10 Must-Read Korean Novels in Translation

한국문학을 사랑해주시고 소개해 주셔서 대단히 고맙습니다.
저는 소설을 낭독하고 있는데 이 채널을 접하고 더욱 신중하고 재미있게 낭독해야겠다는 책임감이 드는군요.
이 채널의 독자분들 모두 행복한 오늘 되시길요~

The Plotters contains some of my favorite lines, "Black tea is steeped in imperialism. That's what gives it its flavor. Anything this flavorful has to be hiding an incredible amount of carnage." Just genius. It makes you think about your own consumption.

I started reading the vegetarian … the first part was fine( I didn’t finish it rather I abandoned as I would a burning coal)… ironically it’s not about being vegetarian( which I am😅)…
Rather it points to the failure of society even the people closest to you to understand you( that’s how I read it)… the woman is literally starving herself because something is not right for her inside out… (as someone who realised I was anorexic and struggled to rise above I can relate)… but for people all that mattered was that she had become vegetarian… the sheer blindness of people was staggering…this is why even though I didn’t find the characters or plot interesting I could continue reading… because it hit different… and the the bits where you get the woman’s perspective is interesting… the violent undertone .. gave it a more malevolent and sinister vibe.

But the second part made me hurl… I tried to push through it but the brother in law’s sexual descriptions and fetishisation were not only perverse … it felt like I was trying to force an abhorrent alien object into my system … just yuck!

I love Almond not sure if it's counted as a korean literature book but it's originally written in korean so ig that counts it's brilliant, it's heartbreaking to see someone suffer so much yet you sit there helplessly without actually being able to help the protagonist. I FREAKING LOVE IT SO MUCH AS A TEENAGERS I RELATE WITH SOME PARTS IN THE NOVEL AS WE ARE MOSTLY OVERLOOKED BY THE SOCIETY... GIVE IT A READ ITS GREAT!!

I honestly couldn’t finish the hole bc I was so disturbed. And like you said, nothing outwardly terrifying happens 😂

Thanks for this video! I am a fan of Korean films and series and I noticed the terrific writing. This made me curious about the literature. I just read the Vegetarian (as per your recommendation) and WOW! The White Book is up next.

I started reading Hye-Young Pyun and i have to say that i just absolutely love it so far, ill update when i am finished. I think you have immaculate taste in your book choice and you're very well spoken ~ either way thank you so much for your recommendations. I am also quite a huge fan of Ito Junji and asian literature in general. Finding your channel was literally my favourite thing today! ♡

Your video about Whale made me realize how few Korean novels I've read, but I've loved everything I've read so far. My favorite at the moment is Love in the Big City. Also really loved Flowers of Mold, Kim Jiyoung and The Vegetarian. I'm going to make reading books by Korean writers a bigger priority. 😊

appreciate the background bits artfully woven in on names and history 🤍

I loved 'Untold Night and Day' though I didn't think that it was in any way 'Lynchian', that is not how it feels to me. A great read and a real treasure imo, though not a standard or straightforward narrative, somewhat surreal and don't expect everything to be explained at the end, just enjoy the journey.

Pyun Hye-Young is my cousin! I am so proud of her! :)

THE kafkaesk novel?! Say no more.

I haven’t read a lot of Korean literature yet, but I read Human Acts this year and it’s one of my favorite pieces of literature I’ve ever experienced! It was so incredibly touching and gripping, I cried multiple times and annotated so much.
Some Korean lit that I wish would be translated are Jung Eun-gwol‘s novels, especially „Hong Chungi“ and „the moon that embraces the sun“ since I watched the TV adaptations of those^^

ive only read one, its Human Acts by Han Kang. One of my treasured books honestly. I read it when i was in middle school and really bawled my eyes out. It also didn’t help that I was in some sort of existential depression then.🤧😅

I‘m in love with how you talk and explain so much without revealing anything and love how you chose your words and just the way you talk! Also thank you so much for that video!

I don’t know if you’ll get this as it’s an older video, but thank you so much for this talk and list. I’m going through translated Korean books, one by one. Yesterday, I spoke to one of my oldest and dearest friends who comes from Korea just like my siblings do. We spoke of being between identities and the difficulty of finding balance when exploring who you are. It’s so easy to despise or idealize a certain far off country that gives you a complicate experience of well, yourself. I said to her, “I don’t idealize or despise Korea, but I do so thank the country because it made my family possible, it made our friendship possible.” She cried when I said that. However, I want to realize, I don’t just read to learn (which as you know is not the goal or duty of authors/translators), but to experience literature, really good literature. It’s fun and beautiful! Furthermore, I experience the mind and journey of the translator which is an incredible thing to think about. They reveal the world in how colorful and diverse and remarkable it truly is! So thank you for this list. I’ve already started and can’t wait to explore more.

