Korean parents demand Han Kang's books be removed from schools

(CLO) More than 10,000 parents in South Korea are calling for the removal of the book "The Vegetarian" by writer Han Kang from school libraries due to its extremist and violent content.

According to The Korea Times , a group of Korean parents is calling for the removal of the book The Vegetarian by writer Han Kang from school libraries. The reason given is that the work is harmful to minors.

In a statement released on October 22, the Federation of Korean Parents' Associations said that a book with extreme and violent content should not be placed in elementary, middle or high school libraries, even if it is written by a Nobel Prize winner, The Korea Times reported.

South Korean parents say the novel The Vegetarian should be classified, labeled and is “harmful” to young people. More than 10,000 people have signed a petition in support of the request.

Previously, the controversy over sexual details in Han Kang's book The Vegetarian also became fierce.

Since 2023, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has received several written protests, leading to many schools in the province removing more than 2,500 books with sexual details, including The Vegetarian.

Han Kang's works often delve into the thorny aspects of humanity with a cold, haunting writing style. Photo: TP

During a parliamentary session, an education leader in Gyeonggi Province said he had read The Vegetarian and found it to be a profound work.

However, some details in the book made him uncomfortable and perhaps students will feel the same way when approaching Han Kang's book.

However, many opinions also support The Vegetarian and believe that removing her books from schools is an outdated form of book censorship.

The Vegetarian helped Han Kang's writing go beyond the borders of Korea. The work consists of three parts, telling the story of Yeong-hye, a hard-working wife. After a dream, she decides to become a vegetarian. This unexpected decision causes some conflicts in Yeong-hye's family life and is seen as her rebellion. The female lead becomes increasingly strange and frightening.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phu-huynh-han-quoc-de-nghi-dua-sach-cua-han-kang-khoi-truong-hoc-post318618.html