Han Kang effect takes hold as books, music that inspired Nobel winner gain popularity

Han Kang’s Nobel win is bringing some of her previously mentioned inspirations back into the spotlight.

Newly crowned Nobel laureate, writer Han Kang [JOONGANG ILBO]

Han Kang’s Nobel win is bringing some of her previously mentioned inspirations back into the spotlight.

Sibling singer-songwriter duo AKMU’s 2019 ballad “How Can I Love The Heartbreak, You're The One I Love” climbed back up local music rankings over the weekend after it was revealed that the song influenced Han’s latest novel, “We Do Not Part” (2021), also known as “I Do Not Bid Farewell.” As of Monday morning, the song sat in 17th place on music streamer Melon’s daily chart.

In a 2021 YouTube clip on the publishing house Munhakdongnae’s channel, the writer said that she heard the song in a taxi after finishing the first draft of “We Do Not Part,” and it made her cry.

Referring to the last verse of the song, which likens a breakup to the ocean drying up, Han said, “I thought to myself, ‘Isn’t it impossible for an ocean to dry up?' Then that image suddenly took over me, and I remember I started crying uncontrollably.”

The song is the lead track of AKMU’s third full-length album, “Sailing” (2019).

Album cover of AKMU's "How Can I Love The Heartbreak, You're The One I Love" (2019) [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Han’s past book recommendations are also garnering attention. She recommends books to her father, Han Seung-won, every holiday and birthday. These have included “Walden” (1854) by Henry David Thoreau, “Gathering Moss” (2003) by Robin Wall Kimmerer and “Blue Pastures” (1995) by Mary Oliver.

Han Seung-won is also a writer who is known to have a close relationship with Han. His own book sales have jumped dramatically, 110 times since Thursday, according to local book retailer Kyobo. The most popular, in order of sales, was the novel “A Man’s Path” (2023, translated), followed by the guidebook “Han Seung-won’s 108 Writing Tips” (2008. translated) and the essay “Plucking a Flower On The Way Home” (2018, translated).

Han Kang’s own books have spurred a significant nationwide reading boom. According to the National Library of Korea’s Library Big Data platform on Monday, “We Do Not Part” went from the 445th most borrowed book in the country to the third over the weekend. “Human Acts” (2014) jumped from 178th to second.

Two of Korea’s largest book retailers, Kyobo Book Centre and Yes24, collectively sold about 530,000 copies of Han's works as of Sunday.

Han became the first Korean author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday. It is the second time a Korean has won the Nobel Prize, following former President Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009), who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.

The writer said she would not make any official statements at this time until the Nobel Prize awards ceremony on Dec. 10 in Stockholm, Sweden.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]