I was reading a news article (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/3199/) about the rise of the non-marriage movement in South Korea with a section on the concurrent increase in solo dining and I realized with a start that I had neglected to review this collection of short stories by Yun Ko-eun. The original Korean title of both the collection and the titular short story is 1인용 식탁 (1-inyong sikt’ak), translated to English by Lizzie Buehler. Thanks to Columbia University Press and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review with apologies for the tardiness.

I was really taken with the jacket cover design by Chang Jae Lee, of a zebra sitting at a table eating ramen. Wins the most unique cover art of the year.

Table for one 3.5 ⭐️ Inyeong, a lady who works at an office attends a class on how to dine solo. The instructions on eating food dishes based on music tempo is certainly interesting as with the observation (also in the article linked) that certain foods are more difficult to order/eat by oneself. Inyeong is much taken by a confident lady with more 'advanced' solo dining skills ordering a single serving of BBQ pork belly.

Sweet Escape 4 ⭐️ A married unemployed man descends into obsessive paranoia about bedbugs but he becomes a surprising volunteer in his condo building for an initiative. More musicality resonance with bedbug bites. ~Shudder~

Invader Graphic 4⭐️ Story within a story- writer writes in a department store bathroom. Writing is a solitary activity but more so because this author cannot tell people where her writing 'studio' is located but it's a surprisingly practical choice albeit out of precarity.

Hyeonmong Park’s Hall Of Dreams 4.5⭐️ A man Hyeonbong Park dreams made-to-order dreams for people but commas start to derail his business. Very creative.

Roadkill 4.75 ⭐️ My favourite story. Dystopian about an owner of vending machine who gets stuck at a motel while replenishing supplies due to a huge snowstorm. He runs out of money and goes into debt while staying at the motel. Although bleak and disorienting, it is chilling social commentary about the debilitating cycle of debt and lack of human connection.

Iceland 3.75 ⭐️ This has a tie-in to Yun's other novel that I've read previously - The Disaster Tourist. Quite wistful - a website which matches one to a country. The protagonist is matched to Iceland and develops an obsession about the country. Like her novel, there's a tragicomic feel with a satirical ending that it was all for naught.

As in a collection, there were some stories I didn't take to like Time Capsule. Piercing, in particular, was off-putting to me involving an unprofessional veterinarian, death of a dog and unnecessary indignity after passing, this is partially why this ARC languished for a while. I confess I felt disinclined to continue reading after.

Overall, the collection contains fresh original ideas of people in unusual situations with real life resonance. Whether it's unemployment, debt, capitalism, loneliness, obsession or living on the edge, Yun pushes the absurdity of the idea to its furthest limit with startling cynical results. The stories often contain little echoes trailing each other.

