In a Nutshell: A short story collection by the brilliant Korean writer who always tackles powerful themes in her standoffish style. A good range of female characters, strong themes. A wonderful option for literary short fiction lovers.

I have been a huge fan of this author ever since I read ‘Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982’. Its dry writing style belied the powerful theme it contained. The statement it made against the systemic patriarchy in Korea was so realistic that it stood true to regions much beyond Korean boundaries. This collection of short stories explores a similar theme. The eight stories herein all focus on women, with the central characters ranging in age from preteen to octogenarian. The blurb describes the book as "exploring the intimacies of contemporary Korean womanhood", and the stories do justice to this claim.

In line with the author’s earlier works, each story is literary in style, focussing more on character development while still containing a strong plot. The stories are written in first person as well as third person. However, in both cases, we get to know the character’s inner thoughts intimately. It’s a brilliant example of how both grammatical voices can be used optimally for and without any compromise on character detailing by good writers.
The author’s prose is also as sharp as always, with the writing being to the point and without any flowery embellishments. It is a stark look at stark scenarios, elevating the grittiness and realism of the narrative.

The plots are not always linear, which might be a constraint to those who don’t know this author’s style. The random back-and-forth can be confusing. However, once we reach the end, we realise the importance of every event, past as well as present.

To be honest, I was a bit unsure about how the author would tackle the endings. As short fiction lovers know, endings make a difference to our experience of this format. In both ‘Kim Jiyoung, Born 1984’ and ‘Saha’ – the author’s only two translated-to-English novels so far – the endings were unexpected and shocking. In the former book, it worked well; in the latter, it was a disappointment. To my surprise, this collection handles most endings excellently without going OTT in settlement or happiness. The story stops at the right point of intrigue, when the character is on the cusp of a major life-changing situation, and yet the parting words leave us with enough information to guess what might happen next.

As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the eight stories, only two earned less than 3.5 stars. The rest were all winners. Here are the six stories that won my heart:
🌺 Under the Plum Tree: A first-person narrative from an octogenarian's perspective, focussing on her elder sister's present time in a care home and their childhood years. Introspective and bittersweet. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌺 Dead Set: A great part of me wonders if this story is auto fiction, based on the response the author received for her seminal feminist novel, ‘Kim Ji -Young Born 1982'. The fact that a key character is named Kim and the first-person narrator is called Choa increases my suspicion. Either way, this is a shockingly realistic narrative depicting human behaviour with all its strengths and flaws. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌺 Runaway: When the narrator's father runs away, it's a shock, but soon she sees another side of the event. One of the most unusual missing person narratives I've ever read! True to life in every way. The ending might not work for everyone, but I loved it. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌺 Dear Hyunnam Oppa: A young woman finally lets her college boyfriend get a taste of his own medicine. Loved the letter format and the last sentence. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌺 Night of Aurora: When a woman seeks to fulfill her life-long dream of seeing the aurora, you can't help but root for her. The only long story in this collection, and probably the most poignant and honest one. I especially loved the MIL-DIL connect in this one. Very unusual! - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌺 Puppy Love, 2020: A budding romance faces challenges because of the COVID lockdown. What sets this story apart is that the "couple" is in the fourth grade. It sounds sweet but is more bittersweet. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

All in all, a must-read collection with a strong character development and a powerful feminist undertone. If you have already read Kim Jiyoung, you can expect a similar yet novel approach in this set. If you want to try this author, this book could be a great way of sampling her writing.

Strongly recommended to short fiction, feminist fiction, and lovers of OwnVoices writing.

4 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story. (If you are familiar with my ratings, you know that an average that goes to 4 stars and beyond is outstanding for an anthology.)

My thanks to W. W. Norton and Liveright for providing the DRC of “Miss Kim Knows: And Other Stories” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I'm not normally a reader of short stories, so perhaps I shouldn't be voicing an opinion. However, the blurb sounded interesting and I enjoy reading about Asian cultures, so I gave it a try. But the stories just didn't come to life for me and I was disappointed. Your mileage may differ.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Miss Kim Knows and Other Stories by Cho Nam-Joo is a striking collection that dives deeply into women's everyday lives in contemporary Korean society, exploring complex issues of identity, family, social pressure, and resilience. In each story, Cho gives voice to women's often-hidden struggles and dreams of navigating a society that both elevates and confines them.

If i haven’t said already, i’m a huge short story fan. I’ve come to embrace that i’m team short story over novel. I especially loved this collection after reading HEADSHOT (most recent post tehe). they both complemented each other so well through their unique explorations of girlhood & womanhood. i was especially struck by the first story because it was from the perspective of a woman in her 80s, who at that point had lived through significant deaths. i’ve always been drawn to explorations of death/mortality so i was hooked. the stories explore the lives of many women from all ages, the last one even about a fifth grader. they also heavily explore how patriarchy & misogyny have impacted their lives. i’m not sure if this book is directly connected to the 4B movement in South Korea, but there is no denying that if you’re a misandrist, feminist or just simply dream of better for women* - this is a great read for you. i can’t wait to read Cho Nam-Joo’s other book, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982.

