Reading List
Kim Ho-Yeon
South Korean Novelist
Kim Ho-Yeon is a South Korean writer who has worked as a novelist, playwright and comic book writer. His honours include the 9th Segye Literary Prize, Yes24 Book of the Year and Millie Audiobook of the Year. He lives in Seoul. His novel The Second Chance Convenience Store was published in Korea in 2021 and in English in 2025, translated by Janet Hong. It follows a convenience store owner who hires a homeless man. His picks here are five 21st-century Korean novels that he enjoyed and that are popular in Korea.
01
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Love in the Big City
by Sang Young Park · 2022 · Fiction
“If you're after a cheerful and bittersweet queer novel, Sang Young Park's work is a must-read.” — via Interview, June 2025
02
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The Plotters
by Un-su Kim · 2019 · Crime
“It's a very strong and exciting reading experience which offers insight, tension, and lingering emotions all at once.” — via Interview, June 2025
03
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Whale
by Cheon Myeong-kwan · 2023 · Fiction
“It's an epic kind of novel, tracing South Korea's economic and social development through the characters and landscapes. It feels very cinematic.” — via Interview, June 2025
04
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8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster
by Mirinae Lee · 2024 · Fiction
“I highly recommend this true masterpiece that vividly portrays the strength of Korean women.” — via Interview, June 2025
05
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Concerning My Daughter
by Kim Hye-jin · 2022 · Fiction
“Concerning my Daughter is a powerful work that candidly and coolly depicts generational conflicts and the absurdities present in Korean society.” — via Interview, June 2025
