The Power of Literature:
"In the darkest night,
there is a language that asks
what we are made of,
a language that connects us to
one another."
– Han Kang
(2024 Nobel Prize
in Literature acceptance speech)–
Facing the past is not a simple recollection.
It opens a path for us who are living today.
Literature recalls the times
we may not have lived through ourselves.
It keeps those memories alive.
It becomes a language that heals wounds
and a force that connects people across generations.
Commemorating the 2nd anniversary of
Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win in Literature
2026 Yonsei Nobel Week
Entry Requirements
-
Register for the Contest
Start Your Application
- Click the “Apply Now” button.
- Log in or sign up.
- Fill out the online application form.
- Check the official guidelines and themes.
-
Choose Your Category & Prepare
Choose your category and prepare your work.
- Essay : Topic - "The Power of Literature: Where Does Imagination Take Us?"
- Book review : Target book - Han Kang’s novel Greek Lessons
(Penguin, 2024) - Short-Form Video : A free-form Short-Form Video (60–90 sec) inspired by and reimagining Han Kang’s work
- Check the required length, format, and file conditions carefully.
-
Submit Your Work
Submit your work within the application period.
- Submission Period : Mon., Nov. 09, 2026 – Sun., Nov. 15, 2026, 11:59 PM
- File name format: [Name_Category_Domestic/Overseas]
- A confirmation email will be sent after submission.
-
Evaluation & Results
All submissions will be evaluated by the judging panel.
- Evaluation criteria: relevance to the theme, creativity, literary expression, and completeness.
- Announcement: Mon., Nov. 23, 2026
- Results will be posted on the website and sent via email.
-
Awards Ceremony
Join the award ceremony at Yonsei University.
- Date & Time: Wed., Dec. 2, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 PM
- Venue: Daewoo Hall (Gak-dang-heon), Yonsei University
(also streamed online) - Includes award presentations, readings, and
exhibition of winning works.
Eligibility
Youth and young adults
from Korea and abroad
(Born from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 2011)
Categories and topics
-
Category 1
Essay
Topic: "The Power of Literature: Where Does Imagination Take Us?"
-
Category 2
Book review
Target book: Han Kang’s novel Greek Lessons
(Penguin, 2024) -
Category 3
Short-Form Video
Topic: A free-form Short-Form Video (60–90 sec)
inspired by and reimagining Han Kang’s work
Submission Schedule
Submission Period
Mon., Nov. 9, 2026 –
Sun., Nov. 15, 2026, 11:59 PM
-
Submission Start
Mon., Nov. 9, 2026
-
Submission Deadline
Sun., Nov. 15, 2026
-
Evaluation Start
Tue., Nov. 17, 2026
-
Results
Mon., Nov. 23, 2026
Awards Ceremony & Prize Details
(Total 41 awardees / Total Prize Amount: KRW 20,500,000)
Awards Ceremony
Wed., Dec. 2, 2026,
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM /
Daewoo Hall (Gak-dang-heon),
Yonsei University
-
Grand Prize
1 Winner (Integration)
KRW 3,000,000 -
Excellence Award
A total of 5 people in domestic and Overseas Division
KRW 1,00,000 -
Merit Award
A total of 10 people in domestic and Overseas Division
KRW 500,000 -
Encouragement Award
A total of 25 people in domestic and Overseas Division
KRW 300,000
