The Vegetarian

novel by Han

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July 22, 2026

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Han Kang's novel, The Vegetarian, published in 2007, explores themes of body horror, mental illness, consent, and misogyny. The story centers on a young woman who decides to stop eating meat, leading to disturbing consequences. When her family attempts to force-feed her, she refuses to eat anything at all. Some interpretations view the protagonist's rebellion and her family's reaction as a metaphor for colonial rebellion and the violence of imperialism.1

The Vegetarian was the first of Han Kang's novels to be translated into English in 2015 and subsequently won the International Booker Prize in 2016. The novel was adapted into a film in 2009, directed by Lim Woo-seong.12

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Han Kang
Novels
Chaesikjuuija (2007; The Vegetarian, 2015) was the first of her novels to be translated into English, and it won the International Booker Prize in 2016. It originated in 1997 as the short story “Nae yeojaui yeolmae” (“The Fruit of My Woman”). Examining issues such as body horror,…
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Chaesikjuuija (2007; The Vegetarian, 2015) was the first of her novels to be translated into English, and it won the International Booker Prize in 2016. It originated in 1997 as the short story “Nae yeojaui yeolmae” (“The Fruit of My Woman”). Examining issues such as body horror,…
Read More