The stories moved me beyond words. If you are someone who identifies as a woman, you will feel yourself living through each and every character in these eight stories. This novel is not only well-written, but a searing commentary on the social and gender conformity rules that confine and bind women to this day.

I'm glad it was a short read because I spent so much time, after every story, just sitting and thinking, reflecting on the experience of each story and what it invoked in me.

Absolutely loved this story. I always get excited when I see translated literature and this lived up to the hype.

I can't quite place my finger on why I didn't enjoy this book-- all I can say is that it was meh. It didn't stand out to me. It didn't grab my attention. With translated books I'm less likely to make certain judgments because it might be that I couldn't appreciate it outside of the language in which it was originally written. Maybe it lost its pizzazz in that process. As far as story collections go, this was solidly just okay.

From the international best-selling author of Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, a collection exploring the intimacies of contemporary Korean womanhood. You can enjoy each story especially about Miss Kim.

I wanted to enjoy Miss Kim Knows more than I did. This is my first time reading this author, although I had heard of her novel Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982. These stories touched on important topics like feminism and what it is like to be a woman living in Korea, although I didn't really connect with any of the characters. Without that connection, it's difficult to fully immerse in their struggles. The short stories just didn't give me enough time to care about the characters.

Miss Kim Knows is a sharp and insightful exploration of societal expectations and personal identity. I loved how the narrative blends humor with poignant moments, making the characters feel relatable and real. Nam-joo's writing is engaging, and her ability to tackle serious themes while keeping the tone light is impressive.

I am SO happy to receive this ARC from NetGalley because I had read a review from the day before and got so excited to read this book I simply cannot wait too long!

I love all the short stories in this book, and it is hard to choose which one would be my favourite. The last story titled “Puppy Love” about a teenager having to let go of a lot of things because of the COVID-19 pandemic is the story I like the least, though. Not that I do not sympathize with what we all went through during the pandemic, as it was awful to me too, but I just do not relate much to this compared to the others. Although there is also this short story about the father leaving so randomly (not in a way how a father abandons a family, not really) and their whole family is confused as to where he left, and I am not quite sure what is the message of this story. I wonder if the father is the older woman that the daughter had seen and perhaps it is a story about transitioning… but I am still not sure. Perhaps other readers who happen to read this review can enlighten me?

“Night of Aurora” is one of my favorites as it tells a story about a woman in her sixties, finally making her dream of seeing the aurora come true. In this day and age where people call women in their thirties old, I think this short story is quite inspiring. It also offers a message about parenthood.

“Dead Set” is another favourite of mine, which is also what I suspect is more or less a glimpse of what the author is going through… I know that K-pop stars who are seen reading the author’s other book titled “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” tend to get hated to the point that they have to apologize for merely reading this book and have to clarify things. It is heartbreaking and also infuriating all at once. And seeing how things might have happened from the author’s point of view really makes me hope that in the future people will be more educated about what feminism is about and that women can express themselves however they like.

I am not sure which edition I received from NetGalley, but I think the translation is still a bit awkward. It did not make the stories any less enjoyable, but I think I will pick up the published physical book later on.

I am happy that Cho Nam-joo has continued to write about women, and I would love to see what she offers in the future!

Women in Translation

우리가 쓴 것

1. Under the Plum Tree ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mallyeo, the youngest of three sisters, is not named in the same fashion as her older sisters. Their translated names are Gold Bead and Silver Bead, and thus, she should be Bronze Bead.

She is considered "lucky," because her mother had sons after her. While I revile the part of Asian culture that places such high importance on sons, and yet expects so much from daughters, I still connected to this story so much.

In the end, it is Mallyeo that ends up visiting Silver Bead in her dying days. Most of Silver Bead's children and grandchildren do not care to come. Aside from Mallyeo, she has one regular familial visitor.

It is not made known to us why this is the case. Perhaps Silver Bead didn't treat them fairly as they grew up. Perhaps they themselves are the ones that are not fair. That doesn't matter here. I still enjoyed this tiny window into elderly women's lives.

2. Dead Set ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A woman known as The Godmother of Feminism has threats and defamation posted to her written work, even from former colleagues and friends. Some say what she is doing for women harms their young boys.

I’ve met women like this. You probably have, too. When a rape case is announced, they wonder if the girl is lying. I can’t with women like this.

3. Runaway ⭐⭐⭐

A woman's father runs away, leaving only a note behind. Her mother and brothers are stumped as to why he has gone. They are unable to track him. The police are no help, as he has left of his own accord.

One day, the daughter remembers an old credit card she gave her father for emergencies. Through a couple of charges, she tries to track him down.

