South Korea is now becoming one of the most searched countries because of its rising popularity of K-pop, K-Drama, Korean skincare, technology, and many more. This popularity also is the reason for the gaining popularity among readers of Korean Books. I’m writing some of the top 10 best Korean books for beginners which will grow your interest if you are starting to read Korean books.
Here is the list of the top 10 best Korean books for beginners which you should not miss –
1. Almond By Won-Pyung Sohn (Translated by Joosun Lee)
Almond is a cheery, cozy ball of sunlight. Yunjae lacks the ability to feel either fear or anger because of a brain disorder called alexithymia. Above the bookstore they manage, he lives with his mother and grandmother. Grandmother educated him on how to fake emotions and get by in society. Due to his unique personality, the bully Gon targets him. Additionally, he unintentionally suffers from violence, which kills his mother and grandma. Yunjae learns to live alone. He has to deal with the various problems as an odd friendship forms between him and Gon.
2. Kim Ji-young Born 1982 By Cho Nam Joo ( Translated by Jamie Chang)
The tale of every woman in Korea, or more specifically, the story of the millennial woman. Jiyoung’s parents always had hoped for a boy. JiYoung’s journey is followed from infancy into adulthood. Her life is full of obstacles which start with poisonous bosses, harassing instructors, and finally a household existence. Because of all these problems she has to give up her job. Despite being short, this book is quite agitating.
3. Pachinko By Min Jin Lee
A grandiose family narrative about the prejudice towards Koreans in Japan conveyed through underworld pachinko parlors, Japanese colleges, and public spaces. Although the characters seemed distant, contrary to what I would often anticipate in a family story, the historical setting makes this novel a success. While reading this novel, you’ll cry.
4. Please Look After Mother By Kyung Sook-Shin (Translated by Chi-Young Kim)
At a subway station, a senior woman visiting her relatives in Seoul gets cut off. Her family is horrified to learn she has been left behind when the train pulls away. As the family searches for their missing matriarch, Shin describes the mother’s interactions with her husband, their rural life, and each of her children. It sheds light on the lives of both young and elderly while posing important queries about the ties that bind families and the challenges brought on by aging. It received the Man Asian literature prize in 2012 and became a bestseller in South Korea.
5. The Vegetarian By Han Kang (Translated By Deborah Smith)
A three-part South Korean book by Han Kang, The Vegetarian was originally released in 2007. The Vegetarian, based on Han’s short story “The Fruit of My Woman” from 1997, is set in contemporary Seoul and tells the tale of Yeong-hye, a part-time graphic artist and homemaker, whose decision to give up meat after having a bloody, nightmare-inducing dream about human cruelty has devastating effects on her personal and familial life.
6. If I Had Your Face By Frances Cha
The focus of Cha’s debut is on South Korean society and the obsessive quest for beauty that many women undertake, with particular attention paid to how these women interact and fit into the country’s social order. Kyuri, whose several procedures have given her a comfortable position at a beauty salon, and Sujin, who finally receives the surgery she has been waiting for but must endure a protracted and painful recovery, are just two of the ladies with extraordinary and one-of-a-kind tales.
7. If You Leave Me By Crystal Hana Kim
Kyunghwan, Haemi’s childhood pal, has always been a favorite. However, Haemi decides to wed Kyunghwan’s affluent cousin in order to provide her family protection after she, her brother, and her mother are forced to flee their house by the communist-backed army from the north and end up as refugees during the Korean War. This tragic choice has a number of effects that reverberate for decades. If You Leave Me is a lovely, compelling journey about love, family, and sacrifice that is equal parts love tale and family epic.
8. Human Acts By Han Kang
Han Kang is a South Korean author of the book Human Acts.The democratization revolt in Gwangju, Korea, on May 18, 1980, is referenced in the book. One boy’s death serves as the catalyst in the book for a detailed look at the Gwangju revolt and the lives of others living there. Human Acts was awarded the Malaparte Prize and the Manhae Prize for Literature.
9. A Single Shard By Linda Sue Park
Orphan Tree-ear resides under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a community of potters known for its gorgeous celadon pottery. He has become enthralled with the art of pottery and longs to see master potter Min in action. He also harbors the hope of one day creating his own pot. Tree-ear is thrilled when Min hires him as his worker, but soon finds challenges in his way, including the backbreaking work of excavating and carting clay, Min’s irascible temper, and his own inexperience.
10. The Hole By Pyun Hye-Young
This work straddles the border between a psychological suspense novel and literary horror. Ogi is informed that he has survived a terrible vehicle accident that killed his wife and left him paralyzed and mute. When he awakened he was unable to talk or move. When he was discharged from the hospital, his mother-in-law takes over his care. She dismisses his home nurse and moves in, frequently ignoring his needs and leaving him immobile. As soon as he is able to move around the home, he discovers that his MIL has begun digging sizable holes in the front garden which his wife had adored.
all these books are some of the best Korean books for beginners. These books will increase my curiosity to read more Korean Books because of the thrilling, heart-touching, interesting, and kind stories of life.
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