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🇰🇷 your favorite LA-born & raised Korean ahjumma, reader, and writer who is obsessed with Korean Lit, sad and weird books, & food. #ManseMarch creator
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Recent posts
🇰🇷 2026 KOREAN TRANSLATED BOOKS (Updated July 2026) 🇰🇷
Here’s the updated list of all the Korean translated books that came out and are coming out in 2026. The pub dates are noted below. Enjoy! And please save and share if you found this valuable. 🙏🏼
Slide 2:
• A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa, tr. by Slin Jung (out 1/13)
• Two Women Living Together by Kim Hana and Hwang Sunwoo, tr.. by Gene Png (out 1/20)
• Simple Heart by Cho Haejin, tr. by Jamie Chang (out 2/3)
Slide 3:
• With the Heart of a Ghost: Stories by Lim Sunwoo, tr. by Chi-Young King (out 2/10 in US and 3/26 in UK/EU)
• Holy Boy by Lee Heejoo, tr. by Joheun Lee (out 2/17)
• Light and Thread by Han Kang, tr. by Maya West, e.yaewon, and Paige Aniyah Morris (out 3/5 in UK and 3/24 in US)
Slide 4:
• Lady No by Kim Hyesoon, tr. by Jack Saebyok Jung (out 4/14)
• Mrs. Shim is a Killer by Kang Jiyoung, tr. by Paige Morris (out 4/21)
• If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Choyeop, tr. by Anton Hur (4/28 in US and 5/7 in UK/EU)
Slide 5:
• Project V by Park Seolyeon, tr. by Gene Png (out 4/28)
• Narrow Moons by Choi Sungmin, tr. by Janet Hong (out 5/19)
• Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun, tr. by Sung Ryu (out 5/26)
Slide 6:
• Shift by Yeeun Cho, tr. by Yewong Jung (out 5/29 in UK/EU only)
• The Heart of the Nhaga The Bird That Drinks Tears, Book 1) by Lee Young-do, translated by Anton Hur (out 6/2)
• The Forest Called You by Amil, tr. by Joheun Lee (out 6/4 in UK/EU only)
Slide 7:
• Swell by Son Bo-Mi, tr. by Janet Hong (out 6/9)
• Orange and the Bread Knife by Cheong Ye, tr. by Slin Jung (out 6/11 in UK/EU only)
• The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-Jeong, tr. by Shanna Tan (out 7/7)
Slide 8:
• The Seoul Letter Shop by Baek Seungyeon, tr. by Claire Richards (out 7/16 in EU/UK and 10/6 in US)
• Hello Baby by Kim Eui-Kyoung, tr. by Inwon Park (out 7/28)
• Everything Happened at Once by Choi Jin-Young, tr by Soje (out 7/30)
Slide 9:
• Plant Lady by Kang Minyoung, tr. by Shanna Tan (out 7/30 in EU/UK and 8/4 in US)
• That Summer’s End by Lee Seong-bok, tr. by Anton Hur (out 8/4)
• A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young, tr. by Sophie Bowman (out 8/11)
[rest in pinned comment]
16 Jul 2026
🇰🇷 MANSE MARCH: KOREAN DIASPORA CANON (part one) 🇰🇷
l’ve been working on this post for awhile now and honestly I was still tweaking this until the last minute.
There’s no way I could include all the titles I found in my research in this post and I can only presume that I will be editing and adding to this list for years to come.
I am only posting part one and I don’t know if I’ll be posting part two here or just on my substack. Haven’t decided yet but might be a substack only thing.
But for today, here’s the list for what I consider to the KOREAN DIASPORA CANON. I am constantly learning so please share your recs and feedback below. And if you don’t see your fav book, it’s probably in part two.
And as always, if you found this post helpful please share and follow for me!
Slide 2:
Chapter 1: How it Started (1930s - 1990s)
1. East Goes West by Younghill Kang
2. The Martyred by Richard E. Kim
3. Death of a Crow by Kim Sok-Pom, tr. by Christina Yi
4. The Trials of Pak Tal and Other Stories by Kim Tal-Su, tr. by Christopher D. Scott
Slide 3:
Chapter 1: 1930s - 1990s
1. Clay Walls by Ronyoung Kim
2. Dictee by Theresa Ha Kyung Cha
3. Native Speaker by Chang Rae Lee
4. Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller
Slide 5:
Chapter 2: 2000s - 2020s
1. The Interpreter by Suki Kim
2. The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim
3. Drifting House by Krys Lee
4. Forgotten Country by Catherine Chung
Slide 6:
Chapter 2: 2000s - 2020s
1. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
2. If You Leave Me by Crystal Hana Kim
3. White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
4. The Mermaid of Jeju by Sumi Hahn
Slide 7:
Chapter 2: 2000s - 2020s
1. Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim
2. Sonju by Wondra Chang
3. Shelter by Jung Yun
4. Excavations by Hannah Michell
Slide 8:
Chapter 2: 2000s - 2020s
1. The Evening Hero by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
2. The Apology by Jimin Han
3. The Liberators by E.J. Koh
4. Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park
[Reposting because @gorgelings graciously pointed out an error on my part—I forgot to include the correct synopsis for one . And I cannot stand to have incorrect info in my post. So thank you for that call-out. And please re-engage and share!]
