Human Acts - Han Kang

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Winner of the Malaparte Prize and the Manhae Literary Award
"Human Acts," the novel of our time

"Human Acts," the novel of our time, won the Manhae Literary Award in 2014 and the Italian Malaparte Prize in 2017, and has been translated and published in over 20 countries worldwide, captivating readers globally.
This work, by Han Kang, who won the International Booker Prize for "The Vegetarian," has received accolades such as "unputdownable, universal, and deeply resonant" (The New York Times), "a shocking and provocative novel that deals with history and human nature" (The Guardian), and "a novel by Han Kang that surpasses Han Kang" (literary critic Shin Hyeong-cheol). It has garnered high interest and praise as a literary tribute that has awakened many readers to the wounds of Gwangju and allowed them to share in the pain.
"Human Acts" re-examines May 1980 in a way that only Han Kang can, through a "narrative of insight and profound exploration into the structure of wounds." With heartfelt sentences that seem to convey the words of innocent souls, it poses weighty questions to those of us living in the aftermath of the 5.18 uprising.
This work demonstrates the direction of Han Kang's literature, which has captivated the world with its uniquely Korean narrative. This rich narrative, which simultaneously testifies to the cruelty and greatness of humanity, transcends the limits of time and space, revealing the universality of human history and urgently restoring the humanity that must not be violated.

In this work, the author conveys the words of innocent souls through heartfelt sentences, delivering a profound message to those of us who have forgotten that era and live indifferently. By vividly portraying the ruthlessness of the state, she poses fundamental questions about the cruelty and evil of humanity, which continue to this day not only in Korea but also around the world. With an earnest voice, she asks what answers we can provide to those who could not cross from that unforgettable May spring to summer, and to those who consider their survival a disgrace and endure each day with difficulty. Thus, she makes us ponder what historical memories we must hold onto.

☞ Awards
- 2017 20th Malaparte Prize Winner

✨2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for the first time for a Korean author! Han Kang, "Human Acts" is coming.

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