Straight Outta Busan

by Stefano Jun

Genres: Memoir, Graphic Novels

104 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2025

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Stefano is eight years old, he and his father migrate to Canada. Stefano only knows Korean. And his father has no idea where they are going to live. This is his story, based on his life, of what it was like growing up in Canada, after living in South Korea.

His four panel stories tell of dealing with white people, dealing with parents, and dealing with language. Some stories are cute, such as being reminded multiple times to take his lunch and complaining about being reminded, and then forgetting. Some stories are heart pulling, such as when he got separated from his father, when they first moved, and he only knew a little English, but his teacher said the phrase he should learn was “Do you have a telephone?” which came in handy when he had to call his father.

All sorts of emotions run through the book, but mostly it is love.

Enjoyable to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 16th of April 2025.

[Kristina Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stefano and his father immigrate to Canada when he is 8 years old. These 100 4-panel comics tell the story of Stefano's struggles with the language, with family, and with his new peers. This was a very quick read and I'm not sure that the 4-panel style really allows the reader deep into the author's story, however, I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to Literary Press Group of Canada and NetGalley for the eARC!

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading about Asians who migrate to another country for a better life and try to adapt and adjust to cultural differences. Historically, my own ancestors who did the same. In this graphic novel, we are offered passages of the author’s life-altering move with his father from South Korea to Canada at a young age; his mother joins them afterwards. The vignettes were entertaining and enjoyable, but the pages switch between present day and flashbacks. I found this a bit disconcerting as it interrupted the flow for me and would have preferred a more linear timeline. I got the sense that these pages were part of a web comic and the strips were compiled into a collection.

I have read a few graphic novels where the Asian mother is depicted as negative and overbearing. I find this an unwarranted stereotype and I hope this was strictly from the author’s point of view. Asian mothers are caring and nurturing so it troubles me when the opposite may be presented to the reader for entertainment value.

The artwork was simple without overwhelming details which worked perfectly. The colors comprised of a limited palette, which again totally worked well for the pages. I didn’t find any of the pages particularly humorous but they were amusing and enjoyable. This was a short graphic novel and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank to NetGalley and Literary Press Group of Canada for making this book available for review.

Originally I thought it was something I could share with my kids (elementary school and middle school), but I think this is more appropriate for young adults. Especially when sharing memories of his mom, she can be depicted as harsh and unloving, but there are many nuances that younger kids will miss out on.

Each anecdote highlights the experiences of an immigrant growing up in a new country and how it was hard to fit back in when the author returns to his home country. I'm sure several of the stories will be relatable and bring up feelings of nostalgia for those who have experienced growing up as an immigrant and/or with immigrant parents.

The tone is reminiscent of Fresh Off The Boat, so if you enjoyed that, this would be for you.

Rated 3 stars because there's mentions of drunkenness as well as some sexual innuendo and I was reading to recommend for a younger age group. The description stated it was "Book 1", so thought it would be focused on his childhood memories rather than jump back and forth between youth and adulthood.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 093 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was cleverly told with wit, wonderful illustrations, and a great story.

Kudos to the author. I'm a fan!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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[Sophy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows an Asian family through a series of mini comics that capture their everyday life and experiences. If you enjoy stories that explore different cultures and family dynamics, this is a book you'll really enjoy. It's always interesting to see how other families live — the differences, the similarities, and the small moments that make each family unique. Heartwarming, relatable, and insightful!

[Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is sort of fun and sort of weird. I'm not entirely sure what I feel about it. The storytelling is interesting, but stylistically no really quite my vibe. The artwork is decent and I did generally enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Literary Press Group of Canada for this ARC.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me laugh! I'm not the biggest fan of the art style and some of the panels felt very...random.

[Merenwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the meme references were unfamiliar to me, but it was still an enjoyable read. I'll definitely read the next volume when it becomes available.

[Maybaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun quick read.

[Audrey S · Rating 3 out of 5]

actual rating: 3.5 stars

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[alicebme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short comics is so awkward and real. It is not the funniest or the most original, and in that way the reader can truly connect. Yes, our parents and extended family are weird, our experiences with friends and coworkers are flawed and messy, and our day to day is infused with the history of our familial and cultural experiences and legacy. But also we are just doing our day to day things, which are not usually that interesting.

[Ashleigh the Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I don't like rating biographies because who am I to say if it is bad or good about someone else's life. I did enjoy this perspective especially as I have traveled to Korea and reading parts of the story was nostalgic to me. I also really liked the collection of short comics. I feel like this was a fun read and I recommend!