It’s 1980s South Korea, where political tensions are high and curfew is strict. Luckily it’s time for the annual winter camp at Anjeon University - a full weekend, deep in the mountains, with no supervision.

In the snowy mountains, everyone has different plans for their one night of freedom but of course, everything doesn’t always go as planned. Hyun Sook is dying to figure out how to get her banned book club back up and running, Taehee and Kiwoo are trying to build up their nerve to confess their feelings for one another, while Sujji pines after her crush, ready to risk it all and finally tell someone her biggest secret she’s been keeping secret her whole life.

How will this weekend of freedom end for these university students?

I immediately picked this graphic novel up when I saw it was from the same creators of Banned Book Club and I’m glad I did - learned even more about 1980s South Korea than before. It’s kind of crazy the desire everyone has for freedom, even in the smallest ways. I can’t imagine really having restrictions on something like when I’m allowed to be out and about from my house (even if I don’t usually leave after I get home from work), or what music I can listen to or books I’m allowed to read. Some of these freedoms weren’t given to South Koreans until as recently as just forty-five years ago.

Overall, this is a cutely drawn historical graphic novel that still brings up the timely issues around censorship, regime, and even labor rights. This is bound to bring up a look into the history of South Korea and politics and policies that are trying to be formed today.

*Thank you Penguin Workshop and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

An intense graphic memoir about Hyun Sook's weekend adventure with her dance camp. As the group of teens head up the mountain in the 1980s of South Korea, everyone is nervous as their club leader has been arrested for listening to communist propaganda music and no one is prepared for the hiking trip. Hyun Sook is extremely nervous because she is carrying a banned book and plans to take over the banned book club next year. It is filled with awkward and heartfelt moments, and a group of teens realizing that the world isn't the way they want it to be, but they're going to try and change it. It is filled with hope and good and positivity for the future. Delightful colorful illustrations add an upbeat feel to this book.

No Rules Tonight is set in South Korea in the 1980s when the country was subject to totalitarian rule, and follows a group of university students as they embark on a hiking and camping trip on Christmas Eve, the one day that they are not subject to the strict rules of the regime. I actually had no idea that this had happened going in, and while Hyum Sook and Estrada do describe book banning and police surveillance, the book overall was, dare I say, a lovely story about human connection and figuring out what one truly wants out of life? The humor really shines, too, with characters being woefully underprepared for camping to someone getting lost in the woods to silly competitions, giving it a comedy of errors type vibe which makes it a fun read despite the heavier context.

I enjoyed getting to know each of the people on this trip and the "roles" they play in the group. As these characters are living through a period in their country's history that will prove very different from the lives of many readers, I was struck by how relatable they were. Hyun Sook and Estrada have their characters dealing with realistic issues in their personal lives, from struggling with parental expectations to figuring things out after being kicked out to trying to reconcile two very different parts of one's identity. These things nicely tie into the ways that the characters "break the rules" on their trip.

It sucks how much the issues in a book set in the 80’s in another country are still dealt with today. This is a very important book to read with everything going on in the US here lately.

The art in this book was also very stunning. There is something on every page that catches your eye.

No Rules Tonight by Kim Hyun Sook & Ryan Estrada is a dive into the raw emotions of youth under a strict and oppressive regime. Set in 1980s South Korea, this graphic novel takes readers into the heart of a society shaped by dictatorship, where the struggle for freedom, personal identity, and self-expression feels both urgent and suffocating, especially as a teenager. It’s not just a story; it’s an exploration of history through the eyes of a young girl trying to find her place in a world that demands silence.

The artwork, paired with the poignant storytelling, brings this story to life. It's hopeful despite the heavy themes. I’m adding this to my classroom shelf because I truly believe it’ll spark important conversations and curiosity about history, especially for my students who may not be familiar with the struggles of South Korea during the 1980s. It’s the kind of book that provides entertainment and opens a door to the past.

A great follow up to The Banned Book Club. The main character is still living under the oppressive rule of the South Korean regime and also navigating all the issues that come with becoming an adult. The story remains light hearted and hopeful despite the darker themes in the book.

No Rules Tonight is a graphic novel set in 1980s South Korea when political tension was at an all time high and teenagers especially were worried about curfews and getting caught reading and listening to banned materials. But then the group of teens are allowed a night of freedom, on Christmas eve.

The graphic novel showcases the political tension of the time and how different teenagers dealt with what was going on. Some leaned into the military aspect while others purposefully planned on rebelling. Others were just trying to survive. And it was interesting to see how they all kind of came together when they had a chance to be more of themselves.

Overall, I thought it was a good look into what is maybe a historical time/location that a lot of readers may not be familiar with.

This graphic novel is set in the 1980s in South Korea and shows us the political situation in this country back then. It was interesting to get acquainted with this part of history since it's not taught at schools in the west. My issue is I couldn't get into it. It's interesting, the art style is fine as well but I think the story telling was stopping me from fully immersing in this novel. It left me with the desire to know more about this important part of Korean history but the book itself feels a little forgettable.

