“His work demonstrates an extraordinary ability to communicate new ideas concisely and directly while incorporating Eastern and Western philosophical traditions,” stated the jury in the decision document awarding Byung-Chul Han the prize.
According to the jury members, Byung-Chul Han’s analysis is “fruitful and provides explanations on issues such as dehumanization, digitalization, and people’s estrangement.”
“His intercultural perspective sheds light on complex contemporary world phenomena and has resonated widely among audiences of various generations,” added the jury in the same document.
Born in Seoul in 1959, Byung-Chul Han studied German literature and theology at Munich University and Philosophy at the University of Freiburg, both in Germany.
He was a professor at the University of Basel in Switzerland and the University of the Arts in Berlin.
Considered one of the most prominent contemporary philosophers, Byung-Chul Han has primarily dedicated his reflections to what he terms the “society of fatigue” and “society of transparency,” as well as the concept of “shanzhai,” a neologism he uses to describe deconstruction practices in contemporary Chinese capitalism. This is according to a statement released by the Princess of Asturias Foundation, a Spanish entity based in Oviedo, northern Spain, which annually awards eight prizes in various fields.
Byung-Chul Han’s books are translated into several languages, including Portuguese, and are published in Portugal by the publisher Reógio D’Água.
The Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities 2025 was the first announced by the foundation this year.
In the coming weeks, awards will be announced in the areas of Arts, Sports, Social Sciences, Literature, International Cooperation, Scientific and Technical Research, and Concord.
Each of these awards carries a monetary value of 50,000 euros, and the award ceremony will take place in October.
The Princess of Asturias Awards, celebrating their 45th edition this year, honor “scientific, technical, cultural, social, and humanitarian work” conducted by individuals or institutions internationally.
The award for the area of Communication and Humanities acknowledges “the work of cultivating and enhancing sciences and disciplines considered as humanistic activities,” as well as areas related to media “in all their expressions.”
In previous years, recipients of this award included Iranian filmmaker, designer, and activist Marjane Satrapi (2024), Italian philosopher, writer, and professor Nuccio Ordine (2023); Polish journalist and writer Adam Michnik (2022); the Guadalajara Book Fair (Mexico) and the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts (2020), the Prado Museum (2019); Argentine author and creator of the character Mafalda, Joaquín Salvador Lavado “Quino” (2014); and American photographer Annie Leibovitz (2013), among others.