‘Table for One’ was a funny one for me in that it felt like a real slog to get through the nine stories but I couldn’t honestly say that I didn’t like it, which leaves me in a weird middle ground of enjoying the quirkiness but not quite getting some of the allegory.
Every story felt like it was a little too long (except maybe Space Invader, which was one of my favourites), as if the prose saw the natural endpoint of the tale and vaulted right past it. That’s probably what made it a bit of a slog, constant repetition of things that had been well established.
To my mind, the theme of obsession is very prevalent throughout the collection, in very different ways and most overtly in stories like ‘Sweet Escape’ and ‘Iceland’.
The title story ‘Table for One’ was a quirky look at loneliness and isolation, and the notion of people taking a course to learn how to eat on their own was simultaneously humorous and sad.
‘Sweet Escape’ ramps up the paranoia and hysteria as a man enters into a never-ending battle with bedbugs. It’s a surreal comedy that pokes fun at the fear of the unknown and the inevitable.
‘Invader Graphic’ was one of my favourite stories, partly because of the writer main character, but mainly because I could visualise the character’s day perfectly. I also liked how the book she’s writing (which we get snippets of) lines up really well with the character’s eventual realisation.
I also really enjoyed ‘Hyeonmong Park’s Hall of Dreams’, although it was one that definitely dragged on too long. Its commentary around originality and the widening of the ‘dream market’ was shrewdly done.
‘Roadkill’ was a peculiar one, boasting an eerie quality and telling the story of a man caught in a snowstorm in a seemingly ghostly motel and, essentially, spending his way into a coffin – this was well done through the notion of the rooms getting smaller and smaller.
‘Time Capsule 1994’ was one that I liked the idea of and I did appreciate the correlation of the glitched memories in the capsule and the main character’s attempts to remember her (step?) daughter. I’m not sure the blank CD really added to that allegory, it was a bit superfluous I thought.
‘Iceland’ was another of my favourite stories, focusing on a person who is deemed more suited to live in Iceland as per an internet quiz. Her obsession is fun to read and feels almost juvenile in the way that teenagers become entranced by a TV show or a band, etc. The juxtaposition of this onto changing circumstances in the workplace is well done and, in the end, bring the realism crashing back in.
As others have said, ‘Piercing’ was probably my least favourite story – it felt like a very disjointed depiction of a couple’s breakdown, complete with animal cruelty and graphic body horror content, which is just not my thing.
Finally, ‘Don’t Cry, Hongdo’ is another quirky story about a girl who wants to set her mother up with her teacher, and eat junk food which her mother has outlawed in favour of the “grass” that she feeds them instead. It’s a humorous story that very much follows the vein of ‘someone please think of the children’, as a group of mothers object to everything from junk food to people wearing hats.
All in, this is a really quirky, well written short story collection but it’s perhaps an overload of zaniness that might suit better as something to dip in and out of. The stories themselves could probably have shaved a few hundred words off to make them snappier and, thus, more digestible.
But, as I say, I didn’t really dislike any one of them and Yun Ko-eun is clearly a very talented writer. Special kudos also to translator Lizzie Buehler – without prior knowledge, I never would have guessed this was a translated work.

Thanks to Columbia University Press for the eARC of ths book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this weird, surreal, yet intimately human collection. The stories are deliciously creative, almost Kafka-esque, and eminently readable. The titular one was my favorite, but the tale of the escalating bedbug paranoia was a very close second. Have stocked in the store and look forward to recommending to customers. Thanks to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Yun Ko-eun's Table for One is a collection of short stories which challenge ones perceptions of reality from the obsession of wanting to live in another country as a form of escapism from society to the more darker horror of a bedbug epidemic is it simply in the narrator's mind - paranoia from obsessing over the topic with those in the building? The end result leads to a Kafkaesque is this real or just in the unreliable narrating character's mind as a form of escapism from the mundane?

I really loved The Disaster Tourist, so was excited to read more of Yun Ko-eun's writing. Each short story was completely absorbing, the worlds richly drawn and the characters all quite odd and bewildering. Surreal and bizarre, the tone of the short stories will certainly stick with me!

I’ll be honest there were some short stories I had a hard time understanding but I feel like that speaks to the intelligence and depth with which the author writes. Overall, I benefited from reading this collection of short stories and I am grateful that they were translated into English because as a native English speaker I feel it’s important to read works originally written in other languages because it’s important for growth. The translation was really well done and largely understandable. I have never been happier to read a story about bedbugs. I’m happy someone is bringing awareness to them.

Table For One by Yun ko-eun this is the third book I have read from the Asia collection by Columbia University press and it was definitely another enjoyable read. It is mainly full of short stories about every day life relationships some have a quirky tone to them and some or just profound and make you think but all are very entertaining. I usually pick a favor and a short story collection but I am being honest when I say I found it hard to do with this one because the stories is so varied and bring different things to the pallet this is definitely a book I recommend to those who love short stories and great writing. Anyone who can write a story about basically nothing and keep you reading hast to be a very talented writer. Not every story is without a theme… This book is getting harder and harder to describe it was a good short story collection about many different things and I enjoyed them all. #NetGalley, #ColumbiaUniversityPress, #AsiaCollection, #YunKo-eun, #TableForOne,

'Table for One', by Yun Ko-eun, is a gorgeous collection of 9 short stories.
The stories are beautifully written. They explore themes of loneliness and societal pressure. Even though there's a sense of hopelesness and solitude in those stories, there's also a bit of humour.
I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, but 'Table for One' was my personal favourite.

i honestly love when story collections are united by a theme, and it's something that if i were evil dictator of the world i would make a requirement. unfortunately these felt a bit elementary, and a little off, like they needed another polish before being sent out into the world.