23 Mar 2026
🇰🇷 MANSE MARCH: INTRO TO KOREAN LITERATURE (A GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS) PART ONE 🇰🇷
Happy #ManseMarch! Kicking things off is a guide that I hope new and seasoned Korean lit lovers would appreciate. Though, it is more geared towards the beginner, I also learned a lot while compiling this so think it could be useful for any and all.
Enjoy! And as a reminder, I put a lot of time and effort into this so if you could share widely that would be so helpful and appreciated.
Oh and lastly, the titles for these categories were 100% inspired by Minsoo Kang’s THE MELANCHOLY OF UNTOLD STORY (which I loved).
Slide 2: OUR MYTH
• Vestiges of Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea (Samgak Yusa)
• The Nine Cloud Dream by Kim Manjung, tr. by Heinz Insu Fenkl
• The Story of Hong Gildong tr. by Minsoo Kang
Slide 3: OUR HISTORY (ancestors)
• The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong by Hong Hyegyeong, translated by JaHyun Kim Haboush
• Mujong by Yi Kwang Su, tr. by Ann Sung-hi Lee
• Bitterness of the Inner Quarters by Na Hye-Seok, tr. by Sora Kim-Russell
Slide 4: OUR HISTORY (ancestors)
• On the Eve of the Uprising and Other Stories from Colonial Korea tr. by Sunyoung Park
• Into the Light by Kim Sa-Ryang, tr. by Jane Kim
• From Wonso Pond by Kang Kyong-Ae, tr. by Samuel Perry
Slide 5: OUR HISTORY (elders)
• The Square by Choi In-Hun, tr. by Kim Seong-Kon
• Land by Park Kyong-Ni, Part 1 tr. by Agnita Tennant
• Seopyeonje by Yi Chong-Jun, tr. by Kim Ok Young
Slide 6: OUR HISTORY (literary masters)
• The Guest by Hwang Sok-Yong, tr. by Kyung-Ja Chun and Maya West
• The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness by Shin Kyung-Sook, tr. by Ha-Yun Jung
• Black Flower by Kim Yong Ha, tr. by Charles La Shure
Slide 7: OUR HISTORY (literary masters)
• Sun-i Samchon by Hyun Ki-Young, tr. by Lee Jung-He
• Human Acts by Han Kang, tr. by Deborah Smith
• One Left by Kim Soon, tr. by Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton
PART TWO TO COME…
#mansemarch
01 Mar 2026
here are my thoughts on the @nationalbookfoundation finalists for Fiction.
and side note: i wasn’t going to buy a fuzzy mic but the audio is bugging me. if you have one, do you like yours? which ones would you recommend that won’t kill my wallet (cuz you know, i have kids to feed 😂)?
11 Nov 2026
📖 BOOKER & NBA BOOK REVIEW: THE RENOVATION by Kenan Orhan [gifted @fsgbooks] 📖
Dilaria spends her days with a husband who is anxious and a father who is battling Alzheimer’s. Having fled their home country of Turkey due to Erdoğan’s authoritarian regime, the trio are living in Italy in exile. To accommodate the responsibilities of being her father’s sole caretaker, Dilaria and her husband renovate their bathroom to make room for him to move in. However, when the renovations are done what she finds is not a bathroom, but a prison cell in Turkey complete with its own guard.
The prison cell as a metaphor for displacement and exile for both the body and the mind is obvious and some could argue heavy-handed. It serves as a a physical manifestation of the political situation of Turkey as well as a physical portal into her home country, providing access to past memories. As things at home become more volatile and difficult, Dilaria finds herself pulled to the prison. It becomes her temporary relief from the heavy responsibilities of her bleak reality. The traveling between two realities—prison cell in Turkey to another kind of confinement in Italy—is incredibly effective in revealing the ways in which a self is compartmentalized, whether by the government, by society, or by our own selves, life under physical and mental exile is daunting.
