Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
A self-described nerd who enjoys studying and learning, bestselling author Min Jin Lee said that law school prepared her well for the extensive research she puts into her books (“American Hagwon,” “Pachinko,” “Free Food for Millionaires”), where fact and fiction coincide to tell universal and relatable stories.
Founded by Jang Young-gyu (who scored the hit films “Train to Busan” and “The Wailing”), Leenalchi is a unique alternative rock group that conveys its lyrics through the traditional Korean storytelling genre known as pansori. The septet is signed to David Byrne’s Luaka Bop Records and has had their music featured in Apple TV’s “Pachinko.”
For critically-acclaimed author Min Jin Lee, the in-depth research she did for her latest novel “American Hagwon” – out Sept. 29 – included extensive visits across three continents to ensure that her fictional family’s lives rang true.
In this review, writer Jae-Ha Kim unpacks the Apple TV+ series Pachinko, its faithfulness to the book by Min Jin Lee, and why unnecessary plot changes can serve an adverse purpose.
The Angad Arts Hotel is one of the more unique properties I’ve stayed at. Located in a vibrant theatre and arts district, it’s equal parts art gallery and trendy hotel. It’s also the first hotel of its kind where guests select their rooms not just by the number of beds they’ll need, but by the color and emotion they want to feel during their stay. No, for real!
“Minari” star Youn Yuh Jung is the first Korean actress to ever win an Oscar, and just the second Asian woman ever to take home a trophy for best supporting actress.
New York Times best-selling author Min Jin Lee spent four years in Japan doing research on her sweeping novel, “Pachinko” (Grand Central Publishing, $27), which was a National Book Award finalist. The time spent overseas provided valuable insight for the New Yorker, who “was based in Tokyo, but I traveled often to Kyoto and Osaka. I had to research Osaka extensively, because so much of ‘Pachinko’ was set there.”
With her first novel, “Free Food for Millionaires,” Min Jin Lee has won the praise of literary critics. Though 562 pages, the book is a true page-turner, with a Korean-American protagonist and a compelling plot involving the universal clash of cultures, adultery and class distinction.