Reviews

Kärlek i Seoul by Sang Young Park

bina07's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense

3.25

pheebsnez's review against another edition

3.5

the unfortunate part of this book for me was that the author's note was the most emotional part of the book (i cried). the rest of the novel really lacked a lot of emotional weight for me that i wish it had had, the way the main character felt that in a way he was keeping us as readers at arm's distance. though perhaps he, too, was at arms distance from himself and his own emotions. young is not a particularly likeable main character, but his narration is raw and realistic (it seems a lot of this book may have been based on the author's own experiences) and he still manages to be an empathetic character. 

something else to note is it definitely reads more like 4 short stories than a "novel", though there is a through-line of characters/events throughout. 

buttbag's review against another edition

2.0

am i just a hater LOL the main character lacked a personality outside of being brash and i wasn't really compelled by any of his romantic relationships

zippywafflebuns's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

caseycorp's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mariab27's review against another edition

I hemmed and hawed about whether to rate this book, but my final decision was not to. Here's why: I found this novel at a bookstore in May. Having liked the description, I placed a hold at the library. Thinking the novel was a sweet, adult romcom, I chose (perhaps for the first time in my life) not to re-read the inner flap after picking up the book four months later.

Instead of a romcom, this is an unflinching portrait of a man's journey during four stages of his life. Throughout, Young (the main character, perhaps to be confused with the author) grapples with homophobia in himself, his country, his family, and his lovers; an emotionally abusive mother; a distant, conman of a father; and what it means to love amidst the hyperlocal setting of home, the national setting of South Korea, and the international setting of Thailand. Had I known what I was about to read, I would have read it with a kinder, more empathetic eye toward the narrative arc and setting.

Instead, I had a difficult time seeing past Young's self-loathing, which morphs into a cold and often mean response to others' love. I also wonder what was lost in the translation of this novel and whether my review is based on Sang Young Park's writing or Anton Hur's. Perhaps it's both.

Anyway, the tl;dr is that while I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I *should* read the inner flap.

pasawayjulz's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

adnanwijayarso's review against another edition

lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

khanyisile13's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This so candidly told story felt like I was sitting with a friend who was telling me bedtime stories. It’s so honest and frank, but so vulnerable that it’s easy to connect to simply because the main character is wearing their heart openly on their sleeve. It was written like a mémoire, a real take of how this person operated through life - and how he operated was by seeking love in other people. His stories had no shame, only real emotion, and that’s what also made the humorous parts of it so charming. I will say the pace became inconsistent, slowing down to suit the changes in the story, which is perfectly fine but you can feel it as a reader. There was also a good bunch of contemporary poetic lines that if you read the book too quickly, you might miss them, but if you savour each word, they’ll sit with you. I’m obsessed with Jae-Hee as a character, although she’s brash, she’s fiercely loyal and so endearing in that sense. I wanted to be her friend after reading about her. His complex connection to his mother was both entertaining and heartbreaking to read, I saw her in so many mothers of colour who are intensely stubborn, yet there’s no denying that they’re trying their best. The humanity of this book is what leaps out to you most, the loneliness in it becomes its own character, lurking in the sidelines and informing essential decisions. Seoul was also a main character, the location’s subtle descriptions and the way each character is connected to the city and South Korea as a whole is significant to the movement of the story. I found the night time descriptions transporting. There’s no real plot, but there’s heart, and you can’t deny it. 

strawberrywafer's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75