According to the LA Times, Han Kang’s book is about the Gwangju Massacre that occurred in Korea. The characters give different perspectives throughout the book about the major historical event that took place in Gwangju. The emotional trauma experienced by the different people reflects survivors of the massacre in real life. The democratization of South Korea is deeply expressed throughout the novel, creating sympathy and unionization among Koreans and the audience.

Han Kang’s other notable works include a book about her decision to stop eating meat that leads to bad results. She was born in Gwangju and lived to witness the Gwangju Uprising during her era. She has won the Man Booker International Award in 2016, and other awards such as the Malaparte Prize 2017 for her latest book. She teaches creative writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, and she is known to write about many books that incorporate nationalistic themes such as suppression under a corrupt regime, human rights, and sensitive topics such as massacres.