American hagwon

by Min Jin Lee · 2026

Min Jin Lee’s sweeping new novel follows the Koh family as they chase the promise of a better life across continents. In Seoul, John and Helen Koh are raising three children—Bo, DH and Mido—while trying to balance personal ambition with the weight of familial duty. Their world shatters first by a devastating betrayal and then by the 1997 Asian financial crisis, forcing them to abandon the comforts of middle‑class Korea. The family’s odyssey takes them to Sydney and ultimately to Southern California, where the parents must confront a new reality in which their education and experience count for little. As the Koh children navigate schools, nail salons, and the ever‑shifting American landscape, the novel explores love, loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of opportunity, painting an intimate portrait of resilience and hope across generations.