I really enjoyed this book! It was suspenseful and provocative, but at times it was confusing figuring out who was who, and which POV I was reading from.

Very accessible and engaging writing! Although it was implied in the summary that the spy plot was a major theme of the book, I expected to read more about the questions of identities from these three Korean characters who went through very different paths because of the family they were born into. I wished for meaningful and thought-provoking interactions between them but felt like the observations about the Korean diaspora were inner thoughts mostly put aside for the sake of the spy/American police plot in which I very quickly lost interest. In retrospect, I do understand that it was a mistake on my part when diving into that story. I am also not very sure that I get what the author was trying to do by ending the story this way. To what extent was the death of the victim of the stray bullets necessary? Well, I still very much like the cover design. Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the advance reader copy!

This book really grew on me.

It starts off a bit confusing as there are multiple characters and timelines, but there is a clear pattern to the narration and so once you figure that out it actually makes a lot of sense.

I don's often read spy novels, but here the spy drama is not even the main focus in my opinion. We get to experience the story through the spy plot, but the actual essence of the book is about being a foreigner in all the different ways imaginable. Being a migrant myself, I connected with the story. I am neither Korean nor a spy, but I felt seen in a very emotional way. To be fair, I think a big reason for that is that I come from an ex-Soviet country, and so I didn't have to imagine the parts of narration that were about North Korea - I KNOW what the author is talking about, even if obviously there are lots of nuances to consider.

But yeah, in a nutshell, this is a story of these very different people that still have something important in common. The book brings up such important questions as to why people might choose to move countries, why they choose to stay, or why they end up going back in the end. I found the book very intelligent, so if you were hoping for an easy-to-follow spy novel that you can read on the way to work while you're half asleep - this ain't it.

This book demands attention and gives a lot back in return. I know I will be thinking about it for a while.

Also, normally I like poetic writing, And I just couldn't put my finger on it, but somehow the author managed to elevate mundane description, such as "he went there and did that etc." to something not quite poetic as in how I prefer it but still poetic enough that it connected with something in my soul.

When Doha Kim a North Korean spymaster is killed in Oxford his protegee Yohan Kim follows the only lead to his death "Soju Club, Dr Ryu". As CIA agents rush to investigate too; leading to an explosive ending.

I did enjoy the story and it was action packed although at times it felt a little difficult to follow. It was packed with action and very gripping; 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an excellent exploration of identity and self wrapped up in a confusing timeline of murders and espionage. I was not the biggest fan of the writing, as much of the wording was distracting and felt disorganized. While I believe this may have been the point, it did not help me understand the story and I’m afraid I missed a few things during my reading. But, I will give credit, that was the point. Multiple points of view, everything centering on something different, and new players popping up halfway through the book reflects how little each character knew of the situation. This book was very intriguing, the formatting and the characters and the identities that everyone formed were all unique yet familiar. Each character explored their identity and its connection to their heritage, culture, current, past, and future self. No two were alike and it was an excellent reflection of how people grow and change throughout their lives, and identify is a confusing, multilayered thing. This book also explored national identity, especially nationalism, as each set of characters “The Americans” or “The Northerners” experience confusion, disbelief, loyalty, and disenchantment as they are pressured by the stereotypes and propaganda that confines them. They are not them, they are someone else. We get a little relief with Jihoon, which is then taken away with his death and that further pushes the plot into chaos, and the readers were not the only ones relying on Jihoon for comfort, but so were the other characters. Seeing each side and exploring their backgrounds, what they thought of one another, the propaganda and disinformation, and the relationships they built were all so confusing yet beautiful.

I enjoyed reading this, it was quick, fast paced, and had enlightening twists for me to always keep guessing. For a debut novel, this was a good read.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
This book was small, pacey and packed a punch, but not for the reasons I thought it would. I won't lie, I did go into this book expecting a high action, plotty mystery about spies, but this book was very much a discussion of identity and human experience. This book has quite a small cast which I enjoyed and we got an insight to most of the characters who became the focus of the story which I very much enjoyed. Personally, I would have liked to see this book lean into more of the mystery/action elements of the story, but that's just personal preference and I still definitely enjoyed the book and liked some of the reveals we got throughout. All in all, even though this book wasn't what I necessarily expected, I'm glad I read it and I think others will too.

