The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories

An ever-surprising and stylistically diverse anthology that will surely stand as the touchstone collection of Korean literature for decades to come

Literary Review

An exciting new chapter of the K-culture revolution... What the collection does so well – via diverse tales of peddlers and sex workers, battlefield casualties and lonely wanderers searching for connection – is to dismantle this limited perspective with tales of hope, humour and perseverance, illustrating a profound depth to the story of Korea's transformation

BBC Culture

The short stories in this collection, written by a Who’s Who of Korean literature, are not only mirrors that reflect Korean realities but excellent works of literature as well … The authors selected for this anthology include both literary giants – Hwang Sun-won, Cho Chong-nae, and Yi Mun-yol among them – and such interesting relative newcomers as Choe Yun and Chon Un-yong … Penguin has put together an excellent book. In addition to the introduction, the editor’s note and the stories themselves, the provision of a chronology, a list of further reading, notes on Korean name order and pronunciation, glossary, endnotes and a map of the Korean Peninsula makes this book a truly fine collection of Korean stories.

Stephen Mercado, Asian Review of Books