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Counterattacks at Thirty
From the bestselling author of ALMOND, The Devil Wears Prada meets The Office in this witty, humane, and ultimately transformative story of a group of young workers who rebel against the status quo.
Jihye is an ordinary woman who has never been extraordinary. In her administrative job at the Academy, she silently tolerates office politics and the absurdities of Korean bureaucracy. Forever only one misplaced email away from career catastrophe, she effectively becomes a master of the silent eye-roll and the tactical coffee run. But all her efforts to endure her superiors and the semi-hostile work environment they create are upended when a new intern, Gyuok Lee, arrives.
Like a pacifist version of V in V for Vendetta, Gyuok recruits a trio of office allies to carry out plans for minor revenge. Together, these four ¡°rebels¡± commit tiny protests against those in more powerful positions through spraying graffiti, throwing eggs, and writing anonymous expos¨¦s. But as their attacks increase, the initial joy they felt at the release becomes something more and Jihye and the others will discover the beauty of friendship and the extraordinary power of unity against adversity.?
Jihye is an ordinary woman who has never been extraordinary. In her administrative job at the Academy, she silently tolerates office politics and the absurdities of Korean bureaucracy. Forever only one misplaced email away from career catastrophe, she effectively becomes a master of the silent eye-roll and the tactical coffee run. But all her efforts to endure her superiors and the semi-hostile work environment they create are upended when a new intern, Gyuok Lee, arrives.
Like a pacifist version of V in V for Vendetta, Gyuok recruits a trio of office allies to carry out plans for minor revenge. Together, these four ¡°rebels¡± commit tiny protests against those in more powerful positions through spraying graffiti, throwing eggs, and writing anonymous expos¨¦s. But as their attacks increase, the initial joy they felt at the release becomes something more and Jihye and the others will discover the beauty of friendship and the extraordinary power of unity against adversity.?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 2017
163 people are currently reading
8,529 people want to read
About the author
Sohn Won-Pyung
12?books1,162?followersAssociated Names:
* Sohn Won-Pyung (English)
* ??? (Korean)
* ¥½¥ó?¥¦¥©¥ó¥Ô¥ç¥ó (Japanese)
* ??????????? (Thai)
* §³§à§ß §£§à§ß §±§ç§×§ß (Russia)
Sohn Won-pyung is a film director, screenwriter, and novelist living in South Korea. She earned a BA in social studies and philosophy at Sogang University and film directing at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. She has won several prizes, including the Film Review Award of the 6th Cine21, and the Science Fantasy Writers¡¯ Award for her movie script I Believe in the Moment. She also wrote and directed a number of short films, including Oooh You Make Me Sick and A Two-way Monologue. She made her literary debut in 2017 with this, her first full-length novel, Almond, which won the Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction, followed by which won the Jeju 4.3 Peace Literary Award.
* Sohn Won-Pyung (English)
* ??? (Korean)
* ¥½¥ó?¥¦¥©¥ó¥Ô¥ç¥ó (Japanese)
* ??????????? (Thai)
* §³§à§ß §£§à§ß §±§ç§×§ß (Russia)
Sohn Won-pyung is a film director, screenwriter, and novelist living in South Korea. She earned a BA in social studies and philosophy at Sogang University and film directing at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. She has won several prizes, including the Film Review Award of the 6th Cine21, and the Science Fantasy Writers¡¯ Award for her movie script I Believe in the Moment. She also wrote and directed a number of short films, including Oooh You Make Me Sick and A Two-way Monologue. She made her literary debut in 2017 with this, her first full-length novel, Almond, which won the Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction, followed by which won the Jeju 4.3 Peace Literary Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
January 24, 2024
Czasem literatura wyci?ga z naszych g?¨®w przemy?lenia, kt¨®re tylko czeka?y na odpowiedni moment.
To nie jest idealna pozycja, ale mia?a kilka moment¨®w, w kt¨®rych czu?am si? naprawd? zrozumiana.
To nie jest idealna pozycja, ale mia?a kilka moment¨®w, w kt¨®rych czu?am si? naprawd? zrozumiana.
September 16, 2024
Counterattacks at Thirty is a book about an ordinary group of people who are so tired of being pushed around by the system and higher-ups that they decide to bite back.
The book focuses on Kim Jihye, an ordinary thirty-something who is still an intern and trying to figure things out (and struggling). Her motto is simple: don¡¯t work hard, do just enough. And then one day, a new intern starts working with her, Gyuok. Gyuok recruits a few thirty-somethings to start a pacifist (and petty) revolution against the people who have annoyed/wronged them.
This book was a nice surprise. Gyuok is a radical and Jihye is just someone trying to make ends meet and find a career, they¡¯re sort of opposites and it¡¯s fun to see their philosophies clash at times. I loved the lowkey and mundane vibe the book had, but I wished we had known more about Muin and Nam Eun, and the ¡®petty protests¡¯ the group engaged with. Other than the ¡®grand finale,¡¯ the few activities we get to see are just small and petty. Which is the point, but I don¡¯t think they were quirky or funny enough for me to say I¡¯ll remember them next week. I do think the group¡¯s activities had the potential to be funny, because Sohn does pull up fun stuff in her narration (i.e., Kim Chu-bom being better than being named Koh Chu-bom lol) (Koh Chu sounds like penis in Korean).
Reading this book as a thirty-year-old who still doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing was kinda therapeutic. But I was expecting a more life-changing/lingering book from Sohn after she pulled off the masterpiece that is . The ending was super satisfying.
3.5 stars rounded up because G-Dragon is mentioned and deemed the most successful Koreanborn in 1988EVER.
*ARC received for free, this hasn't impacted my review/rating.
The book focuses on Kim Jihye, an ordinary thirty-something who is still an intern and trying to figure things out (and struggling). Her motto is simple: don¡¯t work hard, do just enough. And then one day, a new intern starts working with her, Gyuok. Gyuok recruits a few thirty-somethings to start a pacifist (and petty) revolution against the people who have annoyed/wronged them.
This book was a nice surprise. Gyuok is a radical and Jihye is just someone trying to make ends meet and find a career, they¡¯re sort of opposites and it¡¯s fun to see their philosophies clash at times. I loved the lowkey and mundane vibe the book had, but I wished we had known more about Muin and Nam Eun, and the ¡®petty protests¡¯ the group engaged with. Other than the ¡®grand finale,¡¯ the few activities we get to see are just small and petty. Which is the point, but I don¡¯t think they were quirky or funny enough for me to say I¡¯ll remember them next week. I do think the group¡¯s activities had the potential to be funny, because Sohn does pull up fun stuff in her narration (i.e., Kim Chu-bom being better than being named Koh Chu-bom lol) (Koh Chu sounds like penis in Korean).
Reading this book as a thirty-year-old who still doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing was kinda therapeutic. But I was expecting a more life-changing/lingering book from Sohn after she pulled off the masterpiece that is . The ending was super satisfying.
3.5 stars rounded up because G-Dragon is mentioned and deemed the most successful Korean
*ARC received for free, this hasn't impacted my review/rating.
July 7, 2024
Jak dla mnie spory zaw¨®d. Liczy?am na du?o ciekawsz? histori?, a by?a nu??ca, bez wyrazu. Cho? wiem, ?e sam zamys? skupia? si? w ok¨®? historii zwyk?ych ludzi, to mimo wszystko liczy?am na lepsze wykonanie, pod wzgl?dem literackim.
February 21, 2025
Major thanks to NetGalley and HarperVia for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:
¡°? ??? ???????? ??? ?? ??????????????..¡±
Quite a surprise. There are few books that really tackle all the ennuis of contemporary society in such a blunt way. From the vantage point of 30, we look at what failure is in South Korea. With the race against birth rates, the rising cost of housing and the impossibility of finding a decent job, and to hell with a career, how can a person just be?
We are reaching impossibility, but it¡¯s Won-Pyung¡¯s frankness that creates a numb hum through the text. Anxiousness. Frustration. Annoyance. Micro aggressions add up to one final act, too quick to even stay in a life that goes on without us.
A timely publication, especially after the necessary impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol. These days, how far can a protest go beyond a shot in the dark in a timeline of hurt and horrors? And does it matter as an individual? Ultimately, how do we matter to ourselves?
¡°? ??? ???????? ??? ?? ??????????????..¡±
Quite a surprise. There are few books that really tackle all the ennuis of contemporary society in such a blunt way. From the vantage point of 30, we look at what failure is in South Korea. With the race against birth rates, the rising cost of housing and the impossibility of finding a decent job, and to hell with a career, how can a person just be?
We are reaching impossibility, but it¡¯s Won-Pyung¡¯s frankness that creates a numb hum through the text. Anxiousness. Frustration. Annoyance. Micro aggressions add up to one final act, too quick to even stay in a life that goes on without us.
A timely publication, especially after the necessary impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol. These days, how far can a protest go beyond a shot in the dark in a timeline of hurt and horrors? And does it matter as an individual? Ultimately, how do we matter to ourselves?
February 12, 2025
funny, moving, and profound. we are all tiny and insignificant, and that is both a blessing and a curse.
March 31, 2024
?¡ª Jest jednak co?, co mo?e ci? pocieszy ¡ª doda?, ?ciszaj?c g?os. ¡ª Wszyscy jeste?my ,,nieistotni", wiesz? Jeste?my naprawd? ma?o znacz?cym, ,,nieistotnymi istotami". Mo?emy udawa?, ?e jeste?my wyj?tkowi, ale pod mikroskopem wszyscy ?yjemy tak samo, robimy wszystko, ?eby prze?y?. Wojujemy tylko po to, by jako? potwierdzi? swoje istnienie i zosta? zauwa?onymi.¡°
February 7, 2024
Bardzo mi si? podoba?a. Mimo r¨®?nic kulturowych, wci?? oddzia?ywa?a mocno na mnie, osob? w podobnej sytuacji co g?¨®wna bohaterka. Wybrzmia?o wiele my?li, kt¨®re mog?am znale?? w swoim umy?le.
