Expressing gratitude to the people who have congratulated her on her Nobel Prize, Han Kang, this year’s Nobel laureate in literature, spoke publicly for the first time in Korea Thursday at the 18th Pony Chung Innovation Award ceremony held at the Pony Chung Hall in Seoul.

“The past week will be remembered as a deeply moving experience,” Han said, adding, “As always, I hope to continue meeting readers through my books.”

Han was named the recipient of the Pony Chung Innovation Award before the Nobel announcement, in recognition of her profound exploration of the human psyche and evocative emotional expressions that have resonated with readers worldwide. She is the first Korean author to win both the British International Booker Prize, in 2016 for “Vegetarian,” and France’s Prix Medicis, in 2023 for “We Do Not Part.”

Apart from a brief interview with the Swedish public broadcaster SVT and a short statement issued via her Korean publishers on Oct. 11, Han has largely avoided the media.

HDC Group chairman and Pony Chung Foundation founder Chung Mong-gyu, as well as Park Young-ja, wife of the late Chung Se-yung, the second chairman of HDC Group, were among those attending the award ceremony.

Reflecting on her Nobel win, Han said, “When I first received the call from the Nobel Committee, it didn’t feel real. I simply tried to remain calm. It wasn’t until I saw the news reports that the gravity of the moment sank in.”

Han said she celebrated the evening privately.

“The past week, with so many people celebrating as if it were their own achievement, will remain a particularly special memory for me,” she said.

Han also extended thanks to those who have expressed concerns about quietude in her personal life after the Nobel prize.

“I hope my life doesn’t change too drastically. I have always connected with the world through my writing, and I want to continue meeting readers in that way.”

Han said that she is currently working on a novella she started earlier this year. While she hopes to publish it in the first half of next year, she admitted it’s hard to predict when she will finish.

Looking back on her 30-year career, Han reflected on the simplicity of her daily life: “I don’t drink, and recently, I’ve even given up coffee for health reasons. I rarely travel. Sometimes, people ask me what I do for fun.”

She said she enjoys walking, reading books she hasn’t yet gotten to and spending time with her family and close friends.

“What I love the most is the time I spend turning over ideas for my next novel that I have in mind,” said Han. “I often lose my way while writing a novel, surprised by the unexpected turns. But the satisfaction of reaching the end after a long detour is immense.”

Han, who will turn 54 next month, remarked on the conventional wisdom that an author’s golden years are between 50 and 60.

“If that’s true, I have six years left,” she said.

“Though some authors remain active into their 70s or 80s, it takes a good deal of luck. For now, I want to focus on completing the three books I have in mind, with patience and perseverance, while balancing the rest of my life.”

Han thanked her readers, the literary community and those who have supported the publishing industry through difficult times.

The Pony Chung Foundation, established in 2005 in memory of the late Chung Se-yung, former honorary chairman of HDC Group, supports a wide range of initiatives in the humanities.

Past recipients include director Hwang Dong-hyuk of “Squid Game,” pianist Cho Seong-jin and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The award carries a cash prize of 200 million won ($146,000).

-In association with Asia News Network