Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Kärlek i Seoul

I can appreciate that this book needed to be written, and I appreciate translations for broadening readers' scope of the world, but it remains that this is a book primarily written for Korean readers. As a translation to English, I wish it was a little more than a stream-of-consciousness, (mostly) low-stakes, fictional memoir. My favorite thing about this book is that Koreans can read a story like this in their native language. Americans (me), on the other hand, have plenty of these.

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edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

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reflective medium-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

3.0

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mmefish's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

I took out a low, foldable table from under the bed and wiped the dust with a wet wipe. No matter how much I wiped, there was still dust—how very much like everything else in my life.

Rain still falls during the late rainy season, as do tears even when it's too late.

I have a soft spot for books like this.

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morebedsidebooks's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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thelittle_seokmin's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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juliacd's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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whatannikareads's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

i really really enjoyed this! i think this, narration-style wise, meets somewhere in the middle of Sally rooney and Murakami. it aligns with the fresh korean perspective i’ve noticed in the works i’ve read by korean authors.

i think i enjoyed it so much because i live in korea and i can see smell and hear the neighborhoods described in this book, the food used to connect with people, what seoul looks like at dawn. so i’m probably biased, but i also think it speaks to how realistically the author painted the neon lights of the city

the book is essentially vignettes of the authors love life in seoul, whether that be platonic romantic or familial. it’s a bit dry and dark but i think it perfectly encapsulates the blunt nature of a young adult’s mind.

because korea is still soso homophobic, it was so cool to read how openly the author shares actual korean gay experiences through a fictional character. definitely a perspective that’s needed more in korean literature! i’m so appreciative that it’s been translated and that i can also fully enjoy it.

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aet_rebecca's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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