April 10, 2025
Reading this book at the time when you are stressed with your job is kinda a break that I need, an escape from reality while also knowing for the fact that I'm still a cog in a wheel of society, a worker ant just moving day by day following the speed of the job demand me to fulfill and the constant worrying of what future will hold for me. Counterattacks at Thirty premise was simple, its an act of rebellion not in a grand scheme of things like riots or protests, its the harmless pranks, jokes or tricks, its the counterattacks to the injustice faced by the powerless in their life, the insignificance of the lesser voice but put together as a team may made a small ripple effect even if its short lasted.
Jihye, a 30 year old woman working as an intern at Diamant Academy, a tutoring educational academy with a hope that she will get a permanent position in the headquarters where she can cultivate her dream to be a part of art a culture she hoped for. She is struggling to reach for what she want, the undeniably hardship to find stable employment at her age while also dealing with loneliness , the misogyny from her boss, past experience that tarnished her self-esteem, the shame and struggle to seek jobs, these are the reality of the young generation has to face nowadays. When a new intern, Gyuok came to their workplace and started a small group of rebellion with two other person, they intend to bring small justice to the world by spraying grafitti, throwing eggs to a politician, create small chaos just enough to evoke a reaction. As insignificant these pranks goes, there borne a deep sense of changes in Jihye's life, a step that pushed her to find her footing in life.
As someone that had been in the place of a struggling job seeker, I found myself in a sense of kinship with these characters especially Jihye. There were many societal issues rooted in Korean culture itself such as the working culture of seniority, the misogyny that deeply embedded in the work and also family culture, the powerful taking advantage of the weak and powerless by stepping onto their weakness, the insufferable manipulation by friends and many more that was brought upon in this book which I felt such a great exposure to be discussed. I love how relatable some of these are where Jihye had crafted an invisible ally called Mr Jeong Jin just to get away from everything, it was both sad and also comforting in a sense. The romance subplot doesn't get in the way and I like how it does not focus on this but more on Jihye's personal growth even if its not much.
Being ordinary is also special in its own tender way. Counterattacks at Thirty was a simplistic story of ordinary people with perseverance & with a heart of a rebel to pave a path for ourselves.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy in exchange for an honest review
Jihye, a 30 year old woman working as an intern at Diamant Academy, a tutoring educational academy with a hope that she will get a permanent position in the headquarters where she can cultivate her dream to be a part of art a culture she hoped for. She is struggling to reach for what she want, the undeniably hardship to find stable employment at her age while also dealing with loneliness , the misogyny from her boss, past experience that tarnished her self-esteem, the shame and struggle to seek jobs, these are the reality of the young generation has to face nowadays. When a new intern, Gyuok came to their workplace and started a small group of rebellion with two other person, they intend to bring small justice to the world by spraying grafitti, throwing eggs to a politician, create small chaos just enough to evoke a reaction. As insignificant these pranks goes, there borne a deep sense of changes in Jihye's life, a step that pushed her to find her footing in life.
As someone that had been in the place of a struggling job seeker, I found myself in a sense of kinship with these characters especially Jihye. There were many societal issues rooted in Korean culture itself such as the working culture of seniority, the misogyny that deeply embedded in the work and also family culture, the powerful taking advantage of the weak and powerless by stepping onto their weakness, the insufferable manipulation by friends and many more that was brought upon in this book which I felt such a great exposure to be discussed. I love how relatable some of these are where Jihye had crafted an invisible ally called Mr Jeong Jin just to get away from everything, it was both sad and also comforting in a sense. The romance subplot doesn't get in the way and I like how it does not focus on this but more on Jihye's personal growth even if its not much.
Being ordinary is also special in its own tender way. Counterattacks at Thirty was a simplistic story of ordinary people with perseverance & with a heart of a rebel to pave a path for ourselves.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy in exchange for an honest review
January 15, 2024
Strasznie przykre tak zawodzi? si??ksi??k?, na kt¨®r? si??tak d?ugo czeka?o i wobec kt¨®rej mia?o si??tak wybuja?e nadzieje. Nie do ko¨½ca wiem po co i o czym traktowa? Kontratak. Czuj?, jakby autorka opar?a ca???ksi??k??na przemy?leniach, kt¨®re mo?na wyczerpa??w jednym zwi?z?ym opowiadaniu, ani?eli pe?noprawnej powie?ci, dlatego te? nie do ko¨½ca spodoba? mi si? ten chaos, kt¨®ry tu zawita?. Pomimo bardzo s?abych kwestii fabularnych, widz??te wnioski, widz??te smutne przemy?lenia odno?nie odnajdywania w?asnej drogi, zderzania si??ze ?wiatem, kt¨®ry niecz?sto miewa skrupu?y, ale to chyba dla mnie okaza?o si? zbyt prozaiczne i oczywiste, aby kupi? t? wersj??opowie?ci.
To co zadzia?a?o w Almondzie, poprzedniej, bestsellerowej ksi??ce Won-Pyung, to bardzo oszcz?dny j?zyk, kt¨®ry bezpo?rednio rezonowa? z przypad?o?ci? g?¨®wnego bohatera. W¨®wczas, nie odczuwa? on emocji, dlatego te? taki by? styl tej ksi??ki, kompletnie odarty z upi?ksze¨½, pe?en kr¨®tkich, nierozbudowanych zda¨½. Niemniej jednak, nie podoba mi si? powielenie tego motywu w tej ksi??ce. Ca?o???by?a napisana praktycznie identycznie, cz?sto to by?o dla mnie po prostu mierne literacko. Taka oszcz?dno???w stylu mo?e mie? dobre skutki i wywiera??dobre wra?enie, ale w tym przypadku a? prosi?o si??o wi?ksze pog??bienie niekt¨®rych w?tk¨®w, rozbudowanie ich za pomoc??jakich? opis¨®w wewn?trznych, a tego tu nie by?o. Niestety, nie wywo?a?a ta ksi??ka we mnie praktycznie ?adnych emocji, po lekturze nie umiem o niej zbyt wiele powiedzie?, by?a dla mnie ?adna. Mo?e to dlatego, ?e nie jestem targetem tej powie?ci? Koniec ko¨½c¨®w, autorka nie funduje nam jedynie przykrych rozwa?a¨½ o poczuciu zagubienia u schy?ku swojej m?odo?ci, ale te? snuje opowie???o cz?owieku zestawionym z machin??korporacyjnego ?wiata (zawsze z reszt? skazanego na pora?k?), o samotno?ci, co jest chyba najbardziej przejmuj?c??cz??ci? tej ksi??ki, o ciekawej, lecz niestety nierozbudowanej wersji swoistego buntu przeciwko niesprawiedliwym i nier¨®wnym traktowaniu. Sporo tu tego, a jednak ca?o?? by?a dla mnie kompletnie pozbawiona emocji, jako??si??totalnie odbi?em od tych tre?ci, chocia??sporo mo?na by?o z nich wycisn??. Autorka trafnie i mimetycznie obrazuje samotno?? i to, w jaki spos¨®b trzeba jej przeciwdzia?a?, ale chyba ko¨½cowe wnioski o powrocie do troch??takiego konformizmu troch??tutaj psuj? przekaz.
Nie by?a to moja ksi??ka, kompletnie si??nie polubili?my. Jestem w stanie zrozumie?, czym mo?na si? tutaj zachwyca?, jest tu bowiem zawartych naprawd??du?o istotnych w?tk¨®w, kt¨®re po dodaniu jak?e interesuj?cego i wstrz?saj?cego kontekstu spo?eczno-politycznego, snuje naprawd??przygn?biaj?cy obraz pokolenia, kt¨®re spragnione jest blisko?ci, towarzystwa i takich pierwotnych potrzeb. W zamian wybieraj? zanurkowanie do machiny ?wiata biurowego, kt¨®re na pewnym etapie ka?dego dorwie ze swoj? dawk??niesprawiedliwo?ci. To by?o spoko, ale czy ca?a?ksi??ka, tak chaotyczna, tak niesp¨®jna, tak nijaka i koniec ko¨½c¨®w tak mierna fabularnie by?a dobr? form??na wysnucie tej historii?
To co zadzia?a?o w Almondzie, poprzedniej, bestsellerowej ksi??ce Won-Pyung, to bardzo oszcz?dny j?zyk, kt¨®ry bezpo?rednio rezonowa? z przypad?o?ci? g?¨®wnego bohatera. W¨®wczas, nie odczuwa? on emocji, dlatego te? taki by? styl tej ksi??ki, kompletnie odarty z upi?ksze¨½, pe?en kr¨®tkich, nierozbudowanych zda¨½. Niemniej jednak, nie podoba mi si? powielenie tego motywu w tej ksi??ce. Ca?o???by?a napisana praktycznie identycznie, cz?sto to by?o dla mnie po prostu mierne literacko. Taka oszcz?dno???w stylu mo?e mie? dobre skutki i wywiera??dobre wra?enie, ale w tym przypadku a? prosi?o si??o wi?ksze pog??bienie niekt¨®rych w?tk¨®w, rozbudowanie ich za pomoc??jakich? opis¨®w wewn?trznych, a tego tu nie by?o. Niestety, nie wywo?a?a ta ksi??ka we mnie praktycznie ?adnych emocji, po lekturze nie umiem o niej zbyt wiele powiedzie?, by?a dla mnie ?adna. Mo?e to dlatego, ?e nie jestem targetem tej powie?ci? Koniec ko¨½c¨®w, autorka nie funduje nam jedynie przykrych rozwa?a¨½ o poczuciu zagubienia u schy?ku swojej m?odo?ci, ale te? snuje opowie???o cz?owieku zestawionym z machin??korporacyjnego ?wiata (zawsze z reszt? skazanego na pora?k?), o samotno?ci, co jest chyba najbardziej przejmuj?c??cz??ci? tej ksi??ki, o ciekawej, lecz niestety nierozbudowanej wersji swoistego buntu przeciwko niesprawiedliwym i nier¨®wnym traktowaniu. Sporo tu tego, a jednak ca?o?? by?a dla mnie kompletnie pozbawiona emocji, jako??si??totalnie odbi?em od tych tre?ci, chocia??sporo mo?na by?o z nich wycisn??. Autorka trafnie i mimetycznie obrazuje samotno?? i to, w jaki spos¨®b trzeba jej przeciwdzia?a?, ale chyba ko¨½cowe wnioski o powrocie do troch??takiego konformizmu troch??tutaj psuj? przekaz.