I‘m so glad I found you here 🤩 Thanks for all the recommendations! Have read and re-read all of Han Kang‘s novels and need more Korean literature 😊

Wow, The Hole sounds absolutely amazing and terrifying. I'll have to look for a copy

I think I can listen to you 24/7

I loved Pachinko!!! And how it was written, to jump from 3 generations it had hope then it had heartbreak and so much more!

Thank you for this video! I discovered quite a few very interesting novels that might really suit my taste like The Plotters and The Court Dancer. I've already had some of these on my to-read list, but you convinced me to pick them up sooner! Your passion for translated books is beaming and I loved to see that~

Edit: ALSO thanks to you I discovered that The White Book is set in Warsaw - the capitol of Poland, where I'm from and I actually live close lolol that made me want to pick it up even more! I looked it up and it was even translated into Polish with the title being "The White Elegy". Interesting choice, do you think it suits the book?

Wish i had seen this a year ago, well now i am inspired to read a book i havent felt like reading for a while so now, i have a few books to find. Just wanted to say that The Hole that you talk about there is a Japenese book by the same name? Any connection ? Or no, interesting. Anyway i'm on info overload, i've read some Murakami, so hope to get through a few books and hopefully improve my poor critique skills can get alittle better. Thanks M
Its good to listen to good book reviews.

Your hair looks like a kpop star in this! So cute

Korean women write like a knife through the heart. It's not uncommon for me to cry through an entire book

Did you read "The cabinet" speking of Un-Su Kim? I heard of his crime fiction and I acctualy have another of his crime novels, I don't know if this one got translated in English, french title is "Le sang chaud". I that wasn't the one I orginaly setted out to buy but they only had this one in the library. I'm usually trying to wait for the "poche" - pocket sized additions as they're easier to carry and also cost around 10€ max. I got "Le placard" - "The cabinet" after I moved and acctualy read it first. I'm used to weird books (Isaka Kotaro came to my mind, or Kafka) but that was one of the weirdest I've read. The French cover acctualy has the hand with ginko leaf growing out of it, referencing one of the characters in the book who has an actual tree growing out of him. I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

love you too?

Ok so now I want to read aaallll of these right this minute and I don't know what to do with myself :'D

Untold Day and Night is a claustrophobic and magical book.

A Least We Can Apologise by Lee Ki-Ho is a surreal, satirical masterpiece. Should be on the list.

I have read very few Korean novels, so again, I don't have your wide knowledge.
I have read Kim Jiyoung last year. I think it is a very good book, because it gets its message through, and achieves its goal. However, and you touched on that, it is a very underwhelming and meh novel. It is almost non-fiction. I still think it is worth reading though, and I would recommend it, but with caveat.
This year I have read so far Pachinko (famous) and Almond by Won-pyung Sohn. Two very different novels, but I liked both very much.
I have added some of your suggestions to my list.

Honestly, I hated Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, but I will keep it on my shelf as long as I live in Korea. It helps weed out men in my life. It's a book I didn't like, but I think is important. I would have appreciated it more if it had just been non-fiction.

I think “ your republic is calling you “ by young ha Kim is a great book too! Disguised as a political novel but deeper it covers issues such as family , fate in life and choices. A great and very accessible read.

I also read those three Hankang books 😍 and Kim Jiyoung born 1982! I just loved them all, now I'm looking for my next Korean book ¡Thank you for the help!

I stumbled upon your blog and now I'm watching your videos. I adore how you describe these books, and I can't wait to read them

I just moved to UK from Japan, where I was gorging myself on the wide selection of Korean novels, short stories and essays translated into Japanese. It even came to a point where almost all the books I was reading were by Korean writers! Now that I'm in UK I'm trying to get my hands on English translations of Korean literature that are not available in Japanese (including some works by Kyung-Sook Shin whom I adore). I found your video extremely helpful and insightful, thank you!

I found this video while randomly searching for Korean bookish advice. What a great find! I have to try and read all these books now... and watch more of your videos!

I just finished one of Korean fiction called please look after mom. It was exquisite and I really love it. I think I fall for Korean novels so I try to find more titles. Thank you so much

I'm reading "b book and me" but the bad italian translation is ruining my pleasure of reading it.

Disappointed to hear Korean genre fiction has by in large not been translated as of yet.
Read the Plotters a few years ago and loved it.

Where can i read them

What is your job,I’m curious 🤨

Absolutely in love with these reviews...especially The Court Dancer. Thank you

The Hole was absolutely brilliant. It's own kind of horror.

한국인인데 한권도 안읽어봤지

Sorry, but I can't help getting sidetracked by your attractive accent. lol

I love your Asian lit recommendation videos

I recommend yolk! It's a little heavy but the ending is a happy one. *A few tw, ed(bulimia), cancer

How about if you review Indonesian Novel?

Vegetarian did it for me and now I'm here and ready to be done again