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A review by saramdeuri
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo
4.0
i can see why this book started the new wave of feminism in South Korea, although by now I feel we need another one, as things have changed perhaps more depressingly. I do still think Korea needs work on their feminist movement but it's difficult to do anything in the climate they're in.
I wish there was a little bit more exploration of the supernatural element though, not just because I like sci-fi and imaginative concepts like these, but because it had the potential to leave space for discussing Jiyoungs (and everyone's) complaints with Korean society re: misogyny in more depth. it would've been so interesting to see what more the husband would do, if he would realise the error of his ways, or how her own family would react. I understand that this isn't what the book is aiming for though. it wants to bring women's distressing reality to light, which it did in a very frank and comprehensible way.
I'm not sure if it was due to the way the source text was written but the translation did feel a little dry at points in which it maybe could have been more poignant, but the final few lines hit incredibly hard because of that tone, so good work overall.
I wish there was a little bit more exploration of the supernatural element though, not just because I like sci-fi and imaginative concepts like these, but because it had the potential to leave space for discussing Jiyoungs (and everyone's) complaints with Korean society re: misogyny in more depth. it would've been so interesting to see what more the husband would do, if he would realise the error of his ways, or how her own family would react. I understand that this isn't what the book is aiming for though. it wants to bring women's distressing reality to light, which it did in a very frank and comprehensible way.
I'm not sure if it was due to the way the source text was written but the translation did feel a little dry at points in which it maybe could have been more poignant, but the final few lines hit incredibly hard because of that tone, so good work overall.