The Korea Times

K-LIT REVIEW Cho Yeeun’s ‘Shift’ reveals true cost of a miracle

What are you willing to trade for a miracle? Your life, or someone else’s? And if that’s the price, then which lives are worth saving? These questions lie at the heart of Cho Yeeun’s debut full-length novel, “Shift,” which won the grand prize at the 4th Kyobo Bookstore Story Contest in 2016 and is newly published by U.K.-based imprint Honford Star with an English translation by Yewon Jung. The setup of “Shift” is immediately compelling: Detective Yi Chang, whose sister’s life was prolonged by a miracle 10 years ago, now needs another one to save his niece, who suffers from the same ailment. His biggest lead is a corpse covered in malignant tumors, found in a secluded beach hideout. The more Yi Chang learns about the truth behind that long-ago event, the more he realizes that miracles aren’t such an innocent matter — that even the smallest blessing can incur a terrible price. Divided into three sections, “Shift” first follows Yi Chang in his quest, then turns its attention to a young man named Lan who holds the secret to the much-coveted miracle, before weaving th

May 19, 2026By Emerald Gao

[K-LIT REVIEW] Cho Yeeun’s ‘Shift’ reveals true cost of a miracle

Global Community

Gamers find common ground, community at LoLMeetupKorea

People from all corners of the world gathered in Seoul in early February for a feast worthy of the upcoming Lunar Near Year: Two tables were laden with ubiquitous Korean fare like dumplings and fried chicken, homemade comfort food from abroad like shepherd’s pie, garlic bread and tres leches cake, as well as all manner of snacks, and even some libations in the form of Jell-O shots. This was the scene at the Valentine’s Day Platonic Potluck hosted by LoLMeetupKorea (LoLMK), a community of English-speaking gamers who play on Riot Games’ Korean League of Legends (LoL) server. The timing of the event meant international residents could enjoy a festive gathering ahead of the holidays, even far away from home. The food offerings were as diverse as the group members, ranging from Korean Americans who want to stay connected with English-speaking culture to international students and workers searching for gaming buddies, and even soldiers stationed in Korea. LoLMK was founded at least 14 years ago and is currently helmed by owner/leader Eric Hwang and Phil Chung. Chung, the deputy leader,

Feb 25, 2026By Emerald Gao

Gamers find common ground, community at LoLMeetupKorea

Books

K-LIT REVIEW Loneliness connects humans, vampires in ‘Midnight Shift’

In a world with more than 8 billion people, it’s astonishing that one of the most universal experiences is loneliness. There are many ways to be alone — by leaving others behind, being left behind, ignored or cast out by others. Unlike solitude, which is often voluntary, it can transform people into monsters, turning them against each other or against the world. That’s the kind of loneliness Cheon Seon-ran explores in “The Midnight Shift,” a novel marketed as a vampire mystery but actually an exploration of the human struggle to make connections in a world that often doesn’t seem to care. Cheon first made her literary mark with “A Thousand Blues” (2020), which won the 4th Korea Sci-fi Literature Award and is slated for a U.S. film adaptation. “The Midnight Shift,” published in Korea in 2021 and released in English by Bloomsbury last year in a debut translation by Gene Png, reflects the author’s love of horror and was partially inspired by her mother’s stay at a convalescent hospital. Neither genre fiction nor gory thriller, readers should expect less vampire act

Jan 23, 2026By Emerald Gao

[K-LIT REVIEW] Loneliness connects humans, vampires in ‘Midnight Shift’

Global Community

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK I pity the fool who doesn't try Grandma Piie

Seoul has a lot of great pizzerias, many of which have been highlighted in this Restaurant of the Week column, but one of the most unique would have to be Grandma Piie in Sindorim Station. "The extra i is for extra flavor," says a Reddit reviewer. For those who pass through Sindorim as part of their daily commute, it is widely considered one of the worst stations on the Seoul Metro map. No one can be faulted for having low expectations for a pizza place right here. But this little focaccia bakery defies all preconceptions. When you walk in, right off the platform for Line 1 trains headed north into the city, there's an armada of focaccia pizzas under a display case. The pizza toppings range from traditional — the three-cheese Grandma Piie, the Meat Bonkers! which is basically a meat lover's, a delectable mushroom medley — to slightly more inventive. There's a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast variety, a creamy spinach alfredo, and a jalapeno Hawaiian pizza featuring an almost delicate relish-style pepper topping and a generous smear of Grandma's marinara sauce. For the dip and drizzle

Jan 12, 2026By Jon Dunbar and Emerald Gao

Emerald Gao

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K-LIT REVIEW Cho Yeeun’s ‘Shift’ reveals true cost of a miracle

Gamers find common ground, community at LoLMeetupKorea

K-LIT REVIEW Loneliness connects humans, vampires in ‘Midnight Shift’

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK I pity the fool who doesn't try Grandma Piie

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