Han Kang's 'The Vegetarian' Finds New Life in Dance

The dance theater adaptation of "The Vegetarian," by 2024 South Korean Nobel Prize winner in literature Han Kang, premieres at Theater YOUNG this week, offering a unique experience for literature and dance fans.

The novel follows Yeong-hye, a female protagonist who, after a haunting dream, gives up meat, refuses to be defined, refuses sustenance, and withdraws into a state akin to a plant-like existence.

Yeong-hye's defiance represents an embodied resistance against the structural violence inherent in family ethics, gender roles, and social norms. However, the novel extends beyond feminist discourse; it places her experience within broader existential inquiries regarding humanity's relationship with nature and the search for meaning in life.

Choreographed and directed by dancer Jiang Fan, with dramaturgy by Zhuang Yunjia, this adaptation realizes a vision Zhuang conceived a decade ago when she first encountered the novel – aspiring to see it interpreted as a solo dance piece by Jiang.

"When I first read the novel, I loved it, but its impact on my body was so profound that I felt unprepared to take it on," Jiang remarked.

"The novel features complex emotions and intricate relationships. It was only a few years ago, after completing my original feminist-themed work, that I sensed the time was right," she said.

This adaptation marks the first time "The Vegetarian" has been adapted into a dance theater piece. The production is structured as a prologue followed by a three-part narrative, preserving the novel's core framework and revealing Yeong-hye's resolute resistance through the viewpoints of her husband, brother-in-law, and sister.

"Our choreography considers both those familiar with the novel and those who are not," Jiang explained. "Audience members who only grasp the general idea or are simply attracted to the theme can still engage with the performance, as we have dedicated significant effort to using dance as a narrative tool to enhance understanding."

While the original novel portrays troubling interactions between Yeong-hye and the men in her life, Jiang stressed that the dance does not focus on gender conflict.

"At its core, this story poses the question: How do we understand a woman in an extraordinary circumstance, or more broadly, an individual striving to maintain their logic of survival?" she said.

Performance info

Dates: March 6-7, 7:30pm; March 8, 2pm

Tickets: 180-580 yuan

Venue: Theater YOUNG

Address: 1155 Kongjiang Rd, Yangpu District 杨浦区控江路1155号