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Memoir of a Joseon Bride: Stories
The stories brought together in this collection introduce the dazzling speculative imaginings of Djuna, one of South Korea's most provocative science-fiction writers. Whether describing how a species of interplanetary machines brings Korea's North-South divide into the heavens or satirizing the vampiric nature of Confucian patriarchy, these stories evoke a universe at once familiar and clearly fantastical. Blending influences ranging from genre fiction (zombie, vampire, science-fiction, you name it) to Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Djuna's stories illuminate the past, present, and possible futures.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2026
About the author
Djuna
14 books64 followersDjuna (듀나) is a pseudonym and this author has also used the alias Lee Youngsoo.
Djuna is a novelist and film critic, and a former chair of the Korean Science Fiction Writers Union. For more than twenty years they have published as a faceless writer, refusing to reveal personal details regarding age, gender, or legal name. Widely considered to be one of South Korea’s most important science fiction writers, Djuna has published ten short-story collections and five novels.
Djuna is a novelist and film critic, and a former chair of the Korean Science Fiction Writers Union. For more than twenty years they have published as a faceless writer, refusing to reveal personal details regarding age, gender, or legal name. Widely considered to be one of South Korea’s most important science fiction writers, Djuna has published ten short-story collections and five novels.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Review of advance copy
‘May I tell you a story? It is the story of what happened to me in 1842, the year I turned nineteen by the Western reckoning—Have you heard of a country called Joseon? That is where I was born. It is a small, peninsular country—Who knows what its fate will be—I have heard its people are still fighting for their independence.’
thoughts to come later . This was so fucking wonderful that I am belatedly 'annoyed' for not being patient enough with Counterweight (of which I'll attempt to read again at a later date, especially considering how immense of an impression this one had on me) .
‘Their reputation was also an issue, of course. To survive, they needed to develop a system for regularly summoning new outsiders—& then disposing (them) without leaving any evidence—Serving up their meals was my job.’
‘Until now, (they) had been the most wasteful carnivores in the world—What would happen if this unknown country—were to become the centre of world power? It was not what I wanted—I did not wish to see Joseon values &—culture conquer the world—a ruling class forever made of men like (them). Some worlds are fated to die—every thirty-one years I shed my skin—in every language I know. I no longer even feel like I am from Joseon.’
‘It sounds like a Cinderella story, but it was not—the man—arranged for me to marry was deficient in the head—We lived together for exactly eight months. His death was an accident—why shouldn’t a woman like living without a husband? I had a room of my own. For the first time in my life, I was clean, warm, and well-fed, and could sit by myself and do whatever I pleased without being interrupted. And yet they pitied me. Did they really not know how truly wretched life outside our gates could be? ‘
‘—the women below—were always occupied with the considerable amount of housework required to maintain such a large household. I was the only person who did not quite fit in any of these categories, and so was more of a hindrance than anything else—The slaves likewise ignored my directions and would not let me join them—Growing up in the hills—It was easy for me to find new things to do.’
‘—scholars’ homes always had many books in the men’s quarters, but I was neither interested in nor allowed to read those. Our household, however, also held over four hundred volumes in the women’s quarters, a huge collection by Joseon standards. Many of the books were handwritten copies of fiction and one, a sixty-volume novel set in China—I also turned my attention to bards at one point—I wish I could recreate those old Joseon songs for you, but the rhythms and melodies were never easy to memorise, and it has been so long since I heard them.’
‘I found both items amongst the junk left behind by my grandfather, so I presume—passed through the Qing Empire. Most—books had already been carted off or burned by his friends, but these two items and a small ceramic statue of the Virgin Mary I took and brought along—I made do with what I had—Though I lacked the context needed to fully comprehend it, I understood the book to be—attempt at explaining the difference between humans and beasts, a question that had deeply concerned him at the time. To me, having grown up in the hills, it seemed obvious that the answer would never be found by sitting indoors and redefining the meanings of Chinese characters. If you truly want to know how beasts differ from humans, shouldn’t you just go live with them?’
‘Once the night air had brought me to my senses, I realised why—Many Joseon people believed in ghosts even though that belief clashed somewhat with their Confucian worldview—I did not understand what was happening. But—my top priority was to stay away from them and protect the children—The slaves were helpless when faced with this onslaught. For them, the mere idea of standing up to yangban men was unthinkable.’
‘Words seemed unnecessary given the circumstances—What should I have done? I still wish I had screamed to warn them of the danger. They still would not have been able to escape, but at least I would have tried. Who knows? Had I done something, perhaps many more people would have survived. But I did not.’
‘Even more concerning than the fact that I was committing these crimes, was that I had begun to enjoy it. With an inhumanly strong body and enough money to do anything I wanted, I had the power to control people’s fates—all the privileges accorded only to men, and sharing in the knowledge that men kept to themselves—I will try to explain as best I can. There is a pair of Chinese characters, 理 (“i” in the Joseon language) and 氣 (“gi”).’
‘As soon as my eyes adjusted to the dark,—The first thing that caught my eye was the writing that sparkled in the moonlight along the wall. I approached and saw carved into the wall a Chinese poem in regulated verse that compared its author to the famous—poet Qu Yuan. The idea was unoriginal, but it was a good poem, brimming with honesty and power—Dawn had already tinged the sky a dark red—I returned to my building and began to toy with the saenghwang that had been lying in my room. I did not know how to play the instrument properly, so I just made sounds. I was preoccupied with terrible thoughts and did not