It’s heartening to see the global acceptance and demand for diversity in the context of the Hallyu (Korean) wave that’s surging forth, higher and stronger. The euphoria of K-pop and K-drama has made the world acknowledge the K-entertainment industry. The smashing success of pop groups like BTS and Blackpink, K-dramas like Squid Games, and the historic victory of Parasite at the Oscars stand testimony to this fact. The recent colossal achievement of Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2024 is expected to set the ball rolling for K-lit to reach a wider international audience.

A recent addition to the K-lit bandwagon is Kim Jiyun’s which has been brilliantly translated by Shanna Tan from the Korean. It is an effervescent comfort read that unfolds in Seoul’s Yeonnamdong area, witnessing rapid gentrification owing to its proximity to the bustling district of Hongdae.

The struggles of everyday life

There are five subplots interwoven skilfully in the book that coalesce into a soulful and wholesome tale. The novel first introduces us to a senior citizen Mr Jang and his dog Jindol. Mr Jang is the proud owner of a solitary two-floor house that has seen the vagaries of times, and yet not succumbed to the wave of...