Nie by?a to moja ksi??ka, kompletnie si??nie polubili?my. Jestem w stanie zrozumie?, czym mo?na si? tutaj zachwyca?, jest tu bowiem zawartych naprawd??du?o istotnych w?tk¨®w, kt¨®re po dodaniu jak?e interesuj?cego i wstrz?saj?cego kontekstu spo?eczno-politycznego, snuje naprawd??przygn?biaj?cy obraz pokolenia, kt¨®re spragnione jest blisko?ci, towarzystwa i takich pierwotnych potrzeb. W zamian wybieraj? zanurkowanie do machiny ?wiata biurowego, kt¨®re na pewnym etapie ka?dego dorwie ze swoj? dawk??niesprawiedliwo?ci. To by?o spoko, ale czy ca?a?ksi??ka, tak chaotyczna, tak niesp¨®jna, tak nijaka i koniec ko¨½c¨®w tak mierna fabularnie by?a dobr? form??na wysnucie tej historii?
November 26, 2024
I really enjoyed Won-Pyung's other book, the dark and disturbing ¡°Almond.¡± This one is very different and quite a bit lighter. While ¡°Almond¡± was an unsettling and serious novel, this one doesn¡¯t take itself too seriously most of the time, and there are moments that were a little bit too silly for me. (Example: vivid descriptions of a manager's farts.) There was also a romantic subplot that to me felt forced and not entirely believable. (But I'm also bitter these days, so take that criticism with a grain of salt.) The book had shades of darkness later on, and one scene that was very strange and somewhat unnerving.
I should probably hesitate to say that I related to the narrator of this story, because that could potentially reflect poorly on me in some ways. But there were definitely aspects of her personality that resonated. (She hated having to do self-introductions in school and work settings! One of my absolute nightmares.) And when we meet her, she is feeling lost, beaten down by work and life and the corporate system. The basic gist of this plot is learning to stand up for yourself and fight for what you want and what you deserve. It's a decent message, but the story didn't pack a strong enough punch. Our protagonist ends up making friends through her workplace who unite in their desire to "play pranks" on important people in public as a form of rebellion and revenge, but they don't have a huge impact. And I know that it was the point for the sake of growth and development, but the main character¡¯s spinelessness eventually got on my nerves.
What this book did pull off well was illustration of the fact that sometimes you really don¡¯t know the people you work and interact with, and you might be judging someone too harshly. People can change completely as a result of going through the system and end up unrecognizable from the individuals they once were. We all have to adapt in ways we might not like.
This was a pleasant enough read, so I'm giving it three stars. But I highly recommend "Almond," which was a 5-star read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
Biggest TW: Mention of Adults sleeping with minors, Misogyny, Bullying
I should probably hesitate to say that I related to the narrator of this story, because that could potentially reflect poorly on me in some ways. But there were definitely aspects of her personality that resonated. (She hated having to do self-introductions in school and work settings! One of my absolute nightmares.) And when we meet her, she is feeling lost, beaten down by work and life and the corporate system. The basic gist of this plot is learning to stand up for yourself and fight for what you want and what you deserve. It's a decent message, but the story didn't pack a strong enough punch. Our protagonist ends up making friends through her workplace who unite in their desire to "play pranks" on important people in public as a form of rebellion and revenge, but they don't have a huge impact. And I know that it was the point for the sake of growth and development, but the main character¡¯s spinelessness eventually got on my nerves.
What this book did pull off well was illustration of the fact that sometimes you really don¡¯t know the people you work and interact with, and you might be judging someone too harshly. People can change completely as a result of going through the system and end up unrecognizable from the individuals they once were. We all have to adapt in ways we might not like.
This was a pleasant enough read, so I'm giving it three stars. But I highly recommend "Almond," which was a 5-star read for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
Biggest TW: Mention of Adults sleeping with minors, Misogyny, Bullying
April 21, 2025
This second book by the author is a remarkable departure from her first, Almond, both in themes and characters. It initially took me some time to immerse myself in the story, and I took 23 days to finish it, even though it¡¯s only 233 pages long. However, by the end, I found it to be quite rewarding.
The story follows Kim Jihye, a woman in her thirties who finds herself stuck in an intern position, navigating an often unfair world. Unlike typical protagonists, Jihye isn¡¯t out to change the system or even sure of her desires most days, which makes her incredibly relatable. Her daily struggles and the sense of drifting through work without a clear direction resonate deeply. When Gyuok, a new employee, joins the academy, Jihye¡¯s life shifts as he inspires thoughts of counterattacks and revolution. Alongside Gyuok and two others, Mr. Nam and Muin, they forge a strong bond and set their plan into motion.
The book tackles social injustice with an uplifting approach. I appreciated how the narrative intricately weaves through various characters, revealing their backgrounds and the experiences that shaped them. Their moments of mistreatment and vulnerability are not only powerful but thought-provoking.
I was particularly drawn to the way they executed their revolution, fully aware that their actions might not lead to significant change. Nevertheless, the act of initiating something, no matter how small, carries immense meaning. This book imparts a vital life lesson: in a world filled with things beyond our control, we can always begin by changing ourselves.
The story feels real, honest, and familiar, capturing the frustration many adults experience. Jihye inventing an imaginary lunch partner to sidestep awkward conversations and the comment that people should only work in balance to what they¡¯ve been compensated is incredibly validating, especially in today¡¯s corporate world where burnout is all too common.
While the book¡¯s pacing may be slow and the characters aren¡¯t always likable, I remained deeply invested in Kim Jihye, Gyuok, Mr. Nam, and Muin as they strive to find their voices and create meaningful change. I do wish we could witness more of their protest moments, but the ending is satisfying and realistic¡ªsocial injustice doesn¡¯t vanish overnight. What truly matters is the initiation of change. For those courageous enough to take that first step, I¡¯m cheering for you, wherever you are.
In summary, this book is a thoughtful and engaging story about ordinary people pushing back against everyday injustice. Despite its slow pace and flawed characters, it leaves a powerful message: while we can¡¯t control everything, we can choose to start small. And sometimes, that¡¯s where the real change begins.
"Sometimes you must quit, even when you already have nothing. Sometimes, you must erase everything and take the time to withdraw into yourself."
Thank you, Miss Putri and Times Reads for the review copy!
The story follows Kim Jihye, a woman in her thirties who finds herself stuck in an intern position, navigating an often unfair world. Unlike typical protagonists, Jihye isn¡¯t out to change the system or even sure of her desires most days, which makes her incredibly relatable. Her daily struggles and the sense of drifting through work without a clear direction resonate deeply. When Gyuok, a new employee, joins the academy, Jihye¡¯s life shifts as he inspires thoughts of counterattacks and revolution. Alongside Gyuok and two others, Mr. Nam and Muin, they forge a strong bond and set their plan into motion.
The book tackles social injustice with an uplifting approach. I appreciated how the narrative intricately weaves through various characters, revealing their backgrounds and the experiences that shaped them. Their moments of mistreatment and vulnerability are not only powerful but thought-provoking.
I was particularly drawn to the way they executed their revolution, fully aware that their actions might not lead to significant change. Nevertheless, the act of initiating something, no matter how small, carries immense meaning. This book imparts a vital life lesson: in a world filled with things beyond our control, we can always begin by changing ourselves.
The story feels real, honest, and familiar, capturing the frustration many adults experience. Jihye inventing an imaginary lunch partner to sidestep awkward conversations and the comment that people should only work in balance to what they¡¯ve been compensated is incredibly validating, especially in today¡¯s corporate world where burnout is all too common.
While the book¡¯s pacing may be slow and the characters aren¡¯t always likable, I remained deeply invested in Kim Jihye, Gyuok, Mr. Nam, and Muin as they strive to find their voices and create meaningful change. I do wish we could witness more of their protest moments, but the ending is satisfying and realistic¡ªsocial injustice doesn¡¯t vanish overnight. What truly matters is the initiation of change. For those courageous enough to take that first step, I¡¯m cheering for you, wherever you are.
In summary, this book is a thoughtful and engaging story about ordinary people pushing back against everyday injustice. Despite its slow pace and flawed characters, it leaves a powerful message: while we can¡¯t control everything, we can choose to start small. And sometimes, that¡¯s where the real change begins.
"Sometimes you must quit, even when you already have nothing. Sometimes, you must erase everything and take the time to withdraw into yourself."
Thank you, Miss Putri and Times Reads for the review copy!
April 4, 2025
Appealing cover and I loved how that ¡®a rebellion is coming¡¯ tagline felt so inviting. I followed Jihye in her days of working as an admin role at the Academy where she needs to endure the challenging office politics and Korean bureaucracy. She effectively becomes a master of the silent eye-roll and the tactical coffee run but when the new intern, Lee Gyuok came, she was suddenly recruited as a member along with the other two colleagues to carry out minor acts of rebellion against their superiors to mimic a protest. As the incidents escalated, Jihye was exposed to new discoveries¡ª of unity and friendship, on one¡¯s resilience and self-worth as well redefining her life choices and new growth.
