Min Jin Lee explores education and status in new novel American Hagwon

Author Min Jin Lee, known for her bestselling novel Pachinko, has released a new book titled American Hagwon. The novel follows the Koh family, a well-off household that experiences a significant decline in status following the Asian financial crisis.

The narrative tracks the family's migration from Seoul to Sydney and eventually to California throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. The story examines how the pursuit of education and social standing impacts family relationships and individual identities as they navigate different cultures and economic shifts.