Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, your go-to podcast for thought-provoking reads and academic insights! Today’s Weekend Book Review explores the haunting world of The Vegetarian by Han Kang, a novel that blurs the lines between reality, rebellion, and obsession. Originally published in South Korea in 2007 and brought to the English-speaking world in 2015 by translator Deborah Smith, this book captivated readers worldwide with its unsettling beauty—and even clinched the Man Booker International Prize in 2016.
Han Kang, a literary giant born in Gwangju, grew up amid the cultural transformations of South Korea and later studied Korean literature at Yonsei University. Her novels—Human Acts and The White Book among them—probe the deepest emotional and philosophical corners of the human condition. Han’s delicate yet brutal storytelling culminated in 2024, when she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Deborah Smith, driven by a passion to introduce Korean literature to global readers, learned Korean from scratch and founded Tilted Axis Press to amplify underrepresented voices.
The Vegetarian tells the story of Yeong-hye, an ordinary homemaker in Seoul, who makes an extraordinary choice—she renounces meat. This decision, sparked by disturbing dreams of animal slaughter, sets her on a path of estrangement, not only from her family but also from society. The novel unfolds across three interconnected parts, each narrated from a different perspective—her husband, her brother-in-law, and her sister—offering a kaleidoscope of views on guilt, control, and freedom.
As Yeong-hye spirals into fantasies of becoming a tree, the novel forces us to confront unsettling questions: When does self-transformation become self-destruction? What are the limits of empathy? And can we ever truly understand someone else's inner world?
We extend our deepest thanks to Han Kang and Changbi Publishers for this mesmerizing work. If this episode piqued your interest, don’t forget to subscribe to Revise and Resubmit on Spotify, and catch us on Amazon Prime Music and Apple Podcast. Until next time, happy reading—and remember, not all transformations are easy to digest.
Reference
Lee, K. (2016). Violence and being human: A conversation with Han Kang. World literature today, 90(3), 61-67. https://doi.org/10.1353/wlt.2016.0155
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