I really enjoyed this book! I found the time jumps a little off putting sometimes but overall this book was great. I loved the character development. I also really enjoyed that the cat and mouse game was done with three people and three different POV’s about what it means to be Korean. I do wish this book was longer. I wanted a more in depth story!

"So you're saying I can only be your friend if I reject who I am?"

Oxford Soju Club, set in early 2012 in the aftermath of the death of Kim Jong-il, is both a spy thriller and an exploration of Korean immigrant identity, as the author explains in a foreword:

"On the surface, Oxford Soju Club is about a Korean American CIA agent, a North Korean spy, and a South Korean restaurateur engaged in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game in Oxford. It is a metaphor in one part about the ruthless competition between Korean immigrants that I’ve experienced. But this story is also about the way in which immigrants wear different masks to hide their true identities for survival. Each character represents the different masks I have worn as a Korean immigrant — the one who tries to assimilate, the one who tries to be the model minority, and the one who rejects all of the above and tries to be Korean."

The spy story itself - which opens in media res with the junior of two North Korean agents in Oxford finding his superior bleeding to death in an alley - is rather over-dramatic and not terribly plausible, and really not my literary taste, but the novel fares better in its second guise, particularly the story of pretty much the only character in the novel who actually goes by their real name and isn't suddenly trying to murder the other characters, Jihoon who runs the eponymous restaurant:

"The Soju Club is the only Korean restaurant in the city, and that alone is a draw for many. When he first stepped foot in Oxford, he found it strangely empty, particularly in comparison to Seoul, Busan, or even Sacheon, the seaside town his mother is from. Back in Seoul there would be three fried chicken places, five noraebangs, six Korean barbeque joints, and even two plastic surgery offices, all in one block. From what he saw, Oxford had no buildings higher than three storeys. The transit was inconvenient at best and, on an average day, frustrating enough to induce cancer, as his mother would often say when irritated."

And while the story races forward in the present-day of the novel, and the bodies pile up (rather oddly given that they've all seemingly known of each others existence for some time), we also get flash backs to the past of the various characters involved - a Korean-American who works for the CIA, two North Korean spies, and Jihoon himself:

"The day before the exam, Jihoon comes home from a long day of practice tests. He feels ready. When he arrives his mother has a small table out with a soju bottle and two small glasses. He sits right across from her, setting his bag down next to him He has never had a drink in his life. He has heard of his more carefree classmates going out to bars that secretly serve under-age drinkers. The convenience store he works at stocks various brands. The most famous one, Chamiseul, the green bottle with the toad logo in the upper corner, is the one in front of Jihoon."

The novel, to its credit, focuses sympathetically on the North Korean spies (a South Korean agent, who is the only one unknown to everyone else, is, if anything the villain of the piece), although it's perhaps a bit disappointing in that regard that they are all disillusioned with the regime - a character loyal to the Dear Leader would have made for an interesting perspective.

More interesting as a character study and exploration of the Korean dispora than a spy thriller - 2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park is a multifaceted debut novel. On the surface, it is a relatively quick and easy read, but upon delving deeper, it explores themes of identity and the complexities of the Korean diaspora. Set in Oxford, the novel follows three spies—North Korean, South Korean, and American—who find themselves tangled in a world of deception. As these characters navigate their personal and professional lives, the novel invites readers into a realm of shifting allegiances, conflicting loyalties, and cultural exploration.

I enjoyed the layers of character development. The novel delves into the deep internal struggles of its characters, each of whom must balance their national identities with their personal sense of belonging. These themes are skillfully woven throughout the book.

Personally, I found Oxford Soju Club especially engaging because, as someone of Asian descent, I could deeply relate to the complexities of identity that the characters experience. The novel’s exploration of cultural struggles and the constant tension between different aspects of identity resonated with my own life. I’ve often found myself grappling with these same feelings of belonging, which made the characters' journeys feel particularly personal. What made this even more compelling for me is that I live and work in Oxford, where the story is set. The setting added an extra layer of connection—I could vividly picture the iconic locations, making the narrative feel all the more real and relatable.

In summary, Oxford Soju Club is a thought-provoking debut novel that showcases Jinwoo Park's talent as a writer. The book’s ability to tackle serious themes within the framework of an espionage narrative made it a worthwhile read.

Set in Oxford, we meet three different characters, all spies, whose stories are all interlinked. A North Korean, a South Korean and a Korean American.

When Doha, a spy master is killed, his partner must find out who did it and why. Theres new leadership and a feeling that they’re being picked off one by one 👀

There’s one thing bringing them all together - the Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in Oxford.

Cue a cat and mouse game between them all for their identities to not be revealed and to win the race to survive. Who will be exposed, what secrets will be uncovered and who will live to tell the tale?

There’s also a thought provoking underlying message from the author around what it is to be Korean and the challenges faced to establish an identity which runs throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this, a quick read with a few twists and turns along the way. Pretty good for a debut novel!

Thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.