Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024
Winner of: The Emile Guimet Prize 2018
The Manhae Literary Prize
The Danjae Literary Prize
The Isan Literary Prize
The Daesan Literature Prize
The Manhae Literary Award Grand Prize
The Korea Culture And Arts Foundation Prize
The Mark Of Respect Award
Shortlisted For The Prix Femina Etranger
‘Hwang Sok-yong is undoubtedly the most powerful voice of the novel in East Asia today.’ Kenzaburo Oe
‘Hwang Sok-yong is the most committed, politically active writer of all those who have been translated from the Korean in recent years.’ Libération
Born in 1943 Hwang Sok-yong is arguably Korea’s most renowned author. In 1993, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for an unauthorised trip to the North to promote exchange between artists in North and South Korea. Five years later, he was released on a special pardon by the new president.
He is the recipient of Korea’s highest literary prizes including the Manhae Literary Prize, the Danjae Literary Prize, the Isan Literary Prize, the Daesan Literature Prize for THE GUEST, the Manhae Literary Award Grand Prize, the Korea Culture and Arts Foundation ‘This Year’s’ Art Prize, the Mark of Respect Award and was shortlisted for the Prix Femina Etranger. His novel THE ROAD TO SAMPO (1973) was made into a successful film and has recently been reissued in French by Editions Philippe Picquier. His multi-volume epic JANG GILSAN, serialised in a daily newspaper (1974-84), uses the parable of a medieval bandit to foil the censors. A huge success in North as well as South Korea, it has sold over a million copies and remains a bestseller in Korean fiction today. He recently published the first twelve books in a retelling of children’s folk tales that will embrace 150 stories across 50 volumes.
‘The author proves in a downright brilliant way, again and again, why he is seen in Korea as one of the most important national writers.’ Le Monde