Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'Pachinko' author’s next novel examines Korea’s passion for education
Korean American author Min Jin Lee attends a press conference held in Seoul, Aug. 8, 2022. Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
Min Jin Lee, the bestselling author of the global sensation "Pachinko," will return this fall with a new novel titled "American Hagwon," focusing on the intense Korean commitment to private education.
Cardinal, the publisher of Lee’s new book, said Wednesday that “American Hagwon” is scheduled for release on Sept. 29. It marks the third installment in Lee’s "diaspora quartet," following "Free Food for Millionaires" (2007) and "Pachinko" (2017).
The term "hagwon" in the title refers to Korean private tuition companies that provide intensive after-school lessons. Lee explained that her curiosity about why Koreans are so obsessed with education was a primary motivation for the book.
The novel follows a middle-class Korean family whose lives are shattered by a betrayal and the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Their journey takes them from Seoul to Sydney and finally to Southern California as they try to find their footing again.
"Almost a decade ago, I started to write 'American Hagwon' because I wanted to understand why education is so important to Koreans everywhere," Lee said in a statement. She noted that after finishing the work, she realized the story was also about "how to live a wise life in a world that was changing too fast."
Lee calls herself an accidental historian because she uses her stories to show the reality of society. She said she wants to check the mood of modern life and show how people try their best to succeed even when things are very difficult.
Reagan Arthur, senior vice president and publisher of Cardinal, described the novel as a "page-turning contemporary saga" that turns complex topics like economics into a personal family portrait.
"One family’s fight for survival is a battle that’s both universal and beautifully intimate," Arthur said.
Lee rose to global stardom with "Pachinko," which was a finalist for the National Book Award and became a New York Times bestseller.
The epic story, which follows four generations of a Korean family living in Japan, won praise for its powerful portrayal of identity and resilience. Its popularity grew even further after it was adapted into an Apple TV series.