American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee review – a gloriously immersive follow-up to Pachinko
A Korean family is willing to sacrifice everything for their children’s education, in the third book in Lee’s Diaspora Quartet “An excellent hagwon,” according to one of the characters in Min Jin Lee’s new novel, “is everything.” Every year, Korean parents pay hefty sums to send their children to these private…
Covered by 2 sources from 2 countries. First reported by The Guardian ·
How 2 newspapers cover this story
American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee review – a gloriously immersive follow-up to Pachinko
A Korean family is willing to sacrifice everything for their children’s education, in the third book in Lee’s Diaspora Quartet “An excellent hagwon,” according to one of the characters in Min Jin Lee’s new novel, “is everything.” Every year, Korean parents pay hefty sums to send their children to these private…
Min Jin Lee on 'American Hagwon' and why it takes a decade to write each novel
Lee's new novel is about the promise and perils for Koreans who pursue a Western education. Her previous book, the 2017 novel Pachinko, was a finalist for a National Book Award.
Coverage details
2 outlets from 2 countries are covering this story: The Guardian and NPR. The Guardian published it first, on November 5, 2026; the last outlet to join was NPR, 10 hours later.
Key names in the coverage: Min Jin Lee, American Hagwon and Pachinko.
By country: United Kingdom (1), United States (1).
