This Nov. 14, 2023, file photo shows South Korean author Han Kang, the 2024 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – When news broke that Han Kang, the 54-year-old novelist who recently won the Nobel Prize in Literature, had received the announcement while having dinner with her son, it reignited interest in a personal anecdote about her decision to have children.
The story, which has been circulating on various online communities, reveals how Han, who initially did not plan to have children, changed her mind after a poignant conversation with her husband.
In Han’s semi-autobiographical novel “Silence,” published in the summer 2000 issue of “Munhakdongne,” she recounts a pivotal discussion about family planning with her husband about two years into their marriage.
At the time, Han expressed deep reservations about having children. “I felt repelled by the idea of fulfilling unachieved dreams through one’s children,” she wrote. “The world ahead seemed bleak to me. Witnessing the cruelties of reality, I found people who had children without hesitation to be irresponsible.”
In response, her husband offered a different perspective. “Isn’t the world worth living in?” he asked. “If so, giving someone a chance to experience it isn’t a sin.”
Han acknowledged that there were indeed beautiful moments in life and that the world, at that moment, was livable. However, she was concerned about the challenges a child might face. “How would they navigate the darkness until they reach this realization? Could they even make it through?” she pondered. “It’s not something I can do for them, so how can I subject them to it?”
Her husband’s reply was disarmingly simple yet profound. “There are so many delicious things in the world,” he said. “Watermelon is sweet in summer, oriental melons in spring, and water is refreshing when you’re thirsty.” He continued, “Don’t you want to let them taste all of that? Don’t you want them to hear the sound of rain and see snow falling?”
Han found herself unexpectedly amused by her husband’s words. “If nothing else, the sweetness of watermelon in summer felt like an undeniable truth,” she wrote. “As I thought about the taste of red watermelon crumbling like sugar, I found myself at a loss for words, laughing at the thought.”
This intimate glimpse into the Nobel laureate’s personal life has resonated with many online. Commenters have praised the literary quality of the couple’s conversation, the power of literature, and the joy of sharing the Nobel Prize moment with children. Some also commended Han’s husband for his perspective and noted the beautiful reason for having children he presented.
Han Kang became the first South Korean and the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature on October 10. She reportedly received the news just after finishing dinner with her son. In an interview with the Nobel Committee shortly after the announcement, Han said, “I was really surprised, and tonight I will quietly celebrate with my son over a cup of tea.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
