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Why is Søren Kierkegaard often described as the first existentialist philosopher?

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Jean-Paul Sartre sits at a cafe with a cup of coffee and a notebook, a pipe in his mouth. — Existentialism French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre, known as a founding figure of existentialism, in Paris.

Søren Kierkegaard is often described as the first existentialist philosopher due to his profound emphasis on individual existence, particularly religious existence, as a continuous process of becoming. He highlighted concepts such as authenticity, commitment, responsibility, anxiety, and dread. Kierkegaard argued that speculative philosophy, like that of Hegel, often neglected the unique qualities and demands of an individual's life, focusing instead on abstract thought. He championed subjectivity and the idea that truth is accessed through introspection. His works, including Fear and Trembling and Concluding Unscientific Postscript, explored the forlornness of the human condition and the absence of certainty, making him a significant forerunner to 20th-century existentialism.123