Minbak
A moving, epic tale of family secrets, survival and an untold piece of South Korean history
Published on 5. March 2026
400 pages
978-1-5299-7238-2 (ISBN)
Description
The night the baby without a surname was born, the army rolled into his mother's town
Incheon, South Korea, 1985. The country is revolting against a dictatorship, but in the local boarding-house, the chaos inside is only just beginning. When Hana is pulled from school to work in her family's minbak, all she wants is to escape her small town. When she finally does, she leaves as an exile, a ruin, or a martyr, depending on who you ask. Her mother Youngia is left behind with the torment of both of their decisions.
London, 2008. Ada knows little about her mother, Hana. When tragedy hits, Hana has no choice but to move her daughter and ailing mother into a single room and turn the rest of their home into a minbak. As the past collides with the present, Ada is determined to unearth her mother's secrets. But her obsession will lead to a discovery that unravels not just her family's dark past, but that of an entire country's.
From Korea's industrial estates to London's suburbs, the three women cross continents and generations to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.
'Had me utterly engrossed. An incredible story of love, conflict and heartbreak.' Rosie Price
'Lyrical and devastating Minbak is a flawless meditation on memory, love and misunderstanding.' Ella King
'A poignant and precise novel by a writer of great skill' Nicola Dinan
'Minbak aches with the unspeakable nature of loss. Deeply moving and graceful, it shines light on a secret slice of Korea's history, gradually unveiling the secrets that bind - and divide - three generations' Silvia Park
Incheon, South Korea, 1985. The country is revolting against a dictatorship, but in the local boarding-house, the chaos inside is only just beginning. When Hana is pulled from school to work in her family's minbak, all she wants is to escape her small town. When she finally does, she leaves as an exile, a ruin, or a martyr, depending on who you ask. Her mother Youngia is left behind with the torment of both of their decisions.
London, 2008. Ada knows little about her mother, Hana. When tragedy hits, Hana has no choice but to move her daughter and ailing mother into a single room and turn the rest of their home into a minbak. As the past collides with the present, Ada is determined to unearth her mother's secrets. But her obsession will lead to a discovery that unravels not just her family's dark past, but that of an entire country's.
From Korea's industrial estates to London's suburbs, the three women cross continents and generations to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.
'Had me utterly engrossed. An incredible story of love, conflict and heartbreak.' Rosie Price
'Lyrical and devastating Minbak is a flawless meditation on memory, love and misunderstanding.' Ella King
'A poignant and precise novel by a writer of great skill' Nicola Dinan
'Minbak aches with the unspeakable nature of loss. Deeply moving and graceful, it shines light on a secret slice of Korea's history, gradually unveiling the secrets that bind - and divide - three generations' Silvia Park
Reviews / Votes
Minbak is an absolutely brilliant novel that had me utterly engrossed. An incredible story of love, conflict and heartbreak across three generations, from South Korea to London. This is the story of a hidden history - of a family and a country - being dragged into the light, and of what it means to both lose a home and remake one. A beautiful and captivating novel that I wholeheartedly recommend! * Rosie Price * Lyrical and devastating, MINBAK is a flawless meditation on memory, love and misunderstanding. Destined to be a modern classic * Ella King * With love and care, Minbak unearths a dark page of history that has long been in the shadows. Ela Lee has written a beautiful, tender story of displacement and loss which shows the resilience of the human spirit, and the family ties that transcend all wounds * Cecile Pin * MINBAK is a poignant and precise novel by a writer of great skill. Each of the interweaving narratives exposes the rippling injustice of a global industry too often ignored, bringing so powerfully to life the pain it visits upon these beautifully drawn characters * Nicola Dinan * Minbak aches with the unspeakable nature of loss. Deeply moving and graceful, it shines light on a secret slice of Korea's history, gradually unveiling the secrets that bind-and divide-three generations * Silvia Park * Minbak is a stunning portrayal of love, duty, race, and transformation against the alternating backdrops of two nations in turmoil. Ela Lee writes with compassion and great wisdom about the dark depths of the human soul - and the possibility of redemption * Juhea Kim, internationally bestselling author of Beasts of a Little Land and City of Night Birds *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
File size
1,22 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-7238-2 (9781529972382)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
Ela Lee was born in 1995 and is a British-Korean-Turkish writer. She studied Law at the University of Oxford and went on to practise as a City lawyer. In 2021, during the global pandemic, Ela began work on her debut novel, JADED, which explores themes of consent, race, and identity. She lives in London, with her partner and their mini Aussie Shepherd.