¡°What was the extent of my role at this company? Glorified printer ink? Or perhaps I was just a spare bolt, replaceable and always getting screwed.¡±
¡°I was suffering from the desire to incite my own change in the world. The only problem was that the question of how exactly I wanted to do that kept evading me, as though its answer was always just on the tip of my tongue.¡±
I loved its melancholic tone and how the author explored that concern, one¡¯s insecurities and struggles working in an injustice environment with toxic and favouritism culture. The characters were my fav and although their rebel acts just too average and prank alike I liked the aftermath insights of it esp as how Jihye composed her feelings and afterthoughts from all of the incidents. Intriguing conflicts to both Mr. Nam and Muin¡¯s
narratives with interesting characterization for Gyuok (he seemed so mysterious still to me even until the end) and a peek to a love story in between. Getting a glimpse to Jihye¡¯s past trauma that revolved in a gripping anxieties scene afterwards¡ª loved that blend of emotional stress and its poignant backstory, also to see how Jihye decided to deal with her frights to face the other Jihye.
Truly an attention-grabbing premise overall; a well observed and reflective in a way how it represents a relatable view on the modern workplace scenario and how change is possible despite those pressures, expectations and the troubling exploitative office life. I liked the last chapter a lot!
**loving the fact that it was titled as Ordinary Person at first and changed to Born 1988 when it won a literary award and finalised to Counterattacks At Thirty when it officially published
(review copy courtesy of Times Reads)
¡°What was the extent of my role at this company? Glorified printer ink? Or perhaps I was just a spare bolt, replaceable and always getting screwed.¡±
¡°I was suffering from the desire to incite my own change in the world. The only problem was that the question of how exactly I wanted to do that kept evading me, as though its answer was always just on the tip of my tongue.¡±
I loved its melancholic tone and how the author explored that concern, one¡¯s insecurities and struggles working in an injustice environment with toxic and favouritism culture. The characters were my fav and although their rebel acts just too average and prank alike I liked the aftermath insights of it esp as how Jihye composed her feelings and afterthoughts from all of the incidents. Intriguing conflicts to both Mr. Nam and Muin¡¯s
narratives with interesting characterization for Gyuok (he seemed so mysterious still to me even until the end) and a peek to a love story in between. Getting a glimpse to Jihye¡¯s past trauma that revolved in a gripping anxieties scene afterwards¡ª loved that blend of emotional stress and its poignant backstory, also to see how Jihye decided to deal with her frights to face the other Jihye.
Truly an attention-grabbing premise overall; a well observed and reflective in a way how it represents a relatable view on the modern workplace scenario and how change is possible despite those pressures, expectations and the troubling exploitative office life. I liked the last chapter a lot!
**loving the fact that it was titled as Ordinary Person at first and changed to Born 1988 when it won a literary award and finalised to Counterattacks At Thirty when it officially published
(review copy courtesy of Times Reads)
April 7, 2025
I really enjoyed Almond because it was dark, intense, and unsettling. But Counter Attacks at Thirty was a completely different vibe. It¡¯s lighter, more humorous, and sometimes even a little too silly.
Kang Seonkyeong is stuck in a soul-crushing job, lost in life, and tired of the corporate grind. I related to her struggles, but her passiveness got frustrating after a while. The book¡¯s message about standing up for yourself and fighting for what you deserve is solid, though the execution didn¡¯t hit as hard as I¡¯d hoped. The rebellious workplace pranks were fun, yet they didn¡¯t leave much impact.
There¡¯s also a romance subplot that didn¡¯t quite land for me. Maybe it felt forced? Or maybe I¡¯m just not into it LOL. That said, the book does well in showing how people change in ways we don¡¯t always expect, especially after being chewed up by the system.
Overall, it was an okay read. Fun at times but not as powerful as I wanted.
Kang Seonkyeong is stuck in a soul-crushing job, lost in life, and tired of the corporate grind. I related to her struggles, but her passiveness got frustrating after a while. The book¡¯s message about standing up for yourself and fighting for what you deserve is solid, though the execution didn¡¯t hit as hard as I¡¯d hoped. The rebellious workplace pranks were fun, yet they didn¡¯t leave much impact.
There¡¯s also a romance subplot that didn¡¯t quite land for me. Maybe it felt forced? Or maybe I¡¯m just not into it LOL. That said, the book does well in showing how people change in ways we don¡¯t always expect, especially after being chewed up by the system.
Overall, it was an okay read. Fun at times but not as powerful as I wanted.
April 11, 2025
3.5 stars
I was excited to see something new from Sohn Won-Pyung after enjoying her simple but beautiful writing style in Almond.
While this seems like an ordinary and somewhat mundane story there were some truly earnest moments sprinkled throughout as we watch Jihye go from doing just enough to get by to finding her voice, standing up for herself and choosing her path rather than just following along blindly.
Honestly, nothing really happens in this book, but that's kind of the beauty of it as it reflects the reality of day to day life and how we can choose what little moments, or people, influence us.
ARC provided by publisher for an honest review
I was excited to see something new from Sohn Won-Pyung after enjoying her simple but beautiful writing style in Almond.
While this seems like an ordinary and somewhat mundane story there were some truly earnest moments sprinkled throughout as we watch Jihye go from doing just enough to get by to finding her voice, standing up for herself and choosing her path rather than just following along blindly.
Honestly, nothing really happens in this book, but that's kind of the beauty of it as it reflects the reality of day to day life and how we can choose what little moments, or people, influence us.
ARC provided by publisher for an honest review
April 20, 2025
Buen punto de partida y buena premisa, pero el desarrollo bastante flojo. Quiz¨¢ ten¨ªa unas expectativas m¨¢s altas, pero me ha parecido que ten¨ªa potencial para ser mucho mejor.
February 25, 2025
4.25/5 Finished copy gifted by the publisher
This book came to me at the perfect time when I¡¯m struggling finding meaning working in corporate America ? the author does a phenomenal job portraying lost 30 year olds navigating work places, having to put up with a lot of work bs, feeling ¡°behind¡± on love, etc.
I really appreciate the author exploring different ways of fighting back when someone might feel like they have no power. I also love that this is a hopeful and healing book that still explores important social issues and encompasses a lot of modern Korean societal dynamics and political landscape into the backstory.
This book came to me at the perfect time when I¡¯m struggling finding meaning working in corporate America ? the author does a phenomenal job portraying lost 30 year olds navigating work places, having to put up with a lot of work bs, feeling ¡°behind¡± on love, etc.
I really appreciate the author exploring different ways of fighting back when someone might feel like they have no power. I also love that this is a hopeful and healing book that still explores important social issues and encompasses a lot of modern Korean societal dynamics and political landscape into the backstory.
April 10, 2025
Counterattacks at Thirty is Sean Lin Halbert's translation of ??? ?? by ??? (Sohn Won-Pyung), the author best known for ???, translated as Almond by Joosun Lee (my review).
The original won the 5th Jeju 4.3 Peace Literature Award (4¡¤3?????), under the title 1988?? ('Born in 1988') before the title was changed for publication.
The jury's citation (with ChatGPT translation):
And the novel opens on the narrator's birth year of 1988 (indeed she was born during the Seoul Olympics)
The year I was born, there was a man with a large nose living in South Korea. White-haired and a retired general, he lived a life that was as far from ordinary as you could get. But then just before turning sixty, the words "ordinary people" suddenly became one of his favorite phrases. He liked this phrase so much that he started to introduce himself as an "ordinary person," always remembering to follow this self-proclamation with "Trust me," as if he knew people wouldn't. He even started going around claiming that the "era of ordinary people" was coming. Thus, it was to everyone's surprise that he used this script-flipping slogan to rise to the highest office in Korea. But the unordinary trajectory of his life didn't stop there. Most famously, a picture of him and the previous president standing shoulder to shoulder, handcuffed and dressed in blue prison uniforms, made the front page of every newspaper?in?Korea.
This a reference to ??? (Roh Tae-woo) who took power in 1988, after winning an election in late 1987, and who in 1996 was convicted for corruption, as well as their roles in the 1979 coup and the Gwangju massacre, alongside his predecessor ??? (Chun Doo-hwan):
The narrator goes on to tell us:
Since then, the world has taken a few steps in the right direction-but only a few. Injustice is still the law of the land, and the promised era of ordinary people never came. What we got instead was the exact opposite: a world in which ordinary people are forced to follow the crowd while simultaneously being expected to use every method to stand out from it, desperately screaming at the tops of their lungs, begging to be noticed. As for me, I am just one of the many unfortunate souls whose farewell to youth came during?this?era.
Our narrator Kim Jihye (as she observes, pretty much the most common, and hence everywoman, female name of her generation) turned 30, at least in the traditional Korean age system, in 2017, but still works as in a temporary intern position at a academy. She struggles with the unfairness and petty bureaucracy of her office system, typical of Korea. But when a co-worker arrives, Gyuok, he encourages her and some colleagues to take low-level revenge on the system by a succession of small 'counterattacks', although pranks is a better description, and the one he typically uses.
Interestingly, and encouragingly, Gyuok does acknowledge the sacrifices made, particularly by their grandparents' generation, in rebuilding South Korea after the Korean war; but at the same time challenges the absurdities and unfairness experienced by many in the current generation.
