Korean and Japanese Translated Titles
11th February 2025
In recent years there has been a huge rise in the popularity of Korean and Japanese translated fiction in the UK; this sudden surge may have readers wondering what themes these books offer which have led to them charming so many of us. One reason translated literature from these countries is rising in prominence is a general rise in interest in media from Japan and Korea, from huge TV shows such as Squid Game and Alice in Borderland to K-pop exploding on the music scene with wildly popular bands Blackpink and BTS touring the UK last year. Global social platforms like TikTok have also allowed bookworms to share recommendations across the globe and has been credited for the rise in popularity of translated fiction, often creating bestsellers in multiple countries simultaneously. Readers may also be drawn to these translated titles as they offer a new perspective on typical themes and genres, allowing us to explore familiar feelings in a different light.
Some of these translated books could be classified as ‘cosy’ reads and can feel like a hug when reading such as Before The Coffee Gets Cold, which may leave you wondering what you would say to someone if you had one chance to go back in time and see them again. This theme of human connection can also be seen in Lonely Castle In The Mirror in which seven teenagers must open up to each other, overcoming their own anxieties to discover themselves, an amazing story that ties together beautifully at the end and an all-time personal favourite of mine, and I can’t wait for her new novel Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, which publishes in April! However, the cosiest book I can recommend would have to be Dallergut Dream Department Store, a perfect read for before bed which asks what you would choose to dream of if you had the choice.
There are also stories that are on the sadder side, books like No Longer Human and Almond explore themes of loneliness and feeling like you don’t quite belong anywhere. These books often provoke empathy in readers, leaving us curious as to how many others feel this way but don’t show these feelings. Another great read is Heaven which tells the story of 2 teenagers who feel alone, both being bullied at school, who form a friendship with each other in secret – afraid of what their bullies may say if they’re seen together and believing they are the only ones who truly understand how the other feels.
Fans of crime will also find lots to love in translations from Japan and Korea. One of the breakout books of 2024 was the hugely popular Butter which was shortlisted for a number of awards and was named Waterstones Book of the Year 2024. This dark and unsettling book has a protagonist who is both chef and serial killer and is a look at obsession, misogyny and food. Hotel Lucky Seven is another great crime pick - this book provides a new perspective on crime and how fast things can go wrong! Exploring the dark underworld of crime and just how a crime network operates as well as what can happen if you don’t follow orders. These thrillers will grip readers and offer a new and interesting take on a familiar and perennially popular genre.
Whatever you may be looking for in your next read there is something special to be found in translated fiction from Japan and Korea. If you are already a fan of the talented storytellers from these regions or looking to try something new and find out what is drawing so many of us to these books I hope you might find a new favourite in these recommendations.
Louise, Content Selection Team
Our Recommends from Korea:
The Vegetarian
Kang, Han (Y)
Paperback / softback
WINNER OF THE 2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATUREWINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE'A strange, painfully tender exploration of the brutality of desire indulged and the fatality of desire ignored... Exquisite' Eimear McBride Yeong-hye and her husband are ordinary people - dutiful wife and mild-mannered office worker. One day, prompted by grotesque recurring nightmares, Yeong-hye decides to become a vegetarian. But in South Korea, where vegetarianism is almost unheard-of and societal mores are strictly obeyed, it is a shocking act of subversion. Yeong-hye's passive rebellion rapidly manifests in ever more bizarre and frightening forms, from sexual sadism to attempted suicide, and in increasingly erotic and unhinged artworks, as all the while she spirals further into her fantasies... Disturbing and beautiful by turns, The Vegetarian is a revelatory novel about modern day South Korea; a tale of shame, desire and our faltering attempts to understand others.