I found so much to love in this book: moments of humor wedged between tragedy, the portrayal of living in exile and the yearning that comes with it, and the explorations of both the burden and hope of memory.
I’m bummed this one didn’t make the shortlist for both @thebookerprizes or @nationalbookfoundation shortlist because this was one of my top reads of the year.
If you’ve read this, what were your thoughts?
Thank you @fsgbooks for the review copy.
10 Nov 2026
Today @thebookerprizes will be announcing the 2026 winner and it’s no secret that my favorite to win is THE DISAPPEARERS by @marlonjameswriter.
It is a hard book to read and probably love for many but that is why it deserves its flowers. It’s daring and inspiring and cruel and horrific and tender and soul-crushing. It does things that no other book on this year’s longlist does.
09 Nov 2026
✨NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS PRESS CREW✨
Hi bookstagram 👋 We are absolutely ECSTATIC to be attending the @nationalbookfoundation Awards together in less than two weeks, so we figured we’d introduce ourselves as we prep to walk the red carpet, dance the night away, and cover the whole ceremony live on Wednesday, November 18! Your bookfluencer press crew is:
Steph aka @pieladybooks
Jordan aka @_completelybooked
Helen aka @readwithneleh
Deedi aka @deedireads
Follow along because it’s going to be an amazing time! 👯♀️👯♀️
#nationalbookawards #nationalbookfoundation #booksta #booklovers #bookevents
06 Nov 2026
Finally decided on TEN BEFORE THE END! Will I read them all? Who knows but these are the ones I definitely want to prioritize before 2026 is over. It’s a good mix of litfic, translated, my beloved Korean lit, nonfiction, and of course the new PERCIVAL EVERETT!
Do we share any books in common that you want to read before the year is over?
• ANGER IS ONLY A SHADOW by Elizabeth Acevedo [ty @quilltreebooks]
I’ve read every single book of hers so obviously I’ll be reading this one too.
• THE QUEEN OF THE SPIRIT WOODS by Sharon Choe [ty @simonteen]
I haven’t read YA in awhile but this one looks so good!
• YOUR PRESENCE IS A DANGER TO YOUR LIFE by Samar Yazbek, tr. by Lers Price [ty @otherpress]
Prioritizing this now since I want to read it before the @nationalbookfoundation awards. I know it’s gonna be a hard read so I’m preparing myself.
• SWELL by Son Bo-Mi, tr. by Janet Hong [ty @twolinespress]
I love Korean translated short story collections. And @jjoongie assured me this one was great, so need to read it asap!
• THE SONG OF STORK AND DROMEDARY by Anjet Daanje, tr. by David McKay [ty @fsgoriginals]
I’ve purposely avoided reading full reviews for this, but I’ve heard the murmurings of how great this is. Excited to read it!
• TO GRIEVE IS TO CARRY ANOTHER TIME: A MEMOIR by Matthew Salesses [ty @littlebrown]
I started reading this a couple of months ago but put it down but I’m ready to dive back in. Readying my heart for it!
• A NOUTH FULL OF FINS by Cho Yeeun [ty @pantheonbooks]
I’m so glad to see that Korean translated horror books are getting translated by trad publishers. Move over healing fiction, it’s Korean horror time!
• SERIOUS MUSIC by Percival Everett [ty @doubledaybooks]
Do I need to say more? It’s the new Everett and I am so excited about it!
• DOWN AND OUT IN PARADISE: THE LIFE OF ANTHONY BOURDAIN by Charles Leerhsen [ty @simonandschuster]
Who doesn’t love Anthony Bourdain? I’m sure many of you were obsessed with NO RESERVATIONS like I was. So I had to add this biography to my list.
BONUS BOOK:
• KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL by Anthony Bourdain
I have to finally finish this book before I read th
05 Nov 2026
• LAST. NOW. NEXT. | NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS FICTION EDITION •
In gearing up for the National Book Awards (@nationalbookfoundation) in a couple of weeks, I’m prioritizing the Fiction finalists. Here’s what I’ve read, currently reading, and what I’ll be reading next from thaf category:
LAST
I finished PARADISO 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi [ty @aaknopf] and I am still trying to figure out how I feel about it. There were so many moments that were sad but also many more that frustrated me. It’s a book about exile and displacement, and one I really need to talk to someone about.
NOW
I am currently reading PRETEND YOU’RE DEAD AND I CARRY YOU by Julián Delgado Lopera (Ty @liverightbooks) and also listening to a library audio copy in tandem. It took me awhile to get into this but I’m halfway and enjoying the dual timeline and POV so far. I don’t speak Spanish but I am loving the inclusion of it throughout the book.
