the course and move forward in another direction.” This call for collective action resonates deeply in today’s complex world.
In this significant context, Han Kang pointed to a recent high-profile controversy involving a Seoul high school baseball team. The team faced severe criticism and a subsequent six-month ban for engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct and deriding opponents through ‘trash talk,’ sparking wider debates on respect and sportsmanship.
Specifically, players from Pai Chai High School directed provocative slogans, including “Let’s go to Starbucks!” and “Tank Day!”, at their rivals from Gwangju Jeil High School during a tournament game held in Seoul in late June. This incident quickly escalated into a national discussion.
These chants were widely interpreted as mocking references to a controversial Starbucks Korea promotion that coincided with May 18th, the somber anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising. The promotion had previously drawn intense public backlash for its perceived insensitivity to the historical tragedy.
The acclaimed novelist urged that “When a significant incident like this arises, we should not simply let it pass amid the shock and surprise.” Instead, Han Kang advocated for deeper reflection, suggesting, “If this event is sending us a signal, we need to recognize the problem it has brought to the surface” – a call to confront underlying societal issues rather than superficial reactions.
Simultaneously, Han Kang emphasized the crucial importance of leveraging such occurrences as opportunities for broad social reflection, rather than becoming overly engrossed in the specifics of individual cases. Her message encourages a shift from isolated incidents to systemic understanding.
Offering a note of optimism, Han Kang expressed hope in the growing collective awareness of hatred as a genuine societal problem. This shared recognition, she believes, is a foundational step towards positive change.
“If we share the consensus that hatred is not something natural but a problem, perhaps hope lies there,” she articulated, highlighting the power of collective understanding in fostering a more compassionate future.
Beyond her poignant discussions, Han Kang’s artistic contributions were also a highlight of the Avignon Festival. A compelling lecture-performance titled “Oiseau,” inspired by her acclaimed novel “We Do Not Part,” captivated audiences. Performed in both Korean and French by the renowned French actress Isabelle Huppert and distinguished Korean actress Lee Hye-young, it showcased a powerful cross-cultural collaboration.
In a memorable moment, Han Kang herself made a surprise stage appearance towards the performance’s conclusion. She read powerful lines from “We Do Not Part,” a novel that movingly depicts the profound tragedy of the 1948 Jeju massacre and other civilian massacres that occurred during and around the devastating 1950-53 Korean War, connecting historical trauma with contemporary artistic expression.
Reflecting on the unique power of live art, Han Kang observed, “If reading a book is a deeply personal experience, attending a performance is a shared one.” She elaborated on the transformative process, noting, “The sentences I envision and the musicality that actors bring to them through their own interpretations and express through their bodies are two different things,” emphasizing the synergy between authorial intent and live interpretation.
“It is meaningful that people who have only read ‘We Do Not Part’ through a book can experience the work in a different way,” Han Kang concluded, highlighting the enriching dimension that theatrical adaptation brings to literary works, allowing for a broader and more communal engagement with her powerful narrative.
