Han Kang becomes the first Korean author to win France's Prix Médicis étranger, a top honor for foreign literature.
In November 2023, Han Kang was awarded the Prix Médicis étranger, one of France's most respected literary prizes dedicated to foreign-language fiction translated into French. This marked the first time a Korean author had received this distinguished honor, further cementing her reputation as a leading voice in world literature following her earlier success with the Man Booker International Prize.
The Prix Médicis has a long history of recognizing bold, innovative literary voices that might otherwise be overlooked by more mainstream prizes, and its foreign fiction category has historically celebrated authors who expand the boundaries of the novel form. Han Kang's selection reflected the growing critical esteem for her work across Europe, particularly in France, where her novels—including Human Acts and The White Book—had found an enthusiastic readership.
This award was part of a broader pattern of international recognition for Han Kang throughout the 2010s and 2020s, demonstrating that her exploration of historical trauma, bodily autonomy, and quiet resistance resonated deeply beyond Korea's borders. It further solidified the case for her candidacy for the Nobel Prize in Literature, which she would win less than a year later. Her win also drew renewed French media attention to Korean literature as a whole.