On Thursday, South Korean novelist Han Kang was announced as the recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, drawing significant attention both in the Korean literary world and internationally. One particular point of interest is Han Kang’s relatively young age. At 53, she is considered quite young among Nobel literature laureates. Compared to previous winners, Han Kang’s age stands out as remarkable.
Han Kang is a leading figure in Korean literature. She first gained international recognition in 2016 when she won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize in the U.K. Her works are known for their deep emotional resonance and delicate portrayal of human suffering.
Much of the excitement surrounding Han’s Nobel win stems not only from her literary achievements but also from her age. At 53, she joins a select group of Nobel laureates who received the award while still relatively young in their careers.
The youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature remains Rudyard Kipling, awarded the prize in 1907 at just 41 for works including The Jungle Book. His youth generated considerable attention at the time. French-Algerian philosopher and author Albert Camus followed, receiving the prize at 46 in 1957 for his influential works such as The Stranger and The Plague.
Gabriel García Márquez was 49 when he won the prize in 1982. He became a global literary icon with his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, which helped establish him as a key figure in Latin American literature. Other laureates younger than Han include Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, who won at 51, and French poet-diplomat Saint-John Perse, who was awarded at 52.
Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win makes her the seventh youngest laureate in the history of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Literary excellence is often recognized later in life, so her achievement at 53 has drawn even more attention.
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