On the 10th, Kyobo Bookstore’s Gwanghwamun branch unveiled a newly renovated exhibition space featuring portraits of Nobel Prize winners. Notably, a portrait of novelist Han Kang was displayed in a spot previously reserved for a future Korean Nobel laureate. This initiative was inspired by Kyobo Life Insurance founder Shin Yong-ho’s vision to motivate young people visiting the store by showcasing portraits of Nobel laureates and encouraging them to aspire to global influence. The exhibition includes portraits of laureates such as Albert Camus, Albert Einstein, and Kim Dae-jung, alongside an empty spot with the message “You are the protagonist of this space.”
The renovation coincides with Han Kang’s recent accolade as the first Korean and first Asian female to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, elevating the status of Korean literature. Han Kang has a special connection with Kyobo Life, as the Daesan Foundation—established by Shin Yong-ho—has long supported the translation and international publishing of Korean literature, contributing to Han Kang’s Booker Prize win in 2016 for “The Vegetarian.”
The displayed portraits are the work of artist Park Young-geun, known for his ability to incorporate dynamic techniques into traditional painting. Existing portraits of Hemingway and Einstein at the exhibition are also his creations.
A Kyobo Bookstore representative expressed congratulations on Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win and hoped that the exhibition space would inspire future generations to develop their capabilities through reading and become the next featured laureate.