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DallerGut Dream Department Store
Lee, Miye
Paperback / softback
*THE INSTANT SATURDAY TIMES #2 BESTSELLER*'Readers can't get enough of this enchanting story' The Sun'Filled to the brim with joy' ? ? ? ? ? 'A delightful journey into a fantasy realm where dreams make everything better' Daily Mail|| THE #1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD || In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died. For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at the store is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including DallerGut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish. A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life. WATERSTONES SFF BOTM - AUGUST 2024FOYLES TRANSLATED BOOK OF THE MONTH - NOVEMBER 2023DALLERGUT IN THE PRESS: 'A fantastical narrative' CNN'It makes the world around us come alive and the imagination sing' Reactor Mag'A deep exploration of human nature' Washington PostREADERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH:'What a ride! I DEVOURED this book in one sitting!' ? ? ? ? ?'There were so many more layers to this book. It's totally cute, but also clever [and] insightful!' ? ? ? ? ?'I cannot wait to read the sequel, and I hope it is translated soon!' ? ? ? ? ?'It was wholesome, gentle and made me smile the whole time' ? ? ? ? ?'I absolutely adored this. It's the kind of book I could read over and over again' ? ? ? ? ?
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The Plotters
Kim, Un-su
Paperback / softback
A dark, funny, deliciously different literary thriller about a jaded hitman, set in the criminal underworld of Seoul ‘Kill Bill meets Murakami’ D. B. John, author of Star of the North ‘A work of literary genius’ Karen Dionne, internationally bestselling author of Home ‘I loved it!’ M. W. Craven, author of The Puppet Show ‘You’ll be laughing out loud every five minutes’ You-jeong Jeong, author of The Good Son ‘A mash-up of Tarantino and Camus set in contemporary Seoul’ Louisa Luna, author of Two Girls Down ‘An incredible cast of characters’ Le monde ‘Smart but lightning fast’ Brian Evenson, author of Last Days Plotters are just pawns like us. A request comes in and they draw up the plans. There’s someone above them who tells them what to do. And above that person is another plotter telling them what to do. You think that if you go up there with a knife and stab the person at the very top, that’ll fix everything. But no-one’s there. It’s just an empty chair. Reseng was raised by cantankerous Old Raccoon in the Library of Dogs. To anyone asking, it’s just an ordinary library. To anyone in the know, it’s a hub for Seoul’s organised crime, and a place where contract killings are plotted and planned. So it’s no surprise that Reseng has grown up to become one of the best hitmen in Seoul. He takes orders from the plotters, carries out his grim duties, and comforts himself afterwards with copious quantities of beer and his two cats, Desk and Lampshade. But after he takes pity on a target and lets her die how she chooses, he finds his every move is being watched. Is he finally about to fall victim to his own game? And why does that new female librarian at the library act so strangely? Is he looking for his enemies in all the wrong places? Could he be at the centre of a plot bigger than anything he’s ever known?
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Almond
Sohn, Won-pyung
Paperback / softback
A BTS fan favorite! A WALL STREET JOURNAL STORIES THAT CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE PICK * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S STAY HOME AND READ PICK * SALON'S BEST AND BOLDEST * BUSTLE'S MOST ANTICIPATED The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever. This story is, in short, about a monster meeting another monster. One of the monsters is me. Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He does not have friends—the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to that—but his devoted mother and grandmother provide him with a safe and content life. Their little home above his mother’s used bookstore is decorated with colorful Post-it notes that remind him when to smile, when to say "thank you," and when to laugh. Then on Christmas Eve—Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday—everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss, Yunjae retreats into silent isolation, until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school, and they develop a surprising bond. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people—including a girl at school—something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life at risk, Yunjae will have the chance to step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become the hero he never thought he would be. Readers of Wonder by R.J. Palaccio and Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig will appreciate this "resonant" story that "gives Yunjae the courage to claim an entirely different story." (Booklist, starred review)Translated from the Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee.
