How about creating an industrial K-wave?

In the fiercely competitive global economy, Korea should create an industrial Korean Wave with soft yet strong power.

CHO WON-KYEONGThe author is a professor at UNIST and the head of the Global Industry-University Cooperation Center. Geoffrey Everest Hinton, the winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, is the “Godfather of AI,” known for deep learning technology. Google’s AI expert Demis Hassabis won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the prediction of protein structure and function.

Can AI surpass Han Kang? Even AI pioneering unknown territory with the vast amount of information can hardly go beyond the winner of Nobel Prize in Literature. Han wrote a new chapter in Korean literary history, being the first Korean to win the coveted prize. Since the news broke, more than 1 million copies of Han’s books have been sold. Struggling online bookstores are experiencing server outages due to the surge of orders, and stock prices of listed bookstore companies hit ceiling prices.

Before Han became famous, her books such as “The Vegetarian” and “Baby Buddha” were made into movies, but didn’t draw much attention. The one that made Han famous was a translator who was captivated by the beauty of hangul. British translator Deborah Smith removed the language barrier between Korean and English and invited global readers to the literary world of Han. She praised “The Vegetarian” for expressing the dark and violent side of humans with a perfectly reserved style.

Smith saved what would have been buried as a mediocre work in Korea. She is the biggest contributor to Han winning the prestigious Booker Prize. She also translated Han’s “Human Acts” and “The White Book” into English.

Following K-pop, dramas, movies and food, K-literature has opened a new chapter spreading across the global stage. As of last year, Korea’s service exports were ranked at No. 18. Just like Han’s works, Koreans may be the only ones not aware of the high potential.

External factors such as the economic slowdown of major trading partners, a global supply chain reorganization and conflict between the United States and China are having negative impacts on the Korean economy. Nevertheless, we must bring together the hidden potentials within us and seek a breakthrough.

The power of solid non-violence against violence is the theme of “The Vegetarian.” In the fiercely competitive global economy, Korea should create an industrial Korean Wave with soft yet strong power. I dream of the second miracle of the Han River.