The novel is particularly effective in its portrayal of Korean culture, including many specifics, and Sean Lin Halbert makes I think the correct choice to gloss these where necessary, rather than leave the reader to miss the point and/or to try and find an English equivalent. So for example, Jihye invents an imaginary boyfriend as an excuse to get out of forced-socialisation with her colleagues, and gives him the name Jeong-jin (??), a name she coined from the combination of ?? and ??, as a private joke to emphasise that 'really, truly' he does exist (of course he doesn't):
Sometimes, I just needed an escape. So one day, I lied and said I was having lunch with a friend. After a few times of using this excuse, people started inquiring about this friend's gender, and once they knew he was a male, they wanted to know his name and age. And thus, Mr. Jeong-jin was born. Giving my imaginary friend a name that was a compound of jeongmal and jinjja, two words that both meant "real," was an inside joke that only I knew the punch line to. After a few times of being caught off guard by questions about Jeong-jin, Team Leader Yu concluded that he must like me and that we were in that initial stage of coquetry. It was too much trouble to fight her conjecturing, but I knew that at the rate things were going, I would end up marrying Jeong-jin if something didn't change. In other words, I had to break up with him before our relationship got too serious. I let out a smirk in disbelief thinking about how what had started as a simple white lie was now pushing me into a double life against my will. All I wanted was to eat lunch in peace, and now here I was, flirting, dating, and engaged-to-be-engaged to a man who didn't?even?exist.
The difference between pranks and effective counterattacks is crucial to how the novel proceeds, as this is not a tale of a system overthrown (many of the targets simply shrug off the attacks, or even turn them to their favour), but rather a system which ultimately prevails, and the four colleagues each go their separate ways, each making their own accommodation in a way that suits them. And for me, whilst realistic, this did diminish the power of the novel which turns into more of a character study of loneliness and isolation, and the potential reedeming effect of comradeship, than socially meaningful.
The original title 1988?? (Born in 1988) and the choice of the everywoman narrator's name ???(Kim Ji-hye) inevitably - and one assumes this must have been a conscious choice - recalls the massive bestseller 82?? ??? by ??? (Cho Nam-jo), Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 in Jamie Chang's translation (my review), and this is, unfortunately not in that league in terms of its importance or impact. Nevertheless, worthwhile.
The original won the 5th Jeju 4.3 Peace Literature Award (4¡¤3?????), under the title 1988?? ('Born in 1988') before the title was changed for publication.
The jury's citation (with ChatGPT translation):
"??? ??? ???? ??? ????. ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ?, ????? ????. ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??, ???? ???? ????. ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??"
"This is a novel imbued with wit, freshness, and charm. The author's ability to crystallize events and themes, and to render them with a distinctive novelistic aesthetic, is particularly noteworthy. The characters' acts of resistance are not solemn or overtly heroic, but are instead carried out with a light, almost playful tone. Through witnessing and experiencing these gestures of defiance, the protagonist gradually sheds a diminished, submissive self and ultimately reclaims a sense of autonomous identity."
And the novel opens on the narrator's birth year of 1988 (indeed she was born during the Seoul Olympics)
The year I was born, there was a man with a large nose living in South Korea. White-haired and a retired general, he lived a life that was as far from ordinary as you could get. But then just before turning sixty, the words "ordinary people" suddenly became one of his favorite phrases. He liked this phrase so much that he started to introduce himself as an "ordinary person," always remembering to follow this self-proclamation with "Trust me," as if he knew people wouldn't. He even started going around claiming that the "era of ordinary people" was coming. Thus, it was to everyone's surprise that he used this script-flipping slogan to rise to the highest office in Korea. But the unordinary trajectory of his life didn't stop there. Most famously, a picture of him and the previous president standing shoulder to shoulder, handcuffed and dressed in blue prison uniforms, made the front page of every newspaper?in?Korea.
This a reference to ??? (Roh Tae-woo) who took power in 1988, after winning an election in late 1987, and who in 1996 was convicted for corruption, as well as their roles in the 1979 coup and the Gwangju massacre, alongside his predecessor ??? (Chun Doo-hwan):
The narrator goes on to tell us:
Since then, the world has taken a few steps in the right direction-but only a few. Injustice is still the law of the land, and the promised era of ordinary people never came. What we got instead was the exact opposite: a world in which ordinary people are forced to follow the crowd while simultaneously being expected to use every method to stand out from it, desperately screaming at the tops of their lungs, begging to be noticed. As for me, I am just one of the many unfortunate souls whose farewell to youth came during?this?era.
Our narrator Kim Jihye (as she observes, pretty much the most common, and hence everywoman, female name of her generation) turned 30, at least in the traditional Korean age system, in 2017, but still works as in a temporary intern position at a academy. She struggles with the unfairness and petty bureaucracy of her office system, typical of Korea. But when a co-worker arrives, Gyuok, he encourages her and some colleagues to take low-level revenge on the system by a succession of small 'counterattacks', although pranks is a better description, and the one he typically uses.
Interestingly, and encouragingly, Gyuok does acknowledge the sacrifices made, particularly by their grandparents' generation, in rebuilding South Korea after the Korean war; but at the same time challenges the absurdities and unfairness experienced by many in the current generation.
The novel is particularly effective in its portrayal of Korean culture, including many specifics, and Sean Lin Halbert makes I think the correct choice to gloss these where necessary, rather than leave the reader to miss the point and/or to try and find an English equivalent. So for example, Jihye invents an imaginary boyfriend as an excuse to get out of forced-socialisation with her colleagues, and gives him the name Jeong-jin (??), a name she coined from the combination of ?? and ??, as a private joke to emphasise that 'really, truly' he does exist (of course he doesn't):
Sometimes, I just needed an escape. So one day, I lied and said I was having lunch with a friend. After a few times of using this excuse, people started inquiring about this friend's gender, and once they knew he was a male, they wanted to know his name and age. And thus, Mr. Jeong-jin was born. Giving my imaginary friend a name that was a compound of jeongmal and jinjja, two words that both meant "real," was an inside joke that only I knew the punch line to. After a few times of being caught off guard by questions about Jeong-jin, Team Leader Yu concluded that he must like me and that we were in that initial stage of coquetry. It was too much trouble to fight her conjecturing, but I knew that at the rate things were going, I would end up marrying Jeong-jin if something didn't change. In other words, I had to break up with him before our relationship got too serious. I let out a smirk in disbelief thinking about how what had started as a simple white lie was now pushing me into a double life against my will. All I wanted was to eat lunch in peace, and now here I was, flirting, dating, and engaged-to-be-engaged to a man who didn't?even?exist.
The difference between pranks and effective counterattacks is crucial to how the novel proceeds, as this is not a tale of a system overthrown (many of the targets simply shrug off the attacks, or even turn them to their favour), but rather a system which ultimately prevails, and the four colleagues each go their separate ways, each making their own accommodation in a way that suits them. And for me, whilst realistic, this did diminish the power of the novel which turns into more of a character study of loneliness and isolation, and the potential reedeming effect of comradeship, than socially meaningful.
The original title 1988?? (Born in 1988) and the choice of the everywoman narrator's name ???(Kim Ji-hye) inevitably - and one assumes this must have been a conscious choice - recalls the massive bestseller 82?? ??? by ??? (Cho Nam-jo), Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 in Jamie Chang's translation (my review), and this is, unfortunately not in that league in terms of its importance or impact. Nevertheless, worthwhile.
April 11, 2025
4.5 stars
This was such a special book. I genuinely picked this book up not really expecting much out of it because I was a bit worried that I was not going to enjoy this book as much as I did her other book, Almond, but I was incredibly wrong.
Now, this book is nothing like Almond. Unlike Almond, Counterattacks at Thirty follows a very ordinary woman living an ordinary life working an ordinary job. And it is this ordinary-ness that propels the story and becomes such a beautiful story about the mundane parts of life and the dread of wondering if you've done all you can with your life, wondering if there was something greater you could do.
I am not a 30 year old, and I am not going to reach that age for quite some time, but nonetheless, this book was one of the most precious things I have ever read. Even though this book is probably targeted towards milennials, I feel like the feeling of wanting to place your mark on the world and wanting to be a part of something greater is a feeling that is relatable to everyone. How do we cope with the fact that we're completely ordinary and that no one will probably ever know it? How do we cope with the fact that we're never going to change the world? It's just such a quiet and beautiful novel about what it means to live a life for you, and I loved it so so so so much.
Also, it was highly unexpected (but greatly appreciated), but this book talks a lot about capitalism and how the humanities and liberal arts are viewed under a capitalist society. Jihye talks a lot about how liberal arts are only seen as commodities under capitalism, things that don't seem to have any value or worth unless it allows people to earn money. Art, in a sense, is ultimately useless, and despite this dreadful fact, Jihye still fights for the idea that the humanities are more important than ever right now. I absolutely hate how liberal arts is viewed as useless just because people don't earn tons of money from it, but it's just the world we live in, and this book talks about that.
This book also made me really angry at times LOL. Idk girl some of the people in this book are just so insufferable and annoying and Sohn Won Pyung is just such a good writer. I truly felt all the emotions while reading this book I loved it so much.
This is a book I'd definitely revisit in the future, and perhaps I'll bump it up to 5 stars the next time I read it. I think this book would be even more precious to me once I hit the age of 30 (god, I don't wanna think about that). This was a beautiful book that is completely different from her other novel, Almond, but I loved it just the same. I cannot recommend this enough, especially if you're thinking about your place in this world and the meaning of life. Ok bye!!!!!!
This was such a special book. I genuinely picked this book up not really expecting much out of it because I was a bit worried that I was not going to enjoy this book as much as I did her other book, Almond, but I was incredibly wrong.
Now, this book is nothing like Almond. Unlike Almond, Counterattacks at Thirty follows a very ordinary woman living an ordinary life working an ordinary job. And it is this ordinary-ness that propels the story and becomes such a beautiful story about the mundane parts of life and the dread of wondering if you've done all you can with your life, wondering if there was something greater you could do.
