The book uncovers the untold stories of Korean women performers who navigated successive waves of conflict as cultural laborers in military entertainment, offering insight into the intersection of war, gender, and culture in East Asia. Imperial Entertainers: Korean Women Performers from Military to Global Stages, 1937-1975 uncovers the untold stories of Korean women performers who navigated … [Read More]
Archives: Books
Here is a listing of all the books in the LKL Book DataBase, in the order we happen to have uploaded them (most recent first). For listings in order of publication, visit the DataBase home page which will take you to individual subject listings.
The Identity and Emergence of K-pop
By analyzing the various factors contributing to K-pop’s unprecedented global rise, this book delves into key elements such as cultural hybridity, digital connectivity, and the role of fan engagement, while also interrogating the ways these factors have shaped K-pop’s unique position within the global music industry. In addition to exploring K-pop’s identity, the book addresses … [Read More]
City of Night Birds
‘A novel that will be read and loved for the next one hundred years, and essential reading for right now. I could not have loved it more.’ Coco Mellors, author of Blue Sisters ‘This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.’ Reese Witherspoon A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK … [Read More]
Jaded
For fans of The List, Prima Facie, Queenie and I May Destroy You, discover the debut novel that readers describe as a timely, must-read novel. ‘Jade isn’t even my real name. Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.’ Jade has become everything she ever wanted to be. Successful lawyer. Dutiful daughter. Beloved … [Read More]
Break Room
A gripping and incisive psychological drama from the internationally bestselling author of DallerGut Dream Department Store. Eight unsuspecting people receive an invitation to participate in a mysterious new reality show called Break Room. But what starts as an opportunity to find fame is quickly revealed to be something far more unsettling when they learn how … [Read More]
The Crustacean
The year’s most spiky and powerful novella “When I was 13 I knew nothing about anything. I only cared about love. And the older man, who I thought I fell in love with, never told me he was divorced. I made that up on my own.” Chichirim is a plain 13-year-old girl. An ordinary, misunderstood, … [Read More]
Blood for the Undying Throne
Nothing can stop the Empire’s insatiable conquest. Not gods, not dragons, not armies. But heroes still rise. The Empire continues to enforce its so-called peace with massive war machines that destroy anything that opposes their might. Though the conquered are wholly at the mercy of the Empire, desperate odds such as these can be fertile … [Read More]
The Self-Esteem Class: Simple Lessons for a Lifetime of Contentment
The Self-Esteem Class teaches us about the influence of self-esteem on our lives and provides practical guidance for building the strongest image of yourself. This book will help anyone who would like to attain higher self-esteem but doesn’t know how to overcome the obstacles they face, as well as help recover the self-esteem of people who … [Read More]
Simple Heart
In this moving exploration of dual identities reminiscent of Past Lives, a Korean writer’s pregnancy raises questions about her own childhood abandonment. Nana, a Korean playwright, was adopted as a child by a French couple. Before she was Nana, she was Esther Pak, a girl growing up in a Korean orphanage. And before she was Esther … [Read More]
Counsel Culture
From prize-winning Korean author Kim Hye-jin comes the contemplative, superbly-crafted story of a woman scapegoated by sudden tragedy, and the unexpected paths she must wander in search of redemption. Haesoo is a successful therapist and regular guest on a popular TV program. But when she makes a scripted negative comment about a public figure who … [Read More]
Clay Walls
Clay Walls tells the story of Haesu and Chun, immigrants who fled Japanese-occupied Korea for Los Angeles in the decade prior to World War II, and their American-born children. First published in 1986, it offers a portrait of what being Korean in the USA meant in the first half of the twentieth century, exploring themes of … [Read More]
Phantom Limbs
First published in Korean in 2005, Phantom Limbs is Lee Min-ha’s debut book of poetry. Critically lauded for its visceral imagery and world-building through word-play, this collection of surreal and fabulistic poems reminds readers that poems are spells and incantations. Lee Min-ha is a Korean poet based in Seoul. She is the author of five … [Read More]
A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang
When twenty-seven-year-old Yeon-hwa loses her grandmother, enigmatic proprietor of the Hwawoldang, she decides to respect her wishes by keeping the store going for at least a month, between the hours of 10pm and midnight. She has never learnt to make the traditional desserts herself, and hopes to learn more about her grandmother. On her very … [Read More]
Hallyuwood: The Ultimate Guide to Korean Cinema
Ride the Korean wave (Hallyu) of cinema and explore the most exciting and captivating films in the world today. From smash hits like Parasite to cult favorites Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Train to Busan, Korean cinema has revolutionized the film industry. Hallyuwood is a comprehensive, cultural dive into Korean cinema from 1900 to the present … [Read More]
Missionary Grammars and the Language of Translation in Korea (1876–1910)
Missionary Grammars and the Language of Translation in Korea (1876−1910) embraces the Enlightenment period in Korea (1876−1910) after the opening of the so-called Hermit Nation in describing the Korean language and missionary works. This book includes a comprehensive analysis and description of works published at that time by John Ross (1877, 1882), Felix-Clair Ridel (1881), James … [Read More]
Beyond the Sewol: Activist Theatre and Performance in South Korea and the Diaspora
On the evening of April 15, 2014, the Sewol ferry set sail on its overnight journey from Incheon, in northwestern South Korea, to Jeju Island, 240 miles to the south. There were 476 people on board. After receiving a distress call from a passenger onboard, Harbor Affairs at Jeju and at Jindo Island both urged … [Read More]