David Ebershoff, editor-in-chief of Hogarth Books, the American publisher of the English-language translation of Han Kang's "We Do Not Part," on March 26 reads Han's acceptance speech at the awards ceremony of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) in New York. (NBCC's YouTube channel)

By Charles Audouin

Nobel laureate novelist Hang Kang has won the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Award for fiction for her book "We Do Not Part."

The NBCC on March 26 announced the book, jointly translated by E. Yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris, as the winner at the awards ceremony in New York.

Han is the first Korean to win the honor for fiction. Kim Hye-soon in 2024 won the award for poetry for "Phantom Pain Wings."

Heather Scott Partington, chair of the NBCC's fiction committee, called the novel "a subtly rendered sketch of trauma in the wake of the Jeju massacre -- a rumination on creation and truth amidst loss," adding, "This artful novel lingers like an atmospheric, arresting dream."

The novel depicts the tragedy and human suffering caused by the 1948-49 massacre on Jeju Island from the perspectives of three women. Available in 13 languages including English and French, the work received systematic support from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea).

LTI Korea Director Chon Sooyoung said, "News of this award is a meaningful achievement proving the outstanding artistic merit of Korean literature again on the global stage."

The non-profit NBCC was founded by book critics in media and publishing. Since 1975, it has honored books published in English in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography, poetry and criticism.

Cover of English-language edition of Han Kang's novel "We Do Not Part" (LTI Korea)

In addition, anticipation is rising over Lee Geum-yi's shortlisting as a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, her second nomination for the honor following the first in 2024. The winner will be announced on April 13 at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair in Bologna, Italy.

As the world's highest honor in children's literature and sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People, this biennial and highly competitive prize names one winner each in writing and illustration. For Korea, Lee Suzy won the award for illustration in 2022.

caudouin@korea.kr