Human Acts

In 1980, students in the South Korean city of Gwangju organized protests against the repressive military regime of the time. Many other citizens joined them in their desire for democratization. The army ruthlessly suppressed the protests with killings, torture, imprisonment, and threats. The narratively and stylistically innovative form introduces various protagonists connected to the death of a young man, Kang Dong-ho. The author, also born in Gwangju, uses the stories of individuals to create a comprehensive collage of memories of a mass killing that is rarely discussed. The wandering souls of the dead lick the flames of candles lit by those mourning years after the tragic event. Han Kang has received numerous literary awards for her work, and in 2024 she also became a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. (EZ)