Han Kang's Disturbing Exploration of South Korea's Past and the Price of Memory

In her new novel, Han Kang provides a poignant examination of South Korea’s darkest chapters, compelling readers to confront harrowing truths through visceral narratives and complex emotions.

In her latest novel, Han Kang dives deep into the chilling memories of South Korea’s past, utilizing an intense narrative to highlight the importance of confronting historical atrocities. Drawing from her country’s tragedies, she narrates the story of a character enduring a horrific injury—a grotesque woodworking accident where she must endure painful treatment to salvage her fingers. “They said we have to let the blood flow, that I have to feel the pain,” the character reveals, underscoring a powerful metaphor of memory, trauma, and survival in the face of suffering.

As the author of critically acclaimed works that dissect the nation's wounds—the Gwangju Massacre of 1980 and the devastating events on Jeju Island—Kang's literary voice resonates both domestically and internationally since her receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature. This recognition has brought renewed attention to her earlier works, including the recently translated "We Do Not Part," which examines the Jeju massacre's harrowing legacy.

Emotionally charged and poignant, Han’s writing engages readers in a cathartic confrontation with history, as she lays bare the brutal reality of past atrocities and the indelible need for healing through remembrance. Her poignant storytelling invites the audience into conversations about the scars left by collective trauma, urging society to embrace both the pain and perseverance that shape a shared narrative. The pivotal question remains: how do we remember, and what responsibility do we carry for keeping these memories alive?