Key facts
| Apply by | 15 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|
| When | Submissions 9 to 15 November 2026 (11:59 PM). Results 23 November. Awards ceremony 2 December 2026 at Yonsei. |
| Where | Online (ceremony in Seoul) |
| Cost | Free |
| Who can join | Young people in Korea and abroad born between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2011 |
| Prize | 41 winners, total KRW 20.5 million. Grand prize KRW 3 million. Merit awards KRW 500,000. Encouragement awards KRW 300,000. |
| Host | Yonsei University (연세대학교), part of Yonsei Nobel Week |
About this competition
This contest is part of Yonsei Nobel Week, which marks the 2nd anniversary of Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature. Yonsei University hosts it, with the Yonsei Korean Language Institute and Concordia Language Villages as partners.
There are three categories. Essay: 'The Power of Literature: Where Does Imagination Take Us?'. Book review: Han Kang's novel Greek Lessons (Penguin, 2024). Short-form video: a free-form video of 60 to 90 seconds inspired by and reimagining Han Kang's work.
There are domestic and overseas divisions. 41 people win KRW 20.5 million in total: 1 grand prize of KRW 3 million, 5 excellence awards, 10 merit awards of KRW 500,000 and 25 encouragement awards of KRW 300,000.
The awards ceremony is on 2 December 2026, 10:30 to 11:30, at Daewoo Hall (각당헌), Yonsei University.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 9 to 15 November 2026 (11:59 PM) | Submission period |
| 23 November 2026 | Results |
| 2 December 2026, 10:30 to 11:30 | Awards ceremony at Yonsei University |
How to apply
- Check that you were born between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2011.
- Register on the Yonsei Nobel Week website (nobelweek.yonsei.ac.kr/en) and choose your category.
- Prepare your work and submit it between 9 and 15 November 2026.
- See the contest guidelines page on the same site for full rules.
We checked this listing against the organizer's notice on 20 Oct 2026. Organizers sometimes change dates or rules, so always read the official notice before you apply.
