채식주의자: 세계가 주목한 한국문학 편집하기 (부분)

===Eng===
'''The Vegetarian: Korean Literature That Captivated the World'''

Han Kang’s novel <i>The Vegetarian</i> marked a turning point for Korean literature on the global stage. Depicting an ordinary woman who rejects social violence and oppression to transform into a plant, the novel explores the boundaries of human anxiety, desire, and existence—an intense narrative that resonated deeply with readers around the world.

First published in 2007, <i>The Vegetarian</i> began attracting international attention after its English edition was released in 2015 with support from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. Translated by Deborah Smith, the novel won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, becoming the first Korean work ever to receive the honor. The joint award recognized both Han’s artistic achievement and the translator’s exceptional rendering. Since then, <i>The Vegetarian</i> has been translated into more than thirty languages, including German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Japanese, and has been acclaimed as “a poetic masterpiece that explores the nature of humanity and violence.”

German media described it as “a brutal yet beautiful portrait of humanity,” while Spanish outlets highlighted its “universal narrative that bridges Eastern and Western sensibilities.” In France, the novel was adapted into a stage play, expanding its artistic presence. In 2024, <i>The Vegetarian</i> was named one of The New York Times’ “100 Best Books of the 21st Century,” alongside <i>Pachinko</i>. 

LTI Korea has since expanded its international outreach, building upon the success of <i>The Vegetarian</i> to promote Korean literature worldwide. The institute praised Han’s writing as “poetic prose that embraces human suffering.”

When Han Kang received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, she reflected in her lecture, “All my questions have been about love.” <i>The Vegetarian</i> stands as the beginning of those questions—an exploration of violence, denial, silence, and coexistence. By asking what it means to live as human beings, the novel transcended its local origins to become part of the universal language of world literature.