3.25 stars

Rather than an action-adventure, mystery, or character-driven story, this book was primarily a meditation on life, identity, and the human experience (with action and character development sprinkled in). It reminded me of Kafka’s metamorphosis for that reason. Overall it was slow-paced compared to what I expected from a book about espionage. The frequent time skips and flashbacks weren’t hard to follow, but they were ubiquitous enough to slow down the pace of the story and reduced narrative tension, making the book instead feel meandering. I enjoyed learning Jihoon’s backstory and more of Dr. Ryu’s in the latter half of the book. If you are looking for a contemplative book with commentary on people and society, then this would be for you! I enjoyed the read, but overall it wasn’t totally for me

Thank you Dundurn Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

It took a while to pick up but I did eventually come to care for most of the cast, especially once everything fit into place towards the latter half of the book and we were exposed to everyone's intentions and backstories. My favourite character throughout was Jihoon but I did also come to care for Yohan and even got a little teary for him. I didn't care much for Yunah but rather than that being a shortcoming, on the contrary, it speaks to the strength of the writing because the reason for my discomfort was simply that she was painfully close to myself and my own experiences as a child of immigrants.

I had a peek at what other people had to say about the book and it seems that a common issue people had was that they couldn't keep up and got lost due to the constant switching of perspectives and going back and forth in time. I ultimately didn't have an issue following the plot, even with my limited knowledge of the historical and cultural context. However, because of the way things were written, it was difficult to tell at times who we were following and I was only able to piece this together from context a couple of pages in whenever there was a shift in perspective. I don't think there is any disadvantage in just telling us upfront who we are following this time and I think if this was, for example, pointed out next to each section heading, or just immediately made clear in the writing, it would be a massive help. Another small gripe I had was with the ending. I had no issue with how the book ended exactly, but it did feel like things wrapped up slightly too abruptly for my liking. As a result, the fate of some characters wasn't as impactful as it could have been.

Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed this to the point that I will be keeping an eye out for when I can get my hands on it physically. Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for the ARC!

Oxford Soju Club is a fast paced thriller with a multiple pov narrative surrounding a mystery of the death of a North Korean spy master, Doha. Through the story, we meet three different characters: a South Korean, a North Korean & a South Korean raised as an American. Three of them are spies working for their countries against each other.

Oxford Soju Club, the only korean restaurant in Oxford, is the center of attention amidst everything. North Korean spies meeting up in a korean restuarant which is owned & run by a South Korean? Is that just a coincidence or a well-planned meeting spot? Is the owner also involved in the scheme?

I suggest you to read this in a few sittings if possible otherwise it might get a bit difficult for you to keep track of the characters & events happening simultaneously. The multiple povs makes it a bit confusing at times.

Otherwise this was a really interesting read.
It also explores the theme of survival, identity and some cultural aspects.

Oxford Soju Club is an interesting and explorative spy thriller following Yohan Kim, a North Korean intelligence officer, who gets entangled with the Soju Club. I liked the premise and was excited to start this book however, despite the many amazing reviews, I feel like I missed something reading this. I didn't feel completely hooked and I wasn't desperate to finish this book. Overall it was an okay read but it didn't blow me away.

This book isn't for everyone. The multiple POVs can get confusing at times (keep a notebook by your side and take notes while reading!), especially when sometimes it's not immediately obvious whose POV we are reading. Also the characters occasionally go on and on about some inconsequential detail about identity or a sense of belonging, home, etc. which I've seen some reviews say hurt the pacing. But personally I felt that those details tied the themes up nicely: what does being Korean mean, especially in the context of espionage where everyone wears a mask and goes around with false identities?

There are a lot of deaths in this book, by the way. Now that's probably not too shocking given the genre, but I genuinely did not expect to get emotional reading this. I mourned the demise of a few characters, because each of them have something going for them. There's the strict North Korean spymaster Dr. Ryu, who had to make difficult decisions again and again. Doha Kim seemed pretty laidback, but he had his own sorrows. The Korean-American CIA agent, Yunah Choi, not only has to content with her complicated assignment, but there's also the question of how 'Korean' she is and the way she is treated by her colleagues and superiors. Then there's Jihoon Lim, the South Korean owner of the Soju Club, who is just trying to get a fresh start after a tragedy.

Unfortunately, when bullets fly, loyalties and backstories don't matter.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. Obviously I'm not going to spoil anything, but Doha Kim's identity was both mindblowing and tragic. As was Yohan's backstory and why both Doha and Dr. Ryu were so determined to keep him alive.

