# Release of Min Jin Lee’s novel American Hagwon

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-min-jin-lees-novel-american-hagwon
> Updated: 2026-10-23T22:00:00.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 3.

The release of Min Jin Lee’s new novel, ‘American Hagwon’, involves both print and audiobook formats. The novel is the third in a planned four-book series exploring the Korean diaspora, following the Koh family across South Korea, Australia, and the United States between 1992 and 2007.

In preparation for the book’s release, it was announced that actress Yerin Ha would narrate the audiobook in both English and Korean. Author Min Jin Lee described Ha’s performance as a ‘wondrous and mesmerizing reading’ that captures the family’s experiences with displacement and the pursuit of success through education.

Following its release, the novel—which took nearly a decade to complete and exceeds 600 pages—has been noted for its examination of the Korean tutoring system, known as hagwons. The narrative tracks the Koh family, including parents John and Helen and their three children, as they navigate a significant decline in status following the Asian financial crisis. The story explores how the pursuit of education and social standing impacts family relationships and individual identities as they migrate from Seoul to Sydney and eventually to California.

## Claims

- The novel American Hagwon is over 600 pages long. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The story centers on the Koh family, who move between the United States, Australia, and South Korea. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- American Hagwon is the third novel in a projected four-novel series about the Korean diaspora. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The narrative of American Hagwon spans the years 1992 to 2007. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Min Jin Lee stated she does not know how to write short novels. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-23: Min Jin Lee explores education and status in new novel American Hagwon

Min Jin Lee’s new novel, American Hagwon, follows a family's migration from Seoul to Sydney and California while exploring the pressures of education and social status.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/min-jin-lee-explores-education-and-status-in-new-novel-american-hagwon

### 2026-09-28: Min Jin Lee releases new novel American Hagwon

Min Jin Lee releases American Hagwon, the third novel in her Korean diaspora series, following the Koh family through life in the US, Australia, and South Korea from 1992 to 2007.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/min-jin-lee-releases-new-novel-american-hagwon

### 2026-09-01: Yerin Ha to narrate Min Jin Lee’s AMERICAN HAGWON audiobook

Actress Yerin Ha will narrate the English and Korean audiobook versions of Min Jin Lee’s novel ‘AMERICAN HAGWON’, scheduled for release on September 29, 2026.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/yerin-ha-to-narrate-min-jin-lees-american-hagwon-audiobook

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Cite as: Release of Min Jin Lee’s novel American Hagwon. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-min-jin-lees-novel-american-hagwon