NEXT
MAD EDEN by Morgan Thomas is next and the final one from the shortlist for me to read. I saved this one for last because I’ve heard great things about this one. So, I am excited and hopeful.
If you’ve read these, what were your thoughts?
03 Nov 2026
📖 BOOKER BOOK REVIEW: SWITZY by Emma Cline [gifted @randomhousebooks @prhaudio] 📖
David is a very wealthy man who is battling Alzheimer’s and has decided to end his life on his own terms before his condition worsens. When the book opens, he is already on his way to Switzerland with his assistant, and we are along for the ride as we witness his last days.
SWITZY by Emma Cline was a difficult book to read. Cline does an excellent job of placing the reader into the mind of a man whose memory is fading. I felt the confusion and fear that David experienced as his mind split, jumbled, and glitched, as well as the desperation at his attempt to remember, hold things together, and if those failed, pretend to. I was in his mind and it was terrifying to witness.
But it was this feeling of terror that I felt was misplaced, mainly by me. As worried and anxious as I was for David, I also found myself… indifferent. David is a morally gray character, but he is also extremely privileged. And I just did not care enough about him nor the regretful life choices he’s made and the reparations he wanted to make.
I enjoyed the writing and the atmosphere Cline builds around David was impressive. But, I just wished the character itself was more interesting? Complex? I can only imagine that knowingly approaching the end of life, especially when met with dementia, for anyone can be a frightening experience. Cline delivers it well. But, for David, everything is controlled and protected by his wealth and power, even in his death. And for me, that just didn’t make an emotional impact as I hoped for.
I listened to this on audio and the narrator’s delivery and performance as David was incredibly impactful. If you do pick this up, I recommend the audio to be fully immersed in the mind of David.
I can see why this is loved by many and on the @thebookerprizes longlist but wasn’t my favorite from that list.
Thank you @randomhousebooks for the review copy and @prhaudio for the audio copy.
If you’ve read this, what did you think?
02 Nov 2026
• NOVEMBER 2026 BOOK RELEASES BY AUTHORS FROM ASIA CONTINENT OR PACIFIC ISLANDS •
Halloween is over and you know what that means, the rest of the year is going to fly by. It’s basically 2027, yall. 😭
Two more months left in 2026 and the new books keep on coming! Here are the ones by authors from entire continent of Asia and/or the Pacific Islands that are on my radar.
Swipe 👈🏼 for the titles.
Slide 2:
• Ahn Love by Frances Park (out 11/3)
• The Friday Bookshop by Sawako Natori, tr. by You Kajita (out 11/3)
• The Silver Kingdom by Radiya Hafiza (out 11/3)
• The Queen of the Spirit Woods by Sharon Choe (out 11/3)
• A Nobody Artist by Yoshiharu Tsuge, tr. by Ryan Holmberg (11/10)
• Blood of Silver by Allie Nguyen (out 11/10)
Slide 3:
• More Days at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi. Yagisawa, tr. by Eric Ozawa (out 11/10))
• Straight to the Source by K-Ming Chang (out 11/10)
• The First House by Avni Doshi (out 11/10)
• The Friend Seekers by Siamak Vosssoughi (out 11/10)
• An Edge Sharp Enough by Jesse Q. Sutanto (out 11/17)
• Deadlock by Chloe Gong (out 11/17)
Slide 4:
• Salt Water Blood by Manuia Heinrich (out 11/17)
• Tales of Green Tea by Miyako Watanabe, tr. by Cathy Hirano (out 11/17)
• Tiger’s Mouth by Lucy Tan (out 11/17)
• The Horse and I by Genki Kawamura, tr. by Chikako Kobayashi (out 11/17)
• The Book of Korean Mythology by Huck Kahng, illustrated by Michelle Wang (out 11/17)
• Under there Oak Tree, Volume 4 by Suji Kim (out 11/17)
Slide 5:
• Uprising by Tahmina Anam (out 11/17)
• Fieldwork as a Sex Object by Meena Kandasamy (out 11/24)
01 Nov 2026
I did it. I finally read the entire @thebookerprizes longlist!
I know so many people read this before the shortlist is announced so this might not be much of an accomplishment, but for my mood reading, commitment-phobic, ADHD-fueled brain, this is a huge win for me!
Also, for those who care, the books are featured in order of my favorites (from least to most). It’s no surprise which book is my favorite to win (pssst: itd THE DISAPPEARERS by Marlon James).
29 Oct 2026
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