All in all, this is a worthwhile read, provided that you keep track of the details. Really, I can't emphasize this enough, because I made the mistake of not paying attention the first time around and quickly got myself confused. However, it was all worth it in the end, and even though I finished this some time ago, thinking about the characters still made me sad.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC!

Oxford Soju Club is a spy thriller that explores the theme of identity, survival, and the masks people wear to navigate life. This is mentioned in the forward and is apparent throughout. I also found there was a theme of parental connection. - relationships with parents are explored and the way that parents have shaped peoples lives by the decisions / sacrifices they make. Yohan Kim, a North Korean intelligence officer, gets tangled in the secrets of the Soju Club, uncovering layers of deception and betrayal. The multi-perspective storytelling kept me hooked, blending action with real emotional weight. I found the ending incredibly sad but also so beautiful.

“Oxford Soju Club” by Jinwoo Park is a debut that truly captivated me with its blend of literary fiction, cultural exploration, and suspense. The story weaves together the complex lives of Koreans—both in North Korea and the diaspora—highlighting the struggles of identity, belonging, and survival. Set against the backdrop of Oxford, the novel centres around the mysterious death of North Korean spymaster Doha Kim, with his protégé Yohan Kim chasing a cryptic lead: “Soju Club, Dr. Ryu.” Meanwhile, a Korean American CIA agent, Yunah Choi, races against time to unravel the spy network’s secrets after the assassination.
What I found particularly compelling is how the narrative explores immigrant life in the West—how Koreans create and adapt identities to navigate a world full of prejudice, danger, and longing. The Soju Club, a Korean restaurant in Oxford owned by Jihoon Lim, stands as a symbol of this search for belonging, a place where characters' true selves are often masked by survival instincts. The atmospheric descriptions of the city, the restaurant, and the characters’ inner worlds are richly rendered, making the story feel immersive and authentic.
Jinwoo Park’s voice is strong, and his talent for capturing the nuances of characters caught between conflicting cultures is evident. Jihoon, in particular, felt like a standout; his journey from Seoul to Oxford and his struggles with tragedy added emotional depth to the narrative. The book’s themes of cultural identity and personal truth are woven seamlessly into the suspenseful plot, resulting in a story that is both thought-provoking and gripping.
However, I did find the pacing uneven at times. With a large cast of characters and multiple POVs, some sections moved quickly and kept me on the edge of my seat, while others felt more sluggish and a little confusing. It was sometimes hard to follow who was the focus or the significance of certain plot points, especially with the frequent POV shifts. Additionally, the story attempts to juggle many themes—spy intrigue, cultural identity, immigrant trauma—which occasionally felt a bit overwhelming or scattered.
That said, I appreciated how each character’s perspective served as a commentary on different aspects of Korean identity, whether the internal conflict of dual cultures or the yearning for acceptance. The novel’s literary tone elevates it beyond typical spy thrillers, providing a reflective and often poetic lens on a complex subject.
Overall, “Oxford Soju Club” is an ambitious and captivating debut. It’s less about the traditional spy action and more about exploring what it means to be Korean in a foreign land, with a murder mystery layered in. It might not be perfect in execution—some parts felt a little overstuffed or hard to follow—but I admire Jinwoo Park’s daring approach and storytelling voice. I look forward to seeing what he writes next, and I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in cultural stories with a suspenseful edge and literary depth.

3.75 stars

One of the reasons that I wanted to read Oxford Soju Club was because I've seen the author's tiktoks and his analysis on certain topics, and enjoyed listening to them. And when I read the book, I felt pretty much the same vibe.

Usually this is a genre that I don't try, but I'm glad I gave this book a chance because it was so interesting to read. There's multiple different plot lines happening at the same time, showing us different perspectives of a similar mystery at hand. The book masterfully weaves all these narratives together, showing us the workings of a North Korean spymaster, a CIA agent and the owner of the Soju Club. Each character's voice is unique and perfectly represents their personalities. The only issue that I had with the book was the pacing - it starts off quite nice, but kind of tapers and slows down in the middle which makes the story move a little slow for my tastes. But the pacing picks up again

All in all though, Oxford Soju Club was a very interesting and fun read, specifically if you're a fan of thrillers with a range of perspectives involved. I did enjoy reading this and will be looking forward to what Jinwoo Park writes next!

It’s fine. There’s literary aspects to the book, but it feels a little awkward (especially considering most of the cast dies). It doesn’t have enough twists to be a proper mystery, but I’m not sure Park has the insight into the mentality of an agent. I’m also not super convinced by the portrayal of the North Korean mindset.

