During the ‘Nobel Week’ events from December 5 to 12, various functions will take place, including a press conference with author Han Kang on the 6th and her attendance at the award ceremony on the 10th. Han Kang, who is set to ascend the stage as the Nobel Literature Laureate and receive the medal, is expected to share her thoughts and discuss her literary world with a global audience. With her having remained silent since being selected as the Nobel Literature Prize winner this past October, there is considerable anticipation regarding what she will say.
According to the Nobel Committee, the Nobel Week, held annually in line with Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary on December 10, includes various events from December 5 to 12 in Stockholm and Oslo. While ceremonies for literature, medicine, physics, chemistry, and economics will occur in Stockholm, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony will be held in Oslo. Han Kang is expected to attend six events in Stockholm from December 6 to 12.
The highlight of Han’s events is undoubtedly the Nobel Prize Ceremony on December 10, where she will receive the diploma and medal from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Stockholm Concert Hall. The introduction speech for Han Kang will be delivered by the Swedish Academy and conducted in Korean. Following the ceremony, a banquet attended by about 1,300 people will take place at Stockholm City Hall, where Han Kang will deliver her acceptance speech.
The first opportunity to meet Han Kang will be at a press conference on December 6. As this is her first official appearance since being selected as the Nobel Literature Laureate, there is expected to be significant media interest. A lecture on December 7 is anticipated to provide deeper insight into her literary world, conducted over an hour in Korean, without a Q&A session. This lecture is often regarded as a work itself and may later be published.
Additionally, Han Kang will participate in an event donating items to the Nobel Museum on December 6, including signing a restaurant chair specifically for Nobel laureates. She will also be present at a reading session on December 12, engaging in discussions about her works with attendees.
It is noted that this year, several literary events have been organized due to various factors, including Han Kang being the only female among the 11 Nobel laureates of 2024 and the first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Literature Prize. While she will not attend some events, such as a ‘Night of Literature’ on December 8, which will showcase works by Han Kang and other female Nobel laureates, she is expected to engage with students at a multicultural school in Rinkeby on December 11.