The Vegetarian, Han Kang – David Zupančič, physician and writer

The Vegetarian, originally published in 2007, is a novel by the South Korean author Han Kang, recipient of both the International Booker Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Slovenian edition was translated by Urša Zabukovec, who worked from the Spanish edition while consulting other translations.

The novel centres on a seemingly simple decision with far-reaching consequences. It follows a woman whose decision to stop eating meat unwittingly exposes tensions and misunderstandings within her family. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of three narrators, each revealing the consequences of the protagonist's rejection of her expected role. As the story progresses, a portrait emerges of a family unable to come to terms with otherness, and of an individual struggling to survive her inner turmoil.

Maša Jelušič and Andrej Blatnik will discuss Han Kang's novel with David Zupančič, physician, writer and one of Slovenia's leading science communicators. An infectious disease specialist at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, he is the author of the bestselling books Življenje v sivi coni ("Life in the Grey Zone"), Znanost mirnega življenja ("The Science of a Peaceful Life") and V mejah normale ("Within the Limits of Normalcy"), as well as the podcast Umetnost lenarjenja ("The Art of Idling").

Widely recognised for his ability to explain complex subjects with clarity and insight, Zupančič is an ideal discussion partner for a novel that explores psychological and social tensions while also touching on questions surrounding vegetarianism.

South Korean writer Han Kang is known for her uncompromising exploration of pain, violence and historical trauma. Her works, including The Vegetarian, Human Acts and We Do Not Part, combine poetic language with unflinching honesty.
In South Korea, she is widely regarded as a symbol of artistic integrity, recognised for her refusal to yield to political pressure and her commitment to artistic independence. Her Nobel Prize has also been celebrated as a landmark achievement for Korean literature as a whole, a literary tradition that has long grappled with historical trauma and social upheaval.