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Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
Nam-Joo, Cho
Paperback / softback
THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY SELLING SOUTH KOREAN SENSATION THAT HAS GOT THE WHOLE WORLD TALKING'A ground-breaking work of feminist fiction.' Stylist Who is Kim Jiyoung? Kim Jiyoung is a girl born to a mother whose in-laws wanted a boy. Kim Jiyoung is a sister made to share a room while her brother gets one of his own. Kim Jiyoung is a female preyed upon by male teachers at school. Kim Jiyoung is a daughter whose father blames her when she is harassed late at night. Kim Jiyoung is a good student who doesn’t get put forward for internships. Kim Jiyoung is a model employee but gets overlooked for promotion. Kim Jiyoung is a wife who gives up her career and independence for a life of domesticity. Kim Jiyoung has started acting strangely. Kim Jiyoung is depressed. Kim Jiyoung is mad. Kim Jiyoung is her own woman. Kim Jiyoung is every woman. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is the life story of one young woman born at the end of the twentieth century and raises questions about endemic misogyny and institutional oppression that are relevant to us all. Riveting, original and uncompromising, this is the most important book to have emerged from South Korea since Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. Praise for Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 'It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. It’s slim, unadorned narrative distils a lifetime’s iniquities into a sharp punch.’ The Sunday Times ‘A ground-breaking work of feminist fiction’ Stylist ‘Along with other socially critical narratives to come out of Korea, such as Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite, her story could change the bigger one.’ TheGuardian 'This witty, disturbing book deals with sexism, mental health issues and the hypocrisy of a country where young women are “popping caffeine pills and turning jaundiced” as they slave away in factories helping to fund higher education for male siblings.' The Independent 'Enthralling and enraging.' Sunday Express ‘Cho’s moving, witty and powerful novel forces us to face our reality, in which one woman is seen, pretty much, as interchangeable with any other. There’s a logic to Kim Jiyoung’s shape-shifting: she could be anybody.’ Daily Telegraph
More DetailsOur Recommends from Japan:
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Tsujimura, Mizuki
Paperback / softback
For fans of BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD, fairy tale and magic are weaved together in sparse language that belies a flooring emotional punch. 'Strange and beautiful. Imagine the offspring of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle with The Virgin Suicides' GUARDIAN'Genuinely affecting. A story of empathy, collaboration and sharing truths' FINANCIAL TIMESTranslated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami_______________________________Would you share your deepest secrets to save a friend?In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining. At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle filled with winding stairways, watchful portraits and twinkling chandeliers. In this new sanctuary, they are confronted with a set of clues leading to a hidden room where one of them will be granted a wish. But there's a catch: if they don't leave the castle by five o'clock, they will be punished. As time passes, a devastating truth emerges: only those brave enough to share their stories will be saved. Tender, playful, gripping, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection. Readers love LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR:***** 'This book has become one of my favourite Japanese reads of all time . . . A magical heartfelt read that will stay with you'***** 'Unexpected, beautiful and heart-breaking . . . this is a work of fiction which reaches into the heart of a modern problem and has valuable insight'***** 'Rich and vivid.This book is a symbol that 'there is always hope'
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No Longer Human
Dazai, Osamu
Paperback / softback
Mine has been a life of much shame. I can’t even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being. Portraying himself as a failure, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human narrates a seemingly normal life even while he feels himself incapable of understanding human beings. His attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a “clown” to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult. Without sentimentality, he records the casual cruelties of life and its fleeting moments of human connection and tenderness. Still one of the ten bestselling books in Japan, No Longer Human is an important and unforgettable modern classic: “The struggle of the individual to fit into a normalizing society remains just as relevant today as it was at the time of writing.” (The Japan Times)
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Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Kawaguchi, Toshikazu
Paperback / softback
The million-copy bestselling series about a cosy Japanese cafe that offers its visitors the chance to travel back in time. Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s heart-warming Before the Coffee Gets Cold, translated from Japanese, explores the age-old question: what would you do if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?In a cosy back alley in Tokyo, there is a cafe which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time. Prepare to meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the cafe’s time-travelling offer in order to:- confront the man who left them- receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by Alzheimer's- see their sister one last time, and- meet the daughter they never got the chance to know. But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the cafe, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . . ‘This book broke my heart, took the pieces, and put them back together in a messy and beautiful way. . . '-@well.read.woman on Instagram Continue the beautifully moving storytelling with Tales from the Cafe, Before Your Memory Fades, Before We Say Goodbye and Before We Forget Kindness.