I’m absolutely recommending my library buy this, there’s so many layers to this delightful graphic novel. Our main characters are growing up under dictatorial rule in 1980s South Korea and all that comes with that—curfews, government plants, mandatory military service, and banned books. At the same time, they’re falling in love and deciding who they are and who they want to be. It’s lovely and heartwarming, the community that comes together under authoritarian rule. Incredibly important for all readers but especially teens and young adults.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Started and gave up part way through - I didn't like the structure of organizing it by character and since I was reviewing it for a program, I did not want to finish it.

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

Book 264 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Absolutely brilliant graphic novel that depicts a South Korea far different from what it is today.

Such brave souls in spite of being so young featured in this.

So good I read it twice.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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I think this was a strong graphic novel and loved how it mixed the author's personal experiences with historical fiction. I enjoyed the artwork and thought it was very consistent. I also liked how the author played with running gags without wearing them out. I think she created very individual characters and built them up well in the 200 pages, I felt like I had a good grasp on them and was specifically interested in what happened to them after the story. Also appreciated the inclusion of queer representation!

Thank you netgalley and penguin random house for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed reading this book.

1. The art in it is absolutely beautiful!
2. the friendships that are in this story is just as beautiful.

This is a coming of age story set in South Korea, 1984. A group of college aged friends take a trip to the mountains on Christmas Eve. Having had curfew lifted recently before the events taking place, they want to make the most of their time.

The woven LGBTQ+ rep in this story was also really lovely and really important to see. I think this is a book that everyone should read and i definitely recommend it!

I sweet follow up to Banned Books Club. Sheds more light on what it was like in South Korea and the myriad ways it affected young people.

No Rules Tonight is an incredibly helpful way to learn about a significant portion of Korean history that is rarely discussed in American education. Kim Hun Sook discusses the scary ways in which the South Korean government regulated the books, socialization, and curfews of their citizens. This, of course, is equally appropriate for our American society in the current political climate and would be extremely poignant in teaching young students the ways in which over-involvement of government can impact the wellbeing of a nation.

(Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Workshop for the advanced galley.)

I was initially confused by the setting and the cast of characters but around the 20%, the plot started to click. This graphic novel is absolutely essential to understanding the burden of censorship that was Korea in the 80s. The only thing that really bugged me in this graphic novel was how American English slang was used - it was very anachronistic and majorly threw me off. The artwork was okay and not my favorite but I definitely stayed for the story.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Penguin Workshop, Kim Hyun Sook; Ryan Estrada and Netgalley for access to theis free digital copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

This graphic novel is a gem. The combination of coming of age in a story set in 1980s South Korea on Christmas Eve is just not something that you would expect but it is just what you need if you are looking for a different kind of holiday heart warming tale.

I have tried to become more aware of my own bias toward stories that reflect my own lived experience and widen my horizons with books that give me the opportunity to learn about others' lived experiences and rejoice when their is room for more diverse stories to be told and POVs to be appreciated. The world is so big but smaller when we take the time to learn about each other.

Told in colorful panels over a brief period of time a diverse group of teenagers is free to roam about on Christmas Eve (wonder why? you'll have to read to find out.) The separate but interrelated plots involve very real human joy and pain and you will leave this story after 208 pages but it will not leave you.

A nod to a love of and right to read whatever we want, this graphic novel is not to be missed.

Set in 1980s South Korea, a 36-year curfew has finally ended. Hyun Sook hopes to have more freedom in college as a result. But things don’t change as expected. Police are still limiting acts of self-expression. Hyun and her friends find a loophole. They join a masked dance troupe that allows them to do satirical dance that poke fun at politicians. When the dance troupe director is arrested for listening to banned music, police stops, and the threat of informants becomes a reality. Escaping to the mountains on Christmas Eve for a night of curfew-free fun, Hyun finds it’s not as wonderful as she hoped. She’s struggling with her desire to lead a banned book club against the threat of discovery and punishment. Others are dealing with their stress and anxiety of the future as well as other secrets.
The illustrations are colorful and help add to the weights the students are dealing with. The plot is realistic, well written, and engaging. The text and illustrations work well together to bring to life Hyun’s world. The characters are authentic, realistic, and easy to relate to. Readers who like historical non-fiction, books that take place in other countries, and books about growing up will enjoy reading this book. Recommended for general purchase library collections where historical biographies and autobiographies are popular. 4 stars, Gr 7 and up.

So let's talk about how the last page of this book, plus the author's note at the end, had me literally tearing up in a coffee shop. As a librarian, I'm very passionate about defending the freedom to read. This graphic novel deals heavily with the very real reality of what it meant to live under a military regime in South Korea and how, years later, democracy won out and things changed. The Brown Bear call out hit hard. Talking about how those who don't bother to read what they ban or bother being educated have no place in making the decisions that they do. The fact that, here in the United States, we are facing increasing challenges to freedoms that are supposed to be enshired by first amendment rights... well this book just - wow. I think it's really important, now more than ever, that these stories continued to be shared. I still whole-heartedly believe that we can learn from history and that our youth, in reading these stories, can learn and help to correct the wrongs of current generations that are in power.