Just realised this is getting archived soon and I’ve only just been approved for it *cries* so I’m leaving this review now in the hopes that I get a chance to edit and update before archive.
So far I’m intrigued!

*update*

I made it 55% through this. It’s a very slow collection and I’ve decided to stop forcing myself to try to read it. There are some really cool ideas here but ultimately every story is too long and lacks punch.

Table for One by Yun Ko-eon is a short story collection that reels readers in with accessible stories in which the author forces readers to reconsider reality. The stories become increasingly surreal as one continues reading: eating alone in public; bed bug invasion; wearing someone else’s pajamas allows one to dream the owner's dreams; the city of Seoul buried as a time capsule.

A collection I’d like to discuss with someone who knows more about Korean Culture than I do. Reading translated work can be tricky, I know there are nuances or cultural references I’m missing. But I don’t know what I don’t know.

These stories are all connected by an outsider / othered feeling. The main characters have found themselves outside the mainstream cultural acceptance and can find no entry point back in. This becomes increasingly true the further one reads. Roadkill includes a specific critique of the flaws of capitalism.

The collection features a variety of short stories, each with its own unique charm and quirkiness. I appreciated Yun Ko-eun's ability to capture everyday moments and infuse them with a sense of whimsy and introspection.

However, not all the stories resonated with me. Some felt a bit too abstract or didn't quite land the emotional punch I was hoping for. There were definitely a few standout pieces, but others left me wanting more depth or resolution.

Overall, it's a decent read with some memorable moments, but it didn't completely wow me. If you're into short stories that blend the mundane with the surreal, it might be worth checking out.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars.

The stories are absurd, quirky, and surreal. Two narratives with a more grounded tone have particularly grown on me: 'Time Capsule 1994' and 'Don't Cry, Hongdo'.

In 'Time Capsule 1994', a woman reflects on her past relationship with her step-daughter as their city unearths, restores, and re-buries a time capsule. Meanwhile, 'Don't Cry, Hongdo' portrays a different mother-daughter dynamic. The rebellious 10-year-old Hongdo challenges her mother's obsession with organic lifestyle, preferring cotton candy—a stark contrast to the health-conscious diet enforced at home and school.

My favourite piece is when the writing touches on capitalism. In 'Table For One', a female employee finds dining alone in public daunting, especially in family restaurants where meals are typically served for two or more. She faces awkward interaction with the server and stares from other customers, not to mention the food and monetary waste:

"More than half the order of the woman who came alone at 7:00 p.m. remains on the table. She probably asked for one extra serving of pork so that she could eat the first. At a barbecue restaurant selling only servings of two or more, one portion of the woman's meat is left to turn into charcoal. At 7:30, her meal ends."

Determined to improve herself, she enrols in a course promising to teach the skill of dining alone. Rationalising her 200,000 won expense, she thinks, "If I could develop a healthy stomach and an open-minded spirit in three months, like the flyer had said, wouldn't that be the most efficient way to spend my money?"

Anxious individuals like her sought out the course to help them navigate real-world challenges. This invites the question, considering that the coaching business was born out of the food and beverage industry's focus on profits over customer needs, does this group of customers end up paying double?

‘Hyeonmong Park's Hall of Dreams’ reads to me like an allegory for a financial crash. Park sells custom dreams until competitors flood the market with new derivatives: instant dreams, age-specific dreams, and even organic dreams for the health-conscious. Everyone is buying and selling until the inevitable happens — the crash, or in this case, Park's Hall of Dream comes to an end, and what follows turns into something more surreal. Among the nine stories, this one stands out as the most complex.

‘Roadkill’ is a story where the real horror is capitalism. How easy it is to lose a source of income and watch yourself getting deeper and deeper into the rut, when the system that is supposed to help, fails you. The endless conveyor belt going around further emphasises this loop.

In ‘Invader Graphic’, a young female writer working on her first novel tries to navigate her day at minimal cost, choosing an unconventional workplace: a department store. She argues that her freeloading doesn't increase the store's expenses since sample perfumes, soap, and lotion are already accounted as part of the overhead.

For fans of surreal, thought-provoking stories with contemporary commentary, this one might be for you.

"Table for One: Stories" by Yun Ko-eun is a poignant and thought-provoking collection of short stories that explores the intricacies of human relationships and the complexities of modern life. The author's writing is lyrical and evocative, with a keen eye for detail that brings the characters and settings to vivid life.

