South Korean author Hwang Sok-yong pledged to continue dedicating himself to writing novels after not winning the International Booker Prize. The 2024 award went to German writer Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann for "Kairos" at the ceremony held Tuesday night (British time) at London's Tate Modern museum. Hwang had been shortlisted for the award for his multigenerational epic "Mater 2-10." "Korean readers might have been disappointed with the news," he told reporters after the ceremony. "I am thankful for all the support. "I will work harder on my writing," he said, reaffirming his commitment to write three more books in the coming years. As one of South Korea's most renowned novelists, Hwang Sok-yong has previously said it took him 30 years from conception to finish "Mater 2-10," which is about three generations of railroad workers. "'Mater 2-10' was an effort on my part to recover the vestiges of the lives and struggles of 'modern industrial workers,' who are among the most neglected fig ures, largely left out of post-colonial Korean literature," he said in an interview published on the award's website. "In that regard, it would have an impact." The Booker Prize is regarded as one of the three major literary awards globally. Established in 2005, the International Booker Prize recognizes outstanding international fiction translated into English. In 2016, Han Kang won the award for her novel "The Vegetarian." Source: Yonhap News Agency
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