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Best Korean books: 12 novels that will get you seriously invested in Korean literature
K-Literature is taking over our FYPs
Right now our BookTok recommendations have been full of Korean literature, from cosy healing fiction reads, to emotional and harrowing prize winning novels, it seems our reading lists are full of K-Literature stories. South Korea has shared it's literature with the world via translation for over a century, and in 1974 the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation gave a bigger boost to the sector by funding more translations of Korean works into English, but in the last few years there's been a real increase in Korean novels in our bookshops and on social media.
This is in part, due to the increased presence of Korean culture in the Western world, particularly on our TV screens, explains Jane Lawson, who runs the East Asia list at Transworld, Penguin Random House.
"The increased interest in Korean literature is completely international, if anything, we are a bit behind the curve, compared to other Western countries, in particular Italy. In part, it is driven by the appetite for K-dramas on Netflix and a fascination for East Asia in general," she explains. "Also the genre of healing fiction - a subgenre of cosy fiction which is huge right now - originated in Korea (K-healers) and the audience for these books are highly engaged on social media where most of these books are discussed and recommended."
And it's not just the cosy reads. Korean fiction is highly regarded in the literary world, with Han Kang having won the International Booker prize in 2016 and the last three years has seen three more novels shortlisted for the prestigious prize.
Lawson adds: "Korean literature of course is extremely rich, and at the literary end, there have been notable prizewinning books on our shelves for decades. Perhaps as the more popular end is driving a lot of the sales and the digital buzz, this is why it has become even more noticeable."
There's so much to explore within K-Literature, so if you don't know where to start, then we've rounded up the 12 best books you to get you started, including two new novels set for release in autumn this year, that are screaming ideal cosy reads, curled up on the sofa, tea in hand, as the rain starts falling.
Best Korean books
Kick off your Korean literature obsession with Miye Lee's debut novel, which tells the story of Penny who works in a department store in our collective subconscious that sells dreams. Across the many floors of the unique store there are dreams of every nature - flying is always sold out of course, and anything from childhood memories or achieving fame. As Penny begins, her pardon the pun, dream job, she begins to bond with their store's other workers in a truly magical place. There's also a sequel coming later this year.
As we head into cosy season this novel needs to be up next on your TBR. After a life of doing exactly what she thought she was meant to do and not feeling any happier after it, Yeongju bites the bullet and does what she's always wanted, and opens her own bookshop. There, she and her customers find comfort in the bookshelves, and learn to truly live.
Winner of the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, you can't get into Korean literature without reading something by Han Kang. Start with The Vegetarian, which tells the story of Yeong-hye, who one day out of the blue decides to be a vegetarian. However, in South Korea being a vegetarian is essentially unheard of and this choice soon sees Yeong-hye spiral further into doing more subversive acts and truly embrace her fantasies. It's not the lightest of reads, but it's truly worth adding to your list, along with Human Acts too.
Yunjae is born with a brain condition called Alexithymia which makes it difficult for him to feel emotions. But his life is good, he lives with his mother and grandmother above his mum's bookshop, and they leave post-it notes out for Yunjae about social cues.
But on his 16th birthday everything changes. An incident causes Yunjae to be completely alone, that is until he forms a bond with Gon, a troubled school kid. Gradually Yunjae starts to open up to a new life, and when Gon finds himself in trouble one day, Yunjae has the opportunity to open up and become the hero he always saw himself as.
In 2002, Da-on's sister Kim Hae-on was killed, and despite there being two suspects, no one was ever charged with her murder. 17 years later and Da-on is still plagued by grief and becomes determined to solve her sister's death. The novel shifts between Da-on's perspective and two of her sister's classmates, as they unpack the crime and the impact it's had.
When a debut is revered by Taylor Jenkis Reid and Curtis Sittenfeld, you know it's going to be good. If I Had Your Face is a story about four women in South Korea, who are all on the cusp of something. Kyuri is paid to entertain wealthy businessman, Miho is an artist whose life crosses over with the ultra elite, Ara is a hairstylist who becomes violently obsessed with a K-pop star and Wonna is pregnant with a child she has no way of looking after.
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is the story that highlights the persistent sexism women often face throughout their life. Told in six chapters, broken down for each part of Kim's life, the story shows the gradual descent into depression Kim goes into after becoming a housewife and stay at home mum. Cho Nam-Joo wrote this novel in just two months, as she said it was so similar to her own life. There's also a film adaptation to watch after you've read it.
69-year-old So-nyo goes missing in Seoul tube station, and as her family desperately search for her, long hidden family secrets and questions start to arise, and the family wonder just how well they actually knew their mother. The novel is told through the perspectives of the daughter, son, husband and mother and with over 2 million copies sold it's going straight on our TBR.
In a Benjamin Button style story, 16-year-old Areum has a condition where he ages exponentially, with the organs of an old man while still in his youth. As his birthday approaches he begins to write a manuscript about his and his families lives, with the hope to gift it to his parents. There's also been a movie adaptation too.
An International Booker Prize shortlist nominee, Whale interweaves the stories of people living in a small remote village. There's Geumbok, who ever since seeing a whale crest in the ocean has been seeking an indescribable thrill, there's her daughter Chunhui, who solely communicates with elephants and a one-eyed woman who can control honeybees with just a whistle.
Coming later this year is Jungeun Yun's Marigold Mind Laundry which tells the story of Jieun who accidentally misuses her powers which causes her family to disappear and so she lives a million different lives in order to search for them.
Released on 3rd October
Also set to hit bookshelves later this year is the Korean bestseller The Rainfall Market which is just screaming to be read curled up on a sofa in cold winter months. When the monsoon season starts a ramshackle building appears where inside are book shops, hairdressers and more, however, you can only enter by invitation. So when Serin is invited in, she jumps at the chance. Inside the market you have the opportunity to swap your life for a new one, but you only have a week to choose the perfect life, and if Serin fails she'll be stuck in the market forever.
Released on 28 November
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