According to Koreatimes, a song by the group AKMU (brothers Lee Chan Hyuk, Lee Su Hyun), which was once cited by Han Kang - the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature - as her favorite song, is currently making a strong comeback on music charts.
This resurgence highlights the fascinating ways that cultural content can influence and connect with one another.
According to Melon - the largest online music streaming platform in Korea, the song "How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love" by the brother duo AKMU climbed to number 9 on the Melon Top 100 chart and ranked number 10 on the Melon Daily chart, as of October 15.
The song, released in 2019, began climbing domestic charts on Thursday, after Han Kang was announced as the first South Korean to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The sudden increase in popularity of this song was due to the audience's renewed interest in Han Kang's previous interviews.
In an interview with publisher Munhakdongne after the release of her novel "I Do Not Bid Farewell" in 2021, Han Kang introduced the song she listened to while writing the novel.
Han Kang said that she cried when she heard AKMU's song: "After finishing the first draft of 'I Do Not Bid Farewell', I took a taxi and listened to this song. I just thought I recognized it and knew it was a famous song.
But when I heard the last part, the lyrics hit me in a completely different way, and I found myself tearing up without even realizing it.”
The profound lyrics she quoted were: "What should I do/ Our love is as deep as the ocean/ Waiting until it runs dry will be our goodbye".
On Melon, many fans commented that they listened to the song because it was recommended by the Nobel Prize-winning author.
Not only did fans notice Han Kang's mention of AKMU, but music artists also expressed their admiration for her, emphasizing her influence on them.
Singer Park Hye Won revealed that she chose her stage name HYNN after reading Han Kang's 2016 novel "The White Book" before her debut. The original Korean title of "The White Book" is "Huin", which means white.
She shared her congratulations to Han Kang on social media: "I will continue to compose music while learning from the author's pure perspective and sincerity in her work."
BTS member RM also expressed during a live broadcast with fans in 2017 that he was deeply impressed after reading Han Kang's book "Human Acts."
RM is currently serving his military service, but he was quick to share the news of Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature win on social media, the day the award was announced.
V also revealed that he read “Human Acts” during his military service and sent his congratulations to Han Kang when she became the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
