Park Yeonghan

Park Yeonghan (; September 14, 1947 – August 23, 2006) was a South Korean writer.

Life Park Yeonghan was born September 14, 1947, in Busan, Korea. Park graduated with a degree in Korean Literature from Yonsei University in Seoul.

Park applied to the Law School of Korea University, but was refused and then spent three years traveling the Korean countryside working a laborer and living with prostitutes, petty thieves, vagabonds, and other social misfits. Park was admitted to Yonsei University, but two days after entering, volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War. When he returned to Korea, Park wrote The Distant Ssongba River (Meonameon ssongbagang, 1977) based on his experience in the war. He was awarded the second Today's Writer Prize, the novel sold over 100,000 copies and made Park an instant celebrity.

Park died on August 23, 2006.

Park is known for his 'honest' writing style, eschewing experimentation, and less interested in plot than experience.

Works in Korean (Partial) Short Stories A Single Room Above Ground (Jisangui bang han kan) A Season Spent in Hell (Jiogeseo bonaen hancheol) Novels Human Daybreak (Inganui saebyeok, 1980) In the Open Air (Nocheoneseo, 1981); A Lonely Freeman (Sseulsseulhan jayuin, 1983) Nineteen Wings (Yeol ahobui nalgae, 1985 My Friend Papillon (Nae chingu Ppappiyong, 1989) Arabesque (Arabaeseukeu, 1990)

Awards Yonsei Literature Prize (1976) Prize for Today's Writers (1978) Dong-in Literary Award (1988) Yonam Literary Award (1988)