In the early 1950s, war is about to break out on the divided Korean Peninsula. The dividing line between the two opposing sides is the 38th parallel, a highly strategic border. The armed conflict continues and intensifies. In the North, Dr. Han YongDok, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, is exempted from the general mobilization due to doubts about his loyalty to the regime and is sent to the People's Hospital in Pyongyang. Remaining in the rear, the conscientious scientist prioritizes the urgent cases of ordinary citizens, a stance that leads him to disfavor. Later, all alone and risking his life, he crosses to the South. He perceives himself as a simple refugee. However, there he is suspected and accused of espionage. In the troubled and tormented journey of this man, not only is the extent of a collective tragedy reflected, but also the fighting spirit of individual dignity. The novel "The Chronicle of Mr. Han" (1972) is considered one of the most emblematic and representative works of modern Korean literature.

 

"Hwang Sok-Yong is undoubtedly the greatest novelistic voice of the Far East."

Kenzaburo Oe

 

"A wonderful writer."

Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio

 

"A national writer, a fierce defender of human rights and democratic ideas. Hwang Sok-Yong is the most widely read novelist in his homeland and the most well-known in the rest of the world. In his books, politics meets the cultural memory of Korea."

Le Monde