The book follows the life of Kim Jiyoung, an ordinary South Korean woman, as she navigates the systemic gender discrimination and societal expectations imposed on women in contemporary society. Through a series of personal experiences and anecdotes, the narrative highlights the pervasive sexism and challenges Jiyoung faces from childhood through adulthood, including workplace discrimination, familial pressures, and the struggle for identity and autonomy. The story serves as a poignant critique of the entrenched patriarchal norms and the impact they have on women's mental health and well-being.

A funny, transporting, surprising, and poignant novel that was one of the highest-selling debuts of recent years in Korea, Love in the Big City tells the story of a young gay man searching for happiness in the lonely city of SeoulLove in the Big City is the English-language debut of Sang Young Park, one of Korea's most exciting young writers. A runaway bestseller, the novel hit the top five lists of all the major bookstores, went into nine printings, and was praised for its unique literary voice and perspective. It is now poised to capture a worldwide readership.Young is a cynical yet fun-loving Korean student who pinballs from home to class to the beds of recent Tinder matches. He and Jaehee, his female best friend and roommate, frequent nearby bars where they push away their anxieties about their love lives, families, and money with rounds of soju and ice-cold Marlboro Reds that they keep in their freezer. Yet over time, even Jaehee leaves Young to settle down, leaving him alone to care for his ailing mother and to find companionship in his relationships with a series of men, including one whose handsomeness is matched by his coldness, and another who might end up being the great love of his life.A brilliantly written novel that takes us into the glittering nighttime of Seoul and the bleary-eyed morning after with both humor and emotion, Love in the Big City is a wry portrait of millennial loneliness as well as the abundant joys of queer life.

The novel follows the life of a young woman named San, who navigates the complexities of loneliness and longing in urban South Korea. After a traumatic childhood experience leaves her emotionally scarred, San moves to Seoul, where she finds work in a flower shop. As she interacts with the people around her, including her enigmatic boss and a mysterious artist, San grapples with her past and seeks connection in a world that often feels isolating. The story delves into themes of memory, identity, and the quiet resilience of the human spirit.

Greek Lessons (Korean: 희랍어 시간, romanized: Huilab-eo Sigan) is a 2011 novel by South Korean author Han Kang. Published in South Korea on November 10, 2011, the book received an English-language release on April 18, 2023 by Hogarth Press. The novel was translated into English by Deborah Smith and Emily Yae Won.

The book is a candid memoir that explores the author's journey through depression and therapy, capturing her raw and honest conversations with her psychiatrist. Through a series of therapy sessions, the author delves into her struggles with self-esteem, societal pressures, and the paradoxical desire to live fully while battling mental health challenges. The narrative is interspersed with reflections on everyday life and the comfort found in small pleasures, like eating tteokbokki, offering a relatable and intimate portrayal of navigating the complexities of mental health.

"The Plotters" is a gripping novel set in a dystopian world where assassins are hired to eliminate targets chosen by a secret organization. Reseng, a highly skilled and detached killer, finds himself caught in a web of conspiracy and betrayal when his latest target turns out to be someone he knows. As he delves deeper into the mysterious workings of the organization, Reseng must confront his own past and question the morality of his profession. With its dark humor and unpredictable twists, this book explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions.

The novel is a surreal exploration of the lives of individuals with peculiar abilities and experiences, known as "symptomers," who are documented in a mysterious cabinet. The story is narrated by an ordinary office worker named Mr. Kong, who becomes the custodian of this cabinet filled with bizarre and fantastical case files. As he delves deeper into the lives of these symptomers, he grapples with themes of isolation, identity, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels disconnected and strange. The narrative blends elements of magical realism and dark humor, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition and the complexities of modern life.

Set in a dystopian future, the narrative unfolds within a colossal skyscraper city-state, where the lives of its inhabitants are intricately intertwined with the building's complex bureaucracy and social hierarchy. Through a series of interconnected stories, the book explores themes of power, control, and the human condition, highlighting the absurdities and challenges faced by individuals navigating this vertical society. The characters' personal struggles and ambitions reflect broader societal issues, offering a satirical yet poignant commentary on modern urban life and governance.

Your Utopia is a 2024 short story collection by Bora Chung. The collection was translated into English by Anton Hur.

The novel delves into the haunting legacy of Algeria's tumultuous past, weaving a narrative that explores the lingering effects of colonialism and war on its people. Through the intertwined stories of several characters, the book examines themes of memory, identity, and the struggle for reconciliation in a nation grappling with its history. As the characters navigate their personal and collective traumas, the story reveals the enduring specters of Algeria's past and the complex path toward healing and understanding.

My Brilliant Life (Korean: 두근두근 내 인생; lit. My Palpitating Life) is a 2014 South Korean drama film starring Gang Dong-won and Song Hye-kyo. It was co-written and directed by E J-yong based on the 2011 novel My Palpitating Life by Kim Ae-ran. My Brilliant Life won the Third Place Audience Award at the 17th Udine Far East Film Festival in 2015. My Brilliant Life was released under CJ Entertainment in Korea on September 3, 2014. The film received an official wide release in China on March 13, 2015.

A seductive, disorienting novel that manipulates the fragile line between dreams and reality, by South Korea’s leading contemporary writerA startling and boundary-pushing novel, Untold Night and Day tells the story of a young woman’s journey through Seoul over the course of a night and a day. It’s 28-year-old Ayami’s final day at her box-office job in Seoul’s audio theater. Her night is spent walking the sweltering streets of the city with her former boss in search of Yeoni, their missing elderly friend, and her day is spent looking after a mysterious, visiting poet. Their conversations take in art, love, food, and the inaccessible country to the north.Almost immediately, in the heat of Seoul at the height of the summer, order gives way to chaos as the edges of reality start to fray, with Ayami becoming an unwitting escort into a fever-dream of increasingly tangled threads, all the while images of the characters’ overlapping realities repeat, collide, change, and reassert themselves in this masterful work that upends the very structure of fiction and narrative storytelling and burns itself upon the soul of the reader.By one of the boldest and most innovative voices in contemporary Korean literature, and brilliantly realized in English by International Man Booker­–winning translator Deborah Smith, Bae Suah’s hypnotic and wholly original novel asks whether more than one version of ourselves can exist at once, demonstrating the malleable nature of reality as we know it.

The novel is a meditative exploration of life, loss, and the color white, as the narrator reflects on her own existence and the death of her older sister, who died shortly after birth. Through a series of vignettes, the narrator contemplates various white objects and phenomena, such as snow, rice, and swaddling bands, using them as a lens to examine themes of grief, memory, and the ephemeral nature of life. The narrative weaves together personal history and philosophical musings, creating a poignant and introspective journey that blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination.

The novel explores the profound connection between humans and nature through the story of a young man who returns to his rural hometown in Korea after years in the city. As he reconnects with his roots, he encounters the beauty and simplicity of rural life, which rekindles his appreciation for the natural world. The narrative delves into themes of nostalgia, the passage of time, and the healing power of nature, ultimately highlighting the importance of preserving cultural and environmental heritage in the face of modernity.