I am not a 30 year old, and I am not going to reach that age for quite some time, but nonetheless, this book was one of the most precious things I have ever read. Even though this book is probably targeted towards milennials, I feel like the feeling of wanting to place your mark on the world and wanting to be a part of something greater is a feeling that is relatable to everyone. How do we cope with the fact that we're completely ordinary and that no one will probably ever know it? How do we cope with the fact that we're never going to change the world? It's just such a quiet and beautiful novel about what it means to live a life for you, and I loved it so so so so much.
Also, it was highly unexpected (but greatly appreciated), but this book talks a lot about capitalism and how the humanities and liberal arts are viewed under a capitalist society. Jihye talks a lot about how liberal arts are only seen as commodities under capitalism, things that don't seem to have any value or worth unless it allows people to earn money. Art, in a sense, is ultimately useless, and despite this dreadful fact, Jihye still fights for the idea that the humanities are more important than ever right now. I absolutely hate how liberal arts is viewed as useless just because people don't earn tons of money from it, but it's just the world we live in, and this book talks about that.
This book also made me really angry at times LOL. Idk girl some of the people in this book are just so insufferable and annoying and Sohn Won Pyung is just such a good writer. I truly felt all the emotions while reading this book I loved it so much.
This is a book I'd definitely revisit in the future, and perhaps I'll bump it up to 5 stars the next time I read it. I think this book would be even more precious to me once I hit the age of 30 (god, I don't wanna think about that). This was a beautiful book that is completely different from her other novel, Almond, but I loved it just the same. I cannot recommend this enough, especially if you're thinking about your place in this world and the meaning of life. Ok bye!!!!!!
February 11, 2025
A quirky little book that captures the unique blend of hope and hopelessness that accompanies us as we age when our lives haven¡¯t turned out the way we expected them to, and particularly when we try to sort out how much of the disappointment we feel is of our own making and how much is a system designed to keep us feeling like failures.
The protagonist and three men she meets in a class she takes through her job at an academy are each fed up with society and are too scared of change to do much of anything about it except grab onto their despair like a security blanket. They decide to do what little they can: quiet acts of protest against the system, or counterattacks, that are silly and largely ineffective in the grand scheme of things but are capable of effecting change on the individual level, giving them enough confidence to change their own mindsets.
The solution to this type of capitalism would be to divorce themselves from the belief that their work is integral to who they are. Easier said than done, but each of the four attempts this with varying degrees of success. Some blossom, some wither. As frustrating as that is from a fictional story, it¡¯s so realistic: for the majority of us, the most we will ever do is wake up. Fewer of us will get out of bed, and even fewer of us are brave enough to actually push back. Perhaps this fact makes even the tiny counterattacks in this novel more bold than we¡¯d give them credit for at first glance.
There are a few subplots ¡ª a shaky romance and the confrontation of a former school bully, the latter of which feels like a common theme in Korean media and felt a little stale. It serves more as a conduit for proving the protagonist¡¯s character growth than anything else. It¡¯s easy to grow frustrated with the protagonist, Jihye, as she misses opportunities for growth and understanding, but again, this is simply realistic. Even still, I was rooting for both her and her comrades.
There¡¯s some endearing character growth that I found so relatable as an early 30-something, but I am now wondering how much character growth is possible within a system that punishes individuality and rewards assimilation. Is it growth, or is it acceptance? And does it matter? The themes and messages overall are obvious throughout, though they start stronger than they finish, and I can¡¯t stop thinking about how maybe that¡¯s one big (bleak) metaphor for aging itself.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!
The protagonist and three men she meets in a class she takes through her job at an academy are each fed up with society and are too scared of change to do much of anything about it except grab onto their despair like a security blanket. They decide to do what little they can: quiet acts of protest against the system, or counterattacks, that are silly and largely ineffective in the grand scheme of things but are capable of effecting change on the individual level, giving them enough confidence to change their own mindsets.
The solution to this type of capitalism would be to divorce themselves from the belief that their work is integral to who they are. Easier said than done, but each of the four attempts this with varying degrees of success. Some blossom, some wither. As frustrating as that is from a fictional story, it¡¯s so realistic: for the majority of us, the most we will ever do is wake up. Fewer of us will get out of bed, and even fewer of us are brave enough to actually push back. Perhaps this fact makes even the tiny counterattacks in this novel more bold than we¡¯d give them credit for at first glance.
There are a few subplots ¡ª a shaky romance and the confrontation of a former school bully, the latter of which feels like a common theme in Korean media and felt a little stale. It serves more as a conduit for proving the protagonist¡¯s character growth than anything else. It¡¯s easy to grow frustrated with the protagonist, Jihye, as she misses opportunities for growth and understanding, but again, this is simply realistic. Even still, I was rooting for both her and her comrades.
There¡¯s some endearing character growth that I found so relatable as an early 30-something, but I am now wondering how much character growth is possible within a system that punishes individuality and rewards assimilation. Is it growth, or is it acceptance? And does it matter? The themes and messages overall are obvious throughout, though they start stronger than they finish, and I can¡¯t stop thinking about how maybe that¡¯s one big (bleak) metaphor for aging itself.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!
April 9, 2025
4/5 STARS
Counterattacks at Thirty pretends to be about the silent protests that employees do as a revenge for not being treated well at their workplace. I say ¡®pretends to be¡¯ because this book lured me in because of that, but I stayed because of something else! The book is a mirror. It was to me. It will make you question, ¡°What do you really want to be?¡± so many times that the escapism route you usually opt for (reading) in itself will banish you from the escape with this question. It will make you question your purpose. It will either make you realize something you already knew or throw light on something you had always ignored. It will be relatable. It will be an eye opener. It will be uncomfortable in the best way possible.
Of course, there is a lot that happens on the lines as much as it does between the lines. The ugly truth of organizations and their power over employees is explored perfectly. Even though it was about Korean corporates, it mostly holds true across the globe. The way that employees are paid minimum wage but have to put in a lot of hard work. How they are told they will move from an internship to a permanent employment if they do this and do that. How there is always a carrot dangling in front of them by their team leaders. How when you are at the brink of quitting, they give you something tiny, like 3% raise or a slightly better role, and you along with the organization trick yourself into believing that it¡¯s better now. All of it was just like a page taken out of any employee¡¯s real life.
At times, what we go through every day becomes too comfortable or routine to us, so we don¡¯t see the injustices that happen to us. But, when we see a similar character living a similar life in fiction, then it becomes glaringly obvious. You want to give the main character a hug but also shake them out of this slump they have been in for the longest time. You want to empathize and talk about their feelings but also want them to get the hell up and act for once! You want to ponder over the irony of it all, but then you also want to live your life differently. Our main character is spiraling. She has a lot of courage but rarely uses it. She has a passion but still stays at her boring job. She has so much potential but she¡¯s busy feeling sorry for herself. This is why I felt like this book was a mirror. It's a revolutionary story that many people can relate to.
Full Review:
Counterattacks at Thirty pretends to be about the silent protests that employees do as a revenge for not being treated well at their workplace. I say ¡®pretends to be¡¯ because this book lured me in because of that, but I stayed because of something else! The book is a mirror. It was to me. It will make you question, ¡°What do you really want to be?¡± so many times that the escapism route you usually opt for (reading) in itself will banish you from the escape with this question. It will make you question your purpose. It will either make you realize something you already knew or throw light on something you had always ignored. It will be relatable. It will be an eye opener. It will be uncomfortable in the best way possible.
Of course, there is a lot that happens on the lines as much as it does between the lines. The ugly truth of organizations and their power over employees is explored perfectly. Even though it was about Korean corporates, it mostly holds true across the globe. The way that employees are paid minimum wage but have to put in a lot of hard work. How they are told they will move from an internship to a permanent employment if they do this and do that. How there is always a carrot dangling in front of them by their team leaders. How when you are at the brink of quitting, they give you something tiny, like 3% raise or a slightly better role, and you along with the organization trick yourself into believing that it¡¯s better now. All of it was just like a page taken out of any employee¡¯s real life.
At times, what we go through every day becomes too comfortable or routine to us, so we don¡¯t see the injustices that happen to us. But, when we see a similar character living a similar life in fiction, then it becomes glaringly obvious. You want to give the main character a hug but also shake them out of this slump they have been in for the longest time. You want to empathize and talk about their feelings but also want them to get the hell up and act for once! You want to ponder over the irony of it all, but then you also want to live your life differently. Our main character is spiraling. She has a lot of courage but rarely uses it. She has a passion but still stays at her boring job. She has so much potential but she¡¯s busy feeling sorry for herself. This is why I felt like this book was a mirror. It's a revolutionary story that many people can relate to.
Full Review:
January 15, 2024
Doros?o?? bywa rozczarowuj?ca. Praca, kt¨®ra nie satysfakcjonuje, marne zarobki, bycie trybikiem w nudnej machinie. W dodatku nie jest si? kim? wyj?tkowym, ba, jest si? nikim...
Ji-hye otrzyma?a najpopularniejsze w 1988 roku imi?. Trudno o lepszy sygna?, ?e jest si? jedn? z wielu. Pracuje jako wieczna sta?ystka w gigancie Diamant i czuje si? jak dodatek do kserokopiarki. Dzie¨½ podobny do dnia, nieuczciwe warunki pracy, sporo obowi?zk¨®w, niewiele pieni?dzy. Ji-hye marzy o buncie, ale wie, ?e wszystkie jego przejawy sprowadzaj? si? do tego, ?e finalnie ka?dy jest samotny i zale?y mu tylko na sobie, a nie na reszcie ?wiata. Patrzy na brata, kt¨®ry wybra? wygodne ?ycie, bo woli, ?eby by?o ?atwo, a nie spektakularnie. A nasza bohaterka tak nie chce. Spotkanie z innym sta?yst? staje si? punktem zwrotnym. "Mo?e m¨®wienie o czym? z?ym, ?e jest z?e, cho? troch? zmienia ten ?wiat" - m¨®wi Gyu-ok i wprowadza to w ?ycie. Okazuje si?, ?e ka?dy z nowo zawi?zanej grupki znajomych z zaj?? gry na ukulele zosta? wykorzystany przez kogo? jak trampolina do sukcesu. Trudno prze?kn?? gul? rozczarowania, ?wiadomo?? bycia ofiar? czyjej? nieuczciwo?ci. Pr¨®buj? walczy?, punktowa? cwaniactwo, mimo ?e to walka z wiatrakami.
