Lifestyle

Item 1 of 2 People read the book ‘The Vegetarian’ by Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, in a bookstore in Seoul, South Korea October 10, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon[1/2]People read the book ‘The Vegetarian’ by Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, in a bookstore in Seoul, South Korea October 10, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabSEOUL, Oct 11 (Reuters) – South Koreans flocked to book stores on Friday and crashed websites in a frenzy to snap up copies of the work of novelist Han Kang in her home country, after her unexpected win of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.However, the author herself was keeping out of the limelight.The country’s largest bookstore chain, Kyobo Book Centre, said sales of her books had rocketed on Friday, with stocks almost immediately selling out and set to be in short supply for the near future.Advertisement · Scroll to continue”This is the first time a Korean has received a Nobel Prize in Literature, so I was amazed,” said Yoon Ki-heon, a 32-year-old visitor at a bookstore in central Seoul.”South Korea had a poor achievement in winning Nobel Prizes, so I was surprised by news that (a writer of) non-English books, which were written in Korean, won such a big prize.”Soon after Thursday’s announcement, some bookstore websites could not be accessed due to heavy traffic. Out of the current 10 best sellers at Kyobo, nine were Han’s books on Friday morning, according to its website.Advertisement · Scroll to continueHan’s father, well-regarded author Han Seung-won, said the translation of her novel “The Vegetarian”, her major international breakthrough, had led to her winning the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 and now the Nobel prize.”My daughter’s writing is very delicate, beautiful and sad,” Han Seung-won said.”So, how you translate that sad sentence into a foreign language will determine whether you win … It seems the translator was the right person to translate the unique flavour of Korean language.”Han’s other books address painful chapters of South Korean history, including “Human Acts” which examines the 1980 massacre of hundreds of civilians by the South Korean military in the city of Gwangju.Another novel, “We Do Not Part”, looks at the fallout of the 1948-1954 massacre on Jeju island, when an estimated one in ten of the island’s population were killed in an anti-communist purge.”I really hope souls of the victims and survivors could be healed from pain and trauma through her book,” said Kim Chang-beom, head of an association for the bereaved families of the Jeju massacre.Park Gang-bae, a director at a foundation that honours the victims and supports the bereaved families and survivors of the Gwangju massacre, said he was “jubilant and moved ” by her win.”The protagonists in her book (“Human Acts”) are people we meet and live with every day, on every corner here, so this is deeply moving,” Park said.Han’s father told reporters on Friday that she may continue to shun the limelight after giving no separate comments or interviews and eschewing media scrutiny since Thursday’s win.”She said given the fierce Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine wars and people dying every day, how could she celebrate and hold a joyous press conference?” her father said.Han Kang received the news of her win about 10 to 15 minutes before the announcement, her father said, and was so surprised that she thought it might be a scam at one point.The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.Reporting by Joyce Lee and Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by Jisoo Kim and Daewoung Kim, Editing by Ed Davies and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tabShareXFacebookLinkedinEmailLinkPurchase Licensing Rights

Item 1 of 5 Choi Soon-hwa, an 81-year-old senior model who won the best dressed award at Miss Universe Korea as the oldest contestant, poses for a photograph in Seoul, South Korea October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon[1/5]Choi Soon-hwa, an 81-year-old senior model who won the best dressed award at Miss Universe Korea as the oldest contestant, poses for a photograph in Seoul, South Korea October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tabSEOUL, Oct 11 (Reuters) – South Korean grandmother Choi Soon-hwa dreamed of becoming a fashion model when she was in her 20s, but faced with life’s pressures it would take another five decades to achieve her goal.The silver-haired Choi, 81, recently made history by becoming the oldest contestant at a Miss Universe Korea competition, after the pageant dropped age restrictions that had only allowed women aged 18-28 to participate.Advertisement · Scroll to continue”After hearing that the age restrictions were removed I thought – wow that’s great. I cannot miss this opportunity,” Choi said.While she did not win, Choi made it to the finals and was given the ‘Best Dressed Award’ among her younger rivals.Her dreams of becoming a fashion model or a movie star when younger had to be put aside so she could take on regular jobs in order to care for her children and meet financial commitments.Advertisement · Scroll to continueIt was only while working as a hospital caregiver that her dream became a reality after one of her patients suggested she apply to be a senior model when she was 72.Choi, who signed up for a modelling academy, recounts how when it was quiet at night in the hospital she practiced being on a catwalk and posing in front of a mirror.Since then, Choi’s new career has taken off and she has appeared at multiple fashion shows and her image has been splashed in magazines and her story covered by television shows.”I won in the second half of my life. In the first half, I was just running around without scoring any goals, but I finally scored in the second half,” she told Reuters.Yun Mi-young, 59, who is another senior model, said she was inspired by Choi.”The first time I saw her was on TV, she looked so cool. I thought that I want to be a senior model just like her.”Choi also shares tips on how to stay in shape, including starting each day with a healthy breakfast of boiled eggs and fruit and regularly taking walks in a nearby park.South Korea is on course to become a “super-ageing” society by next year when more than a fifth of its population will be over 65 and Choi wants her success to inspire others in this age group.”I hope other seniors can find courage through my story,” Choi said.The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.Reporting by Minwoo Park and Daewoung Kim; Editing by Ed Davies and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tabShareXFacebookLinkedinEmailLinkPurchase Licensing Rights