The stories themselves are diverse in terms of theme and tone, ranging from the humorous to the heartbreaking. Ko-eun's characters are often outsiders or misfits, struggling to find their place in a world that seems to be moving at a breakneck pace without them. This sense of disconnection and longing is a recurring theme throughout the collection, as the characters grapple with issues of identity, belonging, and connection. It's probably one the strengths too.

Overall, "Table for One" is a solid read from a talented new voice in literary fiction. Ko-eun's writing is engaging and thought-provoking, and their exploration of modern themes is both timely and relevant. If you're looking for a collection that will make you think about the human condition, this might be the book for you.

Just when you thought the short stories in this book couldn't get any more weird or wonderful they continued to. A very fun and creative read!

A collection of nine stories from 2010 by award-winning Korean author Yun Ko-eun. In South Korea Yun Ko-eun’s regarded as a writer with a singular vision, keenly observational, her fiction’s suffused with understated humour, deftly criss-crossing boundaries between the real and the absurd. She’s particularly invested in exploring the plight of people living in capitalist societies: afraid they’re mere cogs in its machinery, struggling to find some way to stand out and assert their individuality.

In the evocative title piece Oh Inyeong’s ambivalent about her relationship with her colleagues, uncertain why they leave her out of their group meals yet oddly relieved to be excluded. She takes a lunchtime course at a local “hagwon” – the private education facilities found throughout South Korea – that focuses on the art of eating alone, carefully progressing through each level from small cafés to the heights of a family barbecue restaurant. Yun Ko-eun’s matter-of-fact delivery enhances the eccentricity of her plot and her character Oh Inyeong’s experiences. When it first appeared this operated as a biting commentary on a group-centred culture in which solo eating was distinctly aberrational. In more recent years, particularly post-Covid, its meaning has gradually shifted, as the “honjok” lifestyle – with increasing numbers living alone – and its embrace of activities for one has gained ground. So that Oh Inyeong seems far less eccentric for craving a starring role in her own life.

There’s something of a Shirley Jackson sensibility to entries like “Sweet Escape” in which a man on the brink of an overseas holiday finds himself obsessed with avoiding bedbugs. Only to find on returning to Korea that bedbugs have crossed its borders, rapidly advancing on his own apartment building, endangering not only health but property values! It’s a chilling, original take on paranoia, authoritarianism and social conformity. The highly-referential “Invader Graphic” is an unusual perspective on becoming a writer; while “Hyeonmong Park’s Hall of Dreams” is a haunting reflection on capitalism and consumerism demonstrated via a man who kick-starts an industry based on the literal selling of dreams. Similar themes emerge in “Roadkill” an oblique examination of social isolation and commodification, and in the speculative “Time Capsule” with its emphasis on memory versus truth.

One of the stand-outs is “Piercing” which moves into body horror territory in ways that reminded me of writers like Sayaka Murata and Bora Chung. “Iceland” is an inventive look at how abstract concepts – rather like religion – operate to distract people from disappointing, everyday realities; and “Don’t Cry, Hongdo” is an intriguing look at mothers and daughters, cultural norms and South Korea’s highly competitive atmosphere. Inevitably some pieces were less successful than others but overall, I found these accomplished, arresting and memorable. Translated by Lizzie Buehler.

I love short stories and this one started off really interesting. The first story was really good, I liked the unexpected premise. The rest of the book really didn't capture my attention though. maybe the stories just didn't speak to me, or maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind to digest them, but I wasn't able to get into it.

I think this was a great book overall. I requested it because the cover intrigued me and when I went to see what the book was about, it even intrigued me more. I've been wanting to get into more stories written by diverse authors, so I immediately wanted to read it. Thank you guys for allowing me to read this book! I will definitely recommend this book for those that are wanting to read a book about short stories and want to read more diversely.

A quirky collection of stories, connected by their quirkiness.
Some worked better than others.
The titular story was very satisfying, Roadkill was disturbing but the rest were rather messy. I struggled to finish the book.

i really enjoyed this collection of short stories as i am actually a fan of the author’s work. her pieces in the collection are thought-provoking and i really liked how she used metaphors to convey her views.