I thought the book sounded really interesting and I was excited to read it but for me it was hard to follow and didn't flow as I expected. Too much was happening for but I wasn't compelled to want to continue reading. I found myself needing to break and read something else between.

Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park, thank you @netgalley @dundurnpress for this ARC.
Pub Date of this book is Sep 30 2025 .

Genre - Literary Fiction | Multicultural Interest | Mystery & Thrillers

The natural enemy of a Korean is another Korean.

When North Korean spymaster Doha Kim is mysteriously killed in Oxford, his protégé, Yohan Kim, chases the only breadcrumb given to him in Doha’s last breath: “Soju Club, Dr. Ryu.” In the meantime, a Korean American CIA agent , Yunah Choi, races to salvage her investigation of the North Korean spy cell in the aftermath of the assassination. At the centre of it all is the Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in Oxford, owned by Jihoon Lim, an immigrant from Seoul in search of a new life after suffering a tragedy. As different factions move in with their own agendas, their fates become entangled, resulting in a bitter struggle that will determine whose truth will triumph.

Oxford Soju Club weaves a tale of how immigrants in the Korean diaspora are forced to create identities to survive, and how in the end, they must shed those masks and seek their true selves.
📖

This book lavishly conveyed in two conversations, it is brilliantly unfurled with the tone of literary fiction and mysterious suspenseful journey.
This book is inspired from South Korea and North Korean life, it further developed to portray Korean people's lives in the United States, the identity crisis, pain in immigrant life bitter life struggle in the west intertwined with murder mystery, laced with seductive atmospheric description served as spread in full platter.

I love reading literary fiction and society rules creates havoc, inspired from reality, an unresting drama and if it is garnished with a tinge of mystery, it becomes a mind-blowing, delicious read.

Oxford Soju Club is an ambitious debut, a spy thriller that feels genuinely unique. I really felt like the author, Jinwoo Park, had a strong voice and a clear talent for capturing complex characters who are caught between cultures, and I felt that was a strong point in the story. The premise is engaging, and the character of Jihoon, the Korean restaurant owner, was a real standout for me.

That said, the pacing felt a little uneven for me and sometimes I felt myself being a little confused since there were a lot of characters. Some sections flew by with intense action, while others dragged more. At times, it felt like the novel was trying to juggle too many themes.

Still, overall, I felt like this was an interesting and unique story and I admire what the author set out to do here. It’s a debut that takes risks, and when it hits, it definitely hits. If you’re looking for a spy novel with soul, it’s worth checking out. I look forward to seeing more novels from Park in the future.

Jinwoo Park’s Oxford Soju Club is a razor-sharp espionage thriller that blends geopolitical tension with deeply personal reckonings of identity, loyalty, and survival. Set against the unlikely backdrop of Oxford’s only Korean restaurant, this gripping novel unravels a North Korean spy’s assassination and the deadly chain reaction it triggers among the Korean diaspora—each player hiding secrets as potent as their soju.

When spymaster Doha Kim is killed, his protégé Yohan Kim follows a cryptic clue to the Soju Club, where owner Jihoon Lim—a Seoul immigrant haunted by his past—becomes an unwitting pawn in a high-stakes game. Meanwhile, CIA agent Yunah Choi scrambles to salvage her investigation, her American-Korean duality adding layers of cultural friction and moral ambiguity. Park masterfully intertwines their perspectives, exposing how each character’s constructed identity (defector, spy, immigrant) fractures under pressure.

The prose is sleek and propulsive, shifting between smoky backroom dealings and explosive action, but the novel’s brilliance lies in its quieter moments. The Soju Club becomes a microcosm of displacement, where characters confront what they’ve sacrificed to belong—whether to a regime, a country, or themselves. Park’s insight into diaspora trauma (“The natural enemy of a Korean is another Korean”) cuts deep, elevating this beyond a standard spy caper.

3.5 rounded up. A solid story that is less spy novel and more an exploration of what Korean identity means to the author. I think at times, the latter was to the detriment of the former, so it was hard to follow and understand the spy plot as a result. While it was a bit difficult to follow which character was the focus because there's quite a number of POV changes to keep track of, I appreciated how each character POV and storyline had a purpose: to serve as commentary on one facet of Korean identity. I empathized with several aspects of the characters' storylines (two including the straddling two cultures and the earnest yearning for belonging to both), and the overall story and writing was engaging enough for me to fly through the pages quite quickly.

Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review :)