My thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for a review copy of this one.

Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982 is a 2016 Korean novel, now translated into English (besides other languages). This hard-hitting novel has sold over a million copies, and was also adapted into a film that released in October this year. The book traces the story of Kim Ji-Young, the title character, from the year she was born, 1982, to 2016 highlighting the sexism, discrimination and injustice she faces at every stage of her life [The author, a former scriptwriter for television, in fact, said that Ji-Young’s life wasn’t much different from her own]. Ji-Young is the second daughter in the family of a lower-level government servant. Her mother is a housewife who also takes up an assortment of jobs from home to supplement her husband’s income, having had to give up on her own education and work in her youth so that her brothers could get the best educations. Ji-Young of course has a ‘better’ time in that she does get an education, as best as her parents can afford, and even goes to university, and has a chance at a career (though not for long), but at every stage be it as a child growing up, to school, to interviewing for a job, getting one, and having to give it up, she is impacted in some way or other by sexism, having to share where her younger brother doesn’t, having to accept being secondary, being looked over despite being qualified simply because she is a woman, whether for a job or inclusion in a team at work, having to give up her career for her child, and having fingers pointed at her for everything, whether it be her fault or not, mostly the latter. However, there is a little hope too in the story. Ji-Young’s mother, despite and also perhaps because of having faced worse in her life, does stand up for her daughters at times, and tries within her constraints to ensure that they do not have to give up their dreams as she did. Others girls and women who Ji-Young encounters (at school and work) too sometimes take a stand, rather than accepting things quietly, winning for themselves and others small victories. But despite all that, at the end one realises that there is still very long to go before much of this changes, and many will still have to walk the same path, face the same life as Ji-Young. (The final sentences will definitely shake you.)

I found the book to be a very impactful one, and while set in Korean society, some (actually most) of these forms of discrimination and sexist behaviour aren’t restricted to that country, so the truths it brings one face to face with would resonate with many. I was also quite surprised with how fast the book moved—of course, it is a short read (under 170 pages in the edition I had), but still it moves well, and it doesn’t ‘feel’ like a translation at all (The translator is Jamie Chang). Some reviews of the book I read mention how the book uses a rather dry tone. Partly I do agree with this, as it certainly does that, and in addition, the footnotes supporting different facts make it feel somewhat like non-fiction at times, but on the other hand, the tone I felt is explained once one gets to the end of the book and realises who the narrator is, and what it is one is supposed to be reading. Well worth a read, for everyone. Four and a half stars!

I absolutely adored this book and the authors writing style. It was so eye opening to see what life is like for a woman in Korea and how different things are from life at home.

I loved how the chapters were split up into different areas of Jiyoungs life from childhood to adulthood and it felt like we really got to know her well throughout the book.


Would highly reccomend this book to everyone.

An eye-opening and fascinating novel about gender inequality and sexual discrimination in South Korea. Written in documentary style, which I thought highly effective, it follows Kim Jiyoung from childhood to adolescence, adulthood, marriage, motherhood and postnatal depression. There is nothing exceptional about Kim Jiyoung, she is everywoman and she experiences discrimination from the day she is born as relatives comfort her mother that the next child will be a boy.

It is a short book that can easily be read in one sitting but I read it over several days, taking frequent breaks because it just made me so angry. As the title states, Kim Jiyoung wasn’t born in 1237, 1658 or 1846 when discrimination was the norm but in 1982. Cho relates everyday sexism at home, school and workplace, from Jiyoung’s younger brother receiving biggest and best helpings of food at family meals, to university professors never recommending female students for job interviews. The incidents are numerous and the men never apologise because they do not comprehend that they have done anything wrong. Cho cleverly uses statistics and factual data, given in footnotes to stress just how common and universal Jiyoung’s experience is. The book is really an indictment of the society and country which rapidly transformed from traditional to modern without addressing the roles of women within it.

An important, powerful novel, reminiscent of but very different to Han Kang’s The Vegetarian, a must-read.

My thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is a fascinating story about a Korean 'everywoman', following her life story from her birth in 1982 until her death in 2016 (the year this was published in its original Korean).

