# Is "The Vegetarian" by Han Kang (trans. Deborah Smith) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Vegetarian by Han Kang (trans. Deborah Smith) (Portobello Books, 2015) is identified by: First English edition, Portobello Books, London, 2015 (translation of the Korean original). The Korean original (Changbi, 2007) is the true first of the work.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First English edition, Portobello Books, London, 2015 (translation of the Korean original)
- Issued in original boards with dust jacket; the verso carries the 'First published by Portobello Books 2015' statement
- The US edition (Hogarth) followed in 2016
- Winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize
- Han Kang's 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature sharply raised demand
- Publisher imprint reads Portobello Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Han Kang (trans. Deborah Smith) |
| Publisher | Portobello Books |
| Year | 2015 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First English edition, Portobello Books, London, 2015 (translation of the Korean original) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First English edition, Portobello Books, London, 2015 (translation of the Korean original). Issued in original boards with dust jacket; the verso carries the 'First published by Portobello Books 2015' statement. The US edition (Hogarth) followed in 2016. Winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. Han Kang's 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature sharply raised demand.

## Is this the true first?
The Korean original (Changbi, 2007) is the true first of the work. The Portobello 2015 hardback is the true first in English (Smith translation) and the prize-winning edition; the first English printing in jacket is the key collectible.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Hogarth US 2016 edition is distinguished by imprint and date. Later Portobello printings state additional impressions. No known book-club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Vegetarian* by Han Kang (trans. Deborah Smith) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-vegetarian
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.