4. Miss Kim Knows ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

East Asian office culture is wild. Imagine devoting years of your life to a company, doing multiple roles for little to no pay, and then getting fired for it. Miss Kim deserves revenge.

When a new person is hired, supposedly in Miss Kim’s place, things start to go awry. Email lists are misspelled. Items go missing. When they check the security cameras, no one is there…

5. Dear Hyunnam Oppa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

To whom it may concern,

This one gave me PTSD. If a toxic South Korean man is drawing you away from your best friends, tells you you're too ugly for him, and tries to manipulate you, please try to leave.

Love,
me

6. Night of Aurora ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been obsessed with Scandinavia for as long as I can remember. I booked a trip in 2017 to see the Northern Lights. It was cloudy the entire time we were up north.

Part of this story is about chasing the aurora, albeit this time in Canada. They are successful. I am happy for them.

The other part of the story is the idea of having children just to have them, and then subsequently dumping the childcare on your parents and siblings. No one asks for that. If you don’t want to have children, don’t. Stop expecting others to watch your kids. It’s not a privilege.

7. Grown-up Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This pissed me off. I hated it. I loved it.

A certain book-turned-film adaptation is being touted as a romance. It is, in fact, a horrible example of domestic violence.

While we have miles and miles to go, the west is a slightly better place to be a woman than most of Asia, which glorifies sons and makes slaves of women.

Mom groups are notoriously mean. Women, in general, cannot behave amongst themselves. It doesn’t matter how many there are. I don’t know why this is. One could argue we’re bred to do this from an early age, pitted against each other in grade school to come out on top.

The narrator in this one has a daughter. She is slightly younger than the other moms. They look down on her. Her husband doesn’t help. The main, mean mom, is mom to a bully. When is he caught sexually harassing a female student, mean mom calls narrator to make sure her daughter doesn’t testify. Because, surely, her baby boy didn’t do this. She insinuates the narrator’s daughter is lying.

I have more to say. Embarrassingly enough, some of the women from my high school, one of the top ten in a large city, and very progressive to boot, are this way now. I hate when people change and their only excuse is, “I’m a mom now.” I’ve lost a best friend over this. Your values didn’t change. You did. For the worse.

8. Puppy Love ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You may call the girl frivolous, but I remember being this young and begging my parents for a smartphone. Whether it is because she already has a working flip phone, is too young, or just doesn't need one, her annoyance at her parents is unfounded during COVID. Her father has had to lay off people at his travel agency, as people are understandably not traveling. The boyfriend subplot bored me, so I’ll leave him out of this.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Liveright

A collection of eight stories about the experiences of girls and women with a variety of family situations, socioeconomic circumstances, and outlook on life. Two of the standout stories (at least for me) are the opener, "Under the Plum Tree," and "Night of Aurora," which is found towards the end of the book. Both star 'senior' women who, in not altogether dissimilar ways, are contemplating the next adventure of their lives; I found the latter story particularly moving. Overall, this is a thought-provoking read that's especially suited for fans of psychological fiction and social commentary. (Special thanks must go to translator Jamie Chang for helping make Cho's work available for those of us who can't read in Korean.)

Reading this book is like walking down a hallway and opening up a door and watching someone's life through that door, then closing it and moving on to the next door. That is the best way I can think of to describe my reading experience. All different doors, all different women, all different stories, but all very real and relatable. Although this is a translated book, please do not think these experiences are only applicable to the Korean reader. The beauty of Cho Nam-Joo's stories and writing is that although there are details specific to Korean culture, the reader can easily substitute their own culture or experiences into the story and relate.
This is definitely a different format than Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (and I think about that books story often), Miss Kim Knows is another of her books I am confident in saying I will reference back to frequently as well when thinking about what it means to be a woman, at any age, in this world.

Thanks to NetGalley, WW Norton & Company, and Liveright for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Miss Kim Knows and Other Stories” by Cho Nam-Joo, translated by Jamie Chang is a collection of stories that details aspects of the lives of women in South Korea. However, each story is transcendent. I found a piece of myself in all of the stories in Cho’s work. From longing to go on the trip you always wanted to, to desiring to be your own person, there are so many relatable stories in this novel. This is particularly because each story follows an average person. Some stories are heavier than others, but all stories left an impact on me and caused me to consider society as a whole .

Cho Nam-joo is such an amazing writer, and I loved her subtle writing, where everything has multiple meanings. Her writing is so poetic, and she has such a talent when it comes to writing that it is impossible to ignore. I love her writing and this story is amazing.

After the fantastic novel “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” Cho Nam-Joo’s returns with a collection of short stories, about live as a women in Korean society. It is both a book where you learn about Korean culture but also sexism that transcends the culture. My favorit story was “Dear Hyunnam Oppa”, written in the form of a letter of a women to her ex-boyfriend, where she is looking back at their time together. Eight gripping stories about women in Korean society that will keep you thinking about them for long after you finished reading.