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up finding it absolutely gripping. I know very little about life in Korea, so it was extremely interesting to follow the life of an average Korean woman and find out more about what life is actually like for them. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about gender roles and the life of women in Korea.

Wow! What a read. Having just read a book about life in Taiwan which shattered my ideas about that country I was just in the mood to find out more about another nation held up as a good model.
I was shocked and horrified to find that in this day and age the sexism found in what is held up as a modern, progressive country.
The ending took my breath away.

wow. omg. this book is phenomenal. everything about it is exceptional: the writing, the story, the narrator at the end.... the ending. the book started off in a present day scenario of Kim Jiyoung, then retrospectively looked back in her life, from childhood, to adolescence, to marriage, and then motherhood. we really get to see a vivid insight into what it means to be a girl/woman in Korea, not just in present day but through generations, as shown by Kim Jiyoung's mother and mother-in-law's experiences. I can't fault this book. the ending is so perfectly poignant and insightful. (my takeaway from the ending was that: oh, what a vicious, repetitive cycle we are in, as a society!)

This novella hit a nerve in South Korea and became one of the biggest-selling books of the new century. In it, Cho Nam-Joo tells the story of a Korean everywoman from her birth in 1982 until 2016, the year the book was published in its original Korean. Kim Ji-young experiences systemic misogyny in all stages of life, be it as a kid in her own family, in school and at university, in the workplace and also as a wife and mother. The protagonist does not only suffer because of stereotypical women-hating machos (although they also feature in the text), but there's a whole web of factors, attitudes and implications that affect all characters differently, from the education system to the economic crisis, from conservative gender roles to questions of agency related to intersectional feminism. An overall feeling of powerlessness and internalized societal norms lead to self-alienation and to female trauma that is inherited over generations: When Kim Ji-young is born, her mother apologises to her mother-in-law for having a girl. When Kim Ji-young is pregnant with a girl, people feel sorry for her and try to cheer her up. Being a woman means being a failure.

The book led to a fierce debate about sexism in Korea. Some months before its publication, the "Gangnam murder" shook up the country: A woman was murdered at a metro station, and the perpetrator stated that he had been ignored by women for so long that he could not stand it anymore. The hate crime heated up the #metoo movement in Korea, but there was also a huge backlash. Many K-Pop singers and other celebrities who professed to reading Cho Nam-Joo's feminist novella (which, as the author explained, is largely based on personal exprience) were attacked and threatened on the internet. When the book was turned into a movie, the actors and actresses got under attack.

But Cho Nam-Joo has the numbers to back up her text, and she includes them in it - the book is written in a very particular, rather dry and detached style that includes studies and other research (the twist-ending reveals why, and the last sentence is vicious). The effect is harrowing - it is by largely denying empathy and stating the facts that the protagonist's dire situation becomes clear. Gender inequality in South Korea is ranked as one of the highest in the world, you can find some stats here.

Similar to Han Kang in The Vegetarian, Cho Nam-Joo depicts a scenario in which other characters interpret the effects of degradation and lack of agency that the protagonist shows as mental illness - but it's worth contemplating whether those protagonists are sick, or whether the circumstances under which they have to live are sick.

Very interesting and highly relevant, not only in South Korea. Here's the movie trailer with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f-XGrn_7Kk

The way this book is written is very intelligent. The position of a woman in the business world is something that does not get acknowledged enough. It's something that gets dismissed or joked about a lot. I found the most heartbreaking part of this story, the end. When you think you've met a man who understands the struggles a woman has to go through every single day, especially in Korea, you're faced with the cold hard truth that no, this man is not enlightened as one thought. I loved every second of this book and would love to read more about the women that shaped Kim Jiyoung.

Arguably the most infuriating book I have ever read, and that's exactly what makes it brilliant. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, runs through the life of Jiyoung as she goes through childhood, adolescence, marking out her territory in university, finding her first job, getting married and giving birth. It also includes all of the insipid and horrifying instances of misogyny she lives with and perseveres through, conscious that they are awful but unable to stop them. Defeated by society's own institutional inequality and constantly burdened by the weight of the life she gives up to have a family, there's a lot of resonance here for any woman who has lived this life. The unfortunate reality is that many, many women have experienced this life.

