'서울의 겨울 12' Poetry by Han Kang, 2024 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

Finally, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature is here in Korea. Hearing this news, I was so surprised and amazed.

In 2016, I was surprised to win the Man Booker International Award for the novel The Vegetarian, and last year, I was surprised to win the French Medici Award.
I haven't read this writer's work, but I understand that she's writing poetry and publishing poetry. Today, I transcribed her poem.


서울의 겨울 12


어느 날 어느 날이 와서

그 어느 날에 네가 온다면

그날에 네가 사랑으로 온다면

내 가슴 온통 물빛이겠네, 네 사랑

내 가슴에 잠겨 차마 숨 못 쉬겠네

내가 네 호흡이 되어주지, 네 먹장 입술에

벅찬 숨결이 되어주지, 네가 온다면 사랑아,

올 수만 있다면

살얼음 흐른 내 뺨에 너 좋아하던 

강물 소리,

들려주겠네


서울의 겨울 12  필사본



It's a poem written in ordinary language that's not sharp or sharp, but dull and ordinary.
I'm not good at English, so I borrowed the power of the translator, and I'm posting an English translation that I modified a little to fit the flow of the context. I hope it will help you understand the meaning of the poem.



Winter in Seoul  12  

                                                 Han Kang



One day, on that day

If you come one day

If you come to love that day

My heart must be full of water, your love

I can't breathe because it's in my heart

I'll be your breathing on your lips

I'll give you a breath, my love, if you come,

If you can come

On my thinly icy cheeks,

I'll let you hear the sound of Hangang river

that you liked





In the expression "the sound of Hangang river" at the end of the poem, the name "Hangang" was not written in the original Korean text, but I added the name to improve the understanding of English translation.

However, the name of Hangang River(한강) and the artist's name(한강) match the writing of Korean characters.
I think readers of other countries might be a little surprised to see it.


2023.12.30 A snowy park with a view of the Hangang River


Thank you for reading this long story  🙏😉




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