Autorka niespiesznie buduje swoj? opowie??. W monotonny (celowo!) opis codzienno?ci wplata wa?ne refleksje. Razem z Ji-hye pytamy, kim tak naprawd? jeste?my, jakie s? granice pokory, gdzie r¨®?nica mi?dzy dobrym sercem a naiwno?ci?.
Bohaterka wie, ?e ka?dy kiedy? chcia? zmieni? ?wiat, wierzy?, ?e jest wyj?tkowy, ?e jego istnienie jest znacz?ce. Szcz??cie czasem polega na tym, ?e szybko uzmys?awiamy sobie, ?e jeste?my jednymi z wielu. I potrafimy emocje odegra? na ukulele...
To powie?? dojrzalsza i chyba lepsza ni? "Almond". No i ta ok?adka! Ile? ona m¨®wi o tym, co dzieje si? w umy?le bohaterki!
Ji-hye otrzyma?a najpopularniejsze w 1988 roku imi?. Trudno o lepszy sygna?, ?e jest si? jedn? z wielu. Pracuje jako wieczna sta?ystka w gigancie Diamant i czuje si? jak dodatek do kserokopiarki. Dzie¨½ podobny do dnia, nieuczciwe warunki pracy, sporo obowi?zk¨®w, niewiele pieni?dzy. Ji-hye marzy o buncie, ale wie, ?e wszystkie jego przejawy sprowadzaj? si? do tego, ?e finalnie ka?dy jest samotny i zale?y mu tylko na sobie, a nie na reszcie ?wiata. Patrzy na brata, kt¨®ry wybra? wygodne ?ycie, bo woli, ?eby by?o ?atwo, a nie spektakularnie. A nasza bohaterka tak nie chce. Spotkanie z innym sta?yst? staje si? punktem zwrotnym. "Mo?e m¨®wienie o czym? z?ym, ?e jest z?e, cho? troch? zmienia ten ?wiat" - m¨®wi Gyu-ok i wprowadza to w ?ycie. Okazuje si?, ?e ka?dy z nowo zawi?zanej grupki znajomych z zaj?? gry na ukulele zosta? wykorzystany przez kogo? jak trampolina do sukcesu. Trudno prze?kn?? gul? rozczarowania, ?wiadomo?? bycia ofiar? czyjej? nieuczciwo?ci. Pr¨®buj? walczy?, punktowa? cwaniactwo, mimo ?e to walka z wiatrakami.
Autorka niespiesznie buduje swoj? opowie??. W monotonny (celowo!) opis codzienno?ci wplata wa?ne refleksje. Razem z Ji-hye pytamy, kim tak naprawd? jeste?my, jakie s? granice pokory, gdzie r¨®?nica mi?dzy dobrym sercem a naiwno?ci?.
Bohaterka wie, ?e ka?dy kiedy? chcia? zmieni? ?wiat, wierzy?, ?e jest wyj?tkowy, ?e jego istnienie jest znacz?ce. Szcz??cie czasem polega na tym, ?e szybko uzmys?awiamy sobie, ?e jeste?my jednymi z wielu. I potrafimy emocje odegra? na ukulele...
To powie?? dojrzalsza i chyba lepsza ni? "Almond". No i ta ok?adka! Ile? ona m¨®wi o tym, co dzieje si? w umy?le bohaterki!
January 21, 2024
2.5??
Si?gacie po literatur? azjatyck??
Musz? przyzna?, ?e mi zdarza si? to dosy? rzadko. Nie wiem czemu, skoro bardzo interesuj? si? kilkoma azjatyckimi krajami ? Dlatego tylko, gdy zobaczy?am styczniow? premier? od wydawnictwa Mova, wiedzia?am, ?e musz? j? przeczyta?! Opr¨®cz korea¨½skiej autorki zach?ci? mnie r¨®wnie? opis, wskazuj?cy na to, ?e historia b?dzie opowiada? o ludziach niezadowolnych ze swojej pracy. Sama mam ostatnio kilka problem¨®w w mojej, wi?c pomy?la?am, ?e mo?e akurat odnajd? cz?stk? siebie w bohaterach ?Kontrataku¡±.
I faktycznie przez pierwsze 100 stron by?am zachwycona. Ksi??ka opowiada o realiach korea¨½skich, ale ja bez problemu mog?am odnie?? je do w?asnych do?wiadcze¨½. Dlatego tak bardzo z?y?am si? z g?¨®wn? bohaterk?. Czu?am, ?e obydwie na w?asnej sk¨®rze prze?y?y?my niefair traktowanie przez pracodawc? i pozna?y?my u?omny system pracy w du?ej korporacji.
Niestety z czasem odnios?am wra?enie, ?e w ?Kontrataku¡± pojawi?o si? zbyt wiele w?tk¨®w i historycznych nawi?za¨½. Autorka w bardzo kr¨®tkiej powie?ci chcia?a ?zmie?ci?¡± wi?kszo?? problem¨®w korea¨½skich trzydziestolatk¨®w przez co odnios?am wra?enie, ?e nie zosta?y one dog??bnie opisane. Mo?e jej celem by?o po prostu zaznajomienie czytelnika z codzienno?ci? Korea¨½czyk¨®w albo chcia?a, ?eby ka?dy m¨®g? odnale?? w bohaterach cz?stk? siebie, jednak dla mnie by?o tego po prostu za du?o.
[wsp¨®?praca reklamowa z @wydawnictwomova ]
Si?gacie po literatur? azjatyck??
Musz? przyzna?, ?e mi zdarza si? to dosy? rzadko. Nie wiem czemu, skoro bardzo interesuj? si? kilkoma azjatyckimi krajami ? Dlatego tylko, gdy zobaczy?am styczniow? premier? od wydawnictwa Mova, wiedzia?am, ?e musz? j? przeczyta?! Opr¨®cz korea¨½skiej autorki zach?ci? mnie r¨®wnie? opis, wskazuj?cy na to, ?e historia b?dzie opowiada? o ludziach niezadowolnych ze swojej pracy. Sama mam ostatnio kilka problem¨®w w mojej, wi?c pomy?la?am, ?e mo?e akurat odnajd? cz?stk? siebie w bohaterach ?Kontrataku¡±.
I faktycznie przez pierwsze 100 stron by?am zachwycona. Ksi??ka opowiada o realiach korea¨½skich, ale ja bez problemu mog?am odnie?? je do w?asnych do?wiadcze¨½. Dlatego tak bardzo z?y?am si? z g?¨®wn? bohaterk?. Czu?am, ?e obydwie na w?asnej sk¨®rze prze?y?y?my niefair traktowanie przez pracodawc? i pozna?y?my u?omny system pracy w du?ej korporacji.
Niestety z czasem odnios?am wra?enie, ?e w ?Kontrataku¡± pojawi?o si? zbyt wiele w?tk¨®w i historycznych nawi?za¨½. Autorka w bardzo kr¨®tkiej powie?ci chcia?a ?zmie?ci?¡± wi?kszo?? problem¨®w korea¨½skich trzydziestolatk¨®w przez co odnios?am wra?enie, ?e nie zosta?y one dog??bnie opisane. Mo?e jej celem by?o po prostu zaznajomienie czytelnika z codzienno?ci? Korea¨½czyk¨®w albo chcia?a, ?eby ka?dy m¨®g? odnale?? w bohaterach cz?stk? siebie, jednak dla mnie by?o tego po prostu za du?o.
[wsp¨®?praca reklamowa z @wydawnictwomova ]
Read
April 21, 2025I'm a big fan of critiques on capitalism in this vein. I really liked how Won-Pyung described what it's like for young adults (late twenties-early thirties) in the modern job world. How you have to settle for underpaying jobs with little to no upward mobility, that these jobs offer no benefits and yet expect you to give everything you have to them, how they treat you like dirt, but then act shocked when you push back. I felt like a little was missing in terms of resolution with the professor at the beginning of the story. It was such a DRAMA moment and then it never really went anywhere from there. But overall I like the progress of the story, the mundanity of it all, it made it feel very realistic even while having its own theatre to it.
April 14, 2025
2.75/5 - I really enjoyed the writing of this book but the plot was a bit anticlimactic for me. I think the blurb made this out to be much more exciting than it was. I found most of the characters unlikable and I thought the overall pacing was too slow. I really appreciated the inclusion of the Translator's note and found it helpful to understand some of the history and nuance in Korean culture that is lost on me as a North American. I think this had some interesting points tucked in, but generally I just thought this was boring.
December 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. I found humor and warmth in the writing. You could cheer for the characters. I look forward to reading more by this author. A solid, entertaining read.
February 28, 2025
i have a lot to say, give me a few days
February 25, 2025
This one is for the underdog.
But let me tell you this: I probably wouldn¡¯t have given this book a second glance if I hadn¡¯t noticed the author¡¯s name on the cover. It¡¯s not that the art isn¡¯t appealing, but it isn¡¯t something that spoke to me personally. I am, however, in love with Almond, the author¡¯s previously translated work, so I was willing to give her latest a try.
Thank goodness for that because I was enamored with this story.