If only every man on earth could read it.

A fascinating insight into growing up in Korea. We hear about North Korea and assume life in the South is so much more western. However, it is disturbing to hear how women are treated so differently. I really enjoyed this read as though fiction it seemed autobiographical . Kim Jiyoungs story starts with home and the arrival of a younger brother through to her marriage and slow breakdown based on her experiences with life as a young woman in Korea. A short and riveting read.

Through the eyes of her therapist, we follow the life of Kim Jiyoung as she experiences everyday sexism all from birth, youth and into her adulthood where she becomes a stay-at-home mother, and begins to unravel under pressure.
Kim Jiyoung first came to my attention last year when a member of K-pop group Red Velvet, Irene, had recommended this book during a fan signing. I still remember the aftermath where many of her male fans cursed her, insulted her and even burnt pictures of her. Back then, a translation of the book did not exist, so when I found out it was being translated, I jumped at the opportunity to review one of South Korea’s best-selling feminist novels.
Rather than a full-length novel, Kim Jiyoung is more of a series of anecdotes – a string of events that chronicles her life, with interspersing stories of the women around her, e.g. her mother, mother-in-law and sister. The style is very objective, and the tale integrates quantitative and historical data.
The story is mainly set in Seoul, SK, but her experience is universal. Jiyoung realises from a young age that being a girl means something different, something less. She is served food last in her family, and if her siblings need to share, her younger brother is automatically given his own share while she shares with her sister. “He’s the youngest.””You mean he’s the son!” Just those two lines hit very close to home for me.
The story follows select moments of her life that reflect that society she is in. From the schoolboys who tease her to the men who force her to an uncomfortable alcohol-laden dinner party, the everyday sexism she is forced to accept slowly takes a toll on her. This book is so simple in its concept, and the fact that it angered so many men does not surprise me. It holds a mirror to their privilege without actually calling them out, uncomfortable enough to make them uncomfortable. It lays down the facts and backs itself up, sending the message that hey this is what women are facing in Korea and it’s not okay. The story of Kim Jiyoung is full of silence but every bit powerful.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 tells the story of a Korean woman from her birth to the present day. The book starts when she's 33 and hospitalised for a depression and then goes back to tell her life story. From her youth to university, her first job, getting married and becoming a mother, the author gives the reader the background and cultural context as to why her breakdown has happened.
The book describes everyday sexism in modern Korea, with women trying/wanting to balance their lives between the traditional patriarchal culture and a more modern approach (studying, having a career), sometimes leading to mental health problems.

While I enjoyed reading this book, it rather reads like an essay. The author lists examples of what Jiyoung had to face in her life, underlining them with facts and statistics. I didn't feel emotionally connected to Jiyoung and she could have been any Korean woman of that age, which is probably the point of the author. Jiyoung is not a unique case.
This dry and matter-of-fact writing style might not be for everyone, however the book is short and easy to read and is really worth a try.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and although my rating is 3/5, I would definitely still recommend. I liked how fast-paced and almost jolted it was; I didn't want to know everything about Kim Jiyoung's life, but felt we were shown enough to comprehend her internal battles and hardships. I felt that writing it this way allowed you to feel you were really inside Kim Jiyoung's mind; seeing only the bits that stuck out for her, whether small or large grievances, these were catalysts and transitions in her life. At the same time, I found some parts a bit lacklustre; I just felt I never truly got attached to Kim Jiyoung and it was more a factual list of the injustices that females face in Korea painted as a fiction novel. I found the facts, figures and references very interesting but again, it made it feel more memoir/non-fiction and although it verified the inequalities, prevented an emotive response to the main 'fictional' character. Fiction or not, I learnt a lot and found it a thought-provoking read.

*I received an advance review copy of Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 from the publisher through NetGalley.