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The Lantern of Lost Memories
Hiiragi, Sanaka
Hardback
One photograph, one treasured memory, one chance to go back . . . If you could relive one day of your life, which would you choose? In a cosy photography studio in the mountains between this world and the next, someone is waking up as if from a dream. A kind man will hand them a hot cup of tea and gently explain that, having reached the end of their life, they have one final task. There is a stack of photos on their lap, one for every day of their life, and now they must choose the pictures that capture their most treasured memories, which will be placed in a beautiful lantern. Once completed, it will be set spinning, and their cherished moments will flash before their eyes, guiding them to another world. But, like our most thumbed-over photographs, our favourite memories become faded with age, so each visitor to the studio has the chance to choose one day to return to and photograph afresh. Each has a treasured story to tell, from the old woman rebuilding a community in Tokyo after a disaster, to the flawed Yakuza man who remembers a time when he was kind, and a strong child who is fighting to survive. Extraordinarily moving and wise, Sanaka Hiiragi's The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautiful Japanese tale about the people that make us and the moments that change us.
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Hotel Lucky Seven
Isaka, Kotaro
Hardback
'Fresh and fun and full-throttle’ A.J. FINN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOWA luxury hotel full of assassins - what could go wrong? Nanao ‘the unluckiest assassin in the world’ has been hired to deliver a birthday present to a guest at a luxury Tokyo Hotel. It seems like a simple assignment but by the time he leaves the guest's room one man is dead and more will soon follow. As events spiral out of control as it becomes clear several different killers, with varying missions, are all taking a stay in the hotel at the same time. And they're all particularly interested in a young woman with a photographic memory, hiding out on one of the twenty floors. Will Nanao find the truth about what’s going on? And will he check out alive?In this original, gripping and inventive follow-up to the international bestseller Bullet Train, Kotaro Isaka demonstrates his unparalleled gift for unique characters and unexpected twists. 'Isaka takes readers on a furious cat-and-mouse race through the luxury hotel… a near-perfect thriller' BooklistPraise for Kotaro Isaka‘Showcases Kotaro Isaka's Tarantinoesque blend of offbeat wit and stylised violence’ The TimesUnlike anything you're likely to have read before...white-hot with double-crosses’ Financial Times, ‘Entertaining...high-speed...with lots of twists and turns...it has a Tarantino-meets-the-Coen-Brothers feel to it’ The Times‘Thoroughly enjoyable’ Guardian‘An offbeat but touching thriller, with a wonderful final twist’ Mail on Sunday
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The Kamogawa Food Detectives
Kashiwai, Hisashi
Paperback / softback
The first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is perfect for fans of Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before the Coffee Gets Cold. What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . . The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to unlocking forgotten memories and future happiness. From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future. A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, and translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is a heartwarming celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal. Perfect for readers of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. 'Warmed my heart' – Genki Kawamura, author of If Cats Disappeared from the World
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Heaven
Kawakami, Mieko
Paperback / softback
Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. From the bestselling Japanese author of Breasts and Eggs and international literary sensation Mieko Kawakami, comes a sharp and illuminating novel about a fourteen-year-old boy subjected to relentless bullying. In Heaven, a fourteen-year-old boy is tormented for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, he chooses to suffer in silence. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate, Kojima, who experiences similar treatment at the hands of her bullies. Providing each other with immeasurable consolation at a time in their lives when they need it most, the two young friends grow closer than ever. But what, ultimately, is the nature of a friendship when your shared bond is terror?Unflinching yet tender, sharply observed, intimate and multi-layered, this simple yet profound novel stands as yet another dazzling testament to Mieko Kawakami’s uncontainable talent. TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of the Year'Mieko Kawakami is a genius' - Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times'An expertly told, deeply unsettling tale of adolescent violence' - VogueTranslated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.
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