The narrative does feel directionless at times. I won¡¯t try to convince you otherwise. But I think it suits the narrator herself. She is also, arguably, directionless, and as I got to know her, I really felt for her. Perhaps we learn self-compassion through novels, as so much of Jihye¡¯s struggle resonated with me.
While I do not live in South Korea, I do live in a capitalist country, so the social commentary of Counterattacks at Thirty made sense to me. It¡¯s interesting because as I read this, I often thought about Squid Game (which I am obsessed with), and when I was halfway through this novel, I found a quote stating that it was perfect for fans of that series!
But that comparison could be misleading. In the most technical sense, this is nothing like Squid Game. They are polar opposites, in terms of tone and violence. Thematically, however, they are extremely similar, and I love what both art forms address, and how differently they manage to address it.
Counterattacks at Thirty is also nothing like Almond. It is not steeped in darkness, and it isn¡¯t likely to reduce you to tears. It¡¯s a significantly lighter read, although it does juggle serious matters.
If you generally feel like you¡¯re at the tail end of this rat race called life, and if you don¡¯t really know if anyone even sees you, I think you¡¯ll understand the charm of this novel. But its philosophical brilliance doesn¡¯t end there. The author¡¯s keenly observant prose illustrates how, in a dog eat dog world, we are all dogs, and even the ones that seem to consume the most are not necessarily immune to becoming prey.
It saddens me to see that Counterattacks at Thirty currently has such a low average rating right now, and I hope that will change as more readers are exposed to its playful yet contemplative tone. Sohn Won-Pyong didn¡¯t simply tell us a story here. She called things out for what they are, shining a light upon how fruitlessly exhausting the fight actually is.
I am immensely grateful to Harper Via and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
But let me tell you this: I probably wouldn¡¯t have given this book a second glance if I hadn¡¯t noticed the author¡¯s name on the cover. It¡¯s not that the art isn¡¯t appealing, but it isn¡¯t something that spoke to me personally. I am, however, in love with Almond, the author¡¯s previously translated work, so I was willing to give her latest a try.
Thank goodness for that because I was enamored with this story.
The narrative does feel directionless at times. I won¡¯t try to convince you otherwise. But I think it suits the narrator herself. She is also, arguably, directionless, and as I got to know her, I really felt for her. Perhaps we learn self-compassion through novels, as so much of Jihye¡¯s struggle resonated with me.
While I do not live in South Korea, I do live in a capitalist country, so the social commentary of Counterattacks at Thirty made sense to me. It¡¯s interesting because as I read this, I often thought about Squid Game (which I am obsessed with), and when I was halfway through this novel, I found a quote stating that it was perfect for fans of that series!
But that comparison could be misleading. In the most technical sense, this is nothing like Squid Game. They are polar opposites, in terms of tone and violence. Thematically, however, they are extremely similar, and I love what both art forms address, and how differently they manage to address it.
Counterattacks at Thirty is also nothing like Almond. It is not steeped in darkness, and it isn¡¯t likely to reduce you to tears. It¡¯s a significantly lighter read, although it does juggle serious matters.
If you generally feel like you¡¯re at the tail end of this rat race called life, and if you don¡¯t really know if anyone even sees you, I think you¡¯ll understand the charm of this novel. But its philosophical brilliance doesn¡¯t end there. The author¡¯s keenly observant prose illustrates how, in a dog eat dog world, we are all dogs, and even the ones that seem to consume the most are not necessarily immune to becoming prey.
It saddens me to see that Counterattacks at Thirty currently has such a low average rating right now, and I hope that will change as more readers are exposed to its playful yet contemplative tone. Sohn Won-Pyong didn¡¯t simply tell us a story here. She called things out for what they are, shining a light upon how fruitlessly exhausting the fight actually is.
I am immensely grateful to Harper Via and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
April 6, 2025
It¡¯s been a while since I just devoured a book in a few hours, so please imagine my surprise when I saw this book that touched me rather profoundly, had so many ambivalent or unimpressed reviews.
As I read a few of the reviews, I realized my take away from this book was that its thesis is simply being a call to action. In many ways it reminded me of Orwell¡¯s Animal Farm, and reflection of society and our attempts to elicit change within it. And I thought it progressed this message while being narratively engaging quite well.
Counter-Attacks At Thirty follows 4 dissatisfied people who have all been taken advantage of in some way or form by The System. (Up to you what The System is) And it remarks on when the rebelliousness within us dies, when rage becomes resignation, and ultimately maintains that rebellion is always worth it, that it is as much for us as for whatever we are trying to elicit from the world.
And I guess I can¡¯t understate that; the hopeful and poignant affirmations that even if nothing changes the least we can do is act¡ they worked for me, and anyways I fundamentally believe that¡ªand who doesn¡¯t like having their own opinions affirmed?
¡±¡¯The world may never change, but sometime in the future, when we are old and close to death, we will remember this day. All I hope is that when that day comes, we will still be capable of criticizing the injustices of the world, just like we are capable of doing right now¡¯
The anchor then paused, explaining that he didn¡¯t know what the last bit meant:
¡®Everyone! Wherever you are sitting, whatever authority you may or may not have, remember this: A chair is just a chair!¡±
This is my second book by Won-Pyung Sohn, and though I liked Almond, I admit this was far meatier, while maintaining the same bingeability. It is a perfect sophomore novel, and honestly I think it¡¯s really solid. Like I have 0 notes.
I debated about whether or not to give it five stars, but then I realized this is my own nonsensical rating system so¡ 5 lovely stars ;) ?
As I read a few of the reviews, I realized my take away from this book was that its thesis is simply being a call to action. In many ways it reminded me of Orwell¡¯s Animal Farm, and reflection of society and our attempts to elicit change within it. And I thought it progressed this message while being narratively engaging quite well.
Counter-Attacks At Thirty follows 4 dissatisfied people who have all been taken advantage of in some way or form by The System. (Up to you what The System is) And it remarks on when the rebelliousness within us dies, when rage becomes resignation, and ultimately maintains that rebellion is always worth it, that it is as much for us as for whatever we are trying to elicit from the world.
And I guess I can¡¯t understate that; the hopeful and poignant affirmations that even if nothing changes the least we can do is act¡ they worked for me, and anyways I fundamentally believe that¡ªand who doesn¡¯t like having their own opinions affirmed?
¡±¡¯The world may never change, but sometime in the future, when we are old and close to death, we will remember this day. All I hope is that when that day comes, we will still be capable of criticizing the injustices of the world, just like we are capable of doing right now¡¯
The anchor then paused, explaining that he didn¡¯t know what the last bit meant:
¡®Everyone! Wherever you are sitting, whatever authority you may or may not have, remember this: A chair is just a chair!¡±
This is my second book by Won-Pyung Sohn, and though I liked Almond, I admit this was far meatier, while maintaining the same bingeability. It is a perfect sophomore novel, and honestly I think it¡¯s really solid. Like I have 0 notes.
I debated about whether or not to give it five stars, but then I realized this is my own nonsensical rating system so¡ 5 lovely stars ;) ?
December 23, 2024
Jihye is as ordinary as they come. But ordinariness is relative, and us ordinary people can still find a way to stand out from the crowd.
Stuck as a 30-year-old intern at Diamant Academy, a small and neglected branch of a massive "culture" conglomerate, Jihye is a loner, underappreciated, overlooked, flying under the radar. But when the company takes on a new intern, Gyuok, her mind-numbing work-centric life gets shaken up.
This was described as Devil Wears Prada meets The Office - I would actually revise that to call it a contemporary Office Space. Small acts of resistance against the corporate overlords, screaming out to be heard and not drowned out in the crowd of ordinary people, I think this would resonate with a lot of thirty-somethings who feel like they are running to catch up to where they thought they'd be in their life.
I really liked Jihye and Gyuok's friendship. The way Gyuok pushed her to think differently really worked well, and as she began to spiral, I found myself hoping he would be there to catch her (no spoilers!)
The pranks the ukulele crew pulled were a lot of fun, making the book feel light and even silly sometimes, while also making statements about today's capitalist society. I also liked that it captured some of the unique challenges faced by this generation in Korea while still feeling relatable for a reader like me who isn't from that same cultural background.
I can't quite put my finger on why it feels like a 4 and not a 5, maybe a bigger climax at the end would have pushed it up - but regardless, I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read, a book that has something to say yet doesn't take itself too seriously. I may come back later and adjust it up if I keep thinking about it. We'll see!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for this ARC to read and review.
Stuck as a 30-year-old intern at Diamant Academy, a small and neglected branch of a massive "culture" conglomerate, Jihye is a loner, underappreciated, overlooked, flying under the radar. But when the company takes on a new intern, Gyuok, her mind-numbing work-centric life gets shaken up.
This was described as Devil Wears Prada meets The Office - I would actually revise that to call it a contemporary Office Space. Small acts of resistance against the corporate overlords, screaming out to be heard and not drowned out in the crowd of ordinary people, I think this would resonate with a lot of thirty-somethings who feel like they are running to catch up to where they thought they'd be in their life.
I really liked Jihye and Gyuok's friendship. The way Gyuok pushed her to think differently really worked well, and as she began to spiral, I found myself hoping he would be there to catch her (no spoilers!)
The pranks the ukulele crew pulled were a lot of fun, making the book feel light and even silly sometimes, while also making statements about today's capitalist society. I also liked that it captured some of the unique challenges faced by this generation in Korea while still feeling relatable for a reader like me who isn't from that same cultural background.
I can't quite put my finger on why it feels like a 4 and not a 5, maybe a bigger climax at the end would have pushed it up - but regardless, I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read, a book that has something to say yet doesn't take itself too seriously. I may come back later and adjust it up if I keep thinking about it. We'll see!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for this ARC to read and review.
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