A book with an interesting topic to it. It’s set in Asia and how Kim Jiyoung wasn’t really made to feel that she is wanted.
Thank you to both NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review

I really enjoyed this book, I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. I enjoyed it and would probably purchase it once it released. I enjoyed learning about Kim Jiyoung's life and her sister and how her family was formed but it showed how women are often discriminated against in South Korea, which might be helpful for more people wanting to know about their lifestyle. I love how it included the discrimination at every part of her life and how even though their culture is so different to ours, there are elements that overlap, for example a boy picking on her and she was told that he liked her.

it was a quick and easy read but I must admit at first I had to re-read the first few pages a couple of times to make sure I had understood what I thought was going on. I wold love to have known what happened after the book ended however it was about her life, not about her present or her future really.

Great book, I loved her story and it is incredibly thought provoking.

Eye-opening account of the gender discrimination women in South Korea have to deal with from the moment of birth.

Reading about the small and big but always constant moments of injustice was very moving.

Makes for a very good every-day life counter piece to Han Kang's The Vegetarian.

Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 is not the usual book that I read but, I was surprised of its content.
The story tells of her birth to present day of a 33-year-old woman living in a Korea. How society belittle the female gender and treated men as the better, class even if the women the more intelligent one. From how the girls ate and clothed to how they treated when they went entered the workforce.
I found this quite fascinating as I didn’t know much of the Korean way of life. Their life reminds me of a dystopian novel. Every part of their life was judged. It also made me angry because they didn’t have a choice in the matter. 4 stars from me.

"Kim Jiyoung is thirty-three years old, thirty-four Korean age. She got married three years ago and had a daughter last year. She rents a small apartment on the outskirts of Seoul with her husband Jung Daehyan, thirty-six, and daughter Jung Jiwon." Kim Jiyoung is every Korean woman; she represents the experiences of generations- overlooked, undervalued and downtrodden. In a society where: female babies are a disappointment; brothers are fed first; provided a superior education; given their own room; supported by the menial wages of female family members, Jyoung is just another casualty.

In interview Cho Nam-Joo, explained, "Kim Ji-young's life isn't much different from the one I have lived." and perhaps that explains the detached and resigned delivery in which she fails to tip even the slightest emotional nod. Instead, her narrative reads more like a Wikipedia entry for the faceless woman on the book's cover. This is further enforced by passages listing historical facts and figures, for example, "In 1982, the year Jiyoung was born, 106.8 boys were born to 100 girls, and male birth ratio gradually increased, ending up with 116.5 boys born to 100 girls in 1990."

I do not doubt that this tale needs to be told, nor that the 'noise' created around the book's publication and the impressive sales of more than a million copies by the end of 2018 isn't playing an important role in the world's awakening to events and the experiences of Korean citizens. But, as someone who has previously read factual books about their plight ( I recommend, 'Nothing to Envy' by Barbara Demick), what I was looking for was a heroine with whom I could sympathize and engage; drawing me into the heart of a family and enabling me to experience Korean life through her daily existence. Sadly, that is not what I found. Hopefully, the forthcoming film will address this issue and add the necessary warmth to Nam-Joo's dry delivery.

Frustrating, honest and brilliant.

Starting with Kim Jiyoung being in a hospital and the age of 33, we are told the story of her life growing up in Korea, from a young age, through school, university, her first job and into motherhood. As we hear about her life, we learn about the society that literally breeds a sexist culture. You see how women’s thoughts and opinions are suppressed and disregarded and how all this has led to her hospitalisation. I mean, it’s a book of fiction, but it could easily be a biography.

This book is an eye opener. It’s intense but Kim Jiyoung isn’t written as an emotional character, in fact, I feel that Cho Nam-Joo has purposely done this and has let the actions and words of those around Kim Jiyoung speak for themselves. There is no need for deep and personal descriptions of feelings when the actions are that unbelievable that you sympathise immediately.

I’d recommend this to every one. I read this in 2 sittings and would say it’s my favourite book I’ve read this year.

A thought-provoking view at gender inequality in Korea, a part of the world that we know relatively little about. Kim Ji-Young has been raised to think she can have it all, even when the reality catches up with her at every turn, from childhood onwards. Finally, voices from the past start to manifest themselves through her. Interesting and incendiary.