Which South Korean author won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize for the novel "The Vegetarian"?

Introduction / Context:
This item checks awareness of major international literary awards and the authors who receive them. The Man Booker International Prize highlights fiction from around the world, and "The Vegetarian" drew global attention to South Korean literature when it won the prize. Knowing the author of this novel is an important part of modern books and authors general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The prize mentioned is the 2016 Man Booker International Prize.

- The book specified is "The Vegetarian".

- Four options list names of authors from different countries.

- Only one of these authors is truly South Korean and wrote this particular novel.

Concept / Approach:
The foundation of the solution is to match the correct author, country, and award. "The Vegetarian" is a short novel that explores themes of bodily autonomy and social pressure and was written by Han Kang. It was translated into English and then won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. Recognising Han Kang as a South Korean author is the key, while the other names in the options are unrelated writers and journalists.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that "The Vegetarian" is a South Korean novel which became famous after being translated to English. Step 2: Recall that the author of this novel is Han Kang, whose work was translated by Deborah Smith, leading to the 2016 award. Step 3: Check the options: Yiyun Li is a Chinese American writer, Tami Hoag is a crime novelist from the United States, and Taya Zinkin was a journalist and writer on Indian subjects. Step 4: Conclude that only Han Kang matches both the nationality and the authorship of "The Vegetarian".

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification is to remember newspaper headlines announcing that Han Kang and translator Deborah Smith shared the Man Booker International Prize for this work. Preparation books often include a table of Booker winning titles and authors which clearly pairs Han Kang with "The Vegetarian". None of the other names appear in those lists, so the identification is reliable.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Yiyun Li is known for collections like "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" and other literary fiction, not for "The Vegetarian".
Tami Hoag writes popular thrillers and crime novels and has no connection with this prize winning Korean work.
Taya Zinkin reported on South Asia and wrote non fiction, not this modern novel.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes focus only on the prize name and ignore the nationality clue, which can lead to choosing any familiar sounding author. Another error is to confuse the Man Booker International Prize with the original Booker Prize and mix up different winning titles and authors. Systematic revision of award winners by year, along with their countries, prevents such confusion.

Final Answer:
The South Korean author who won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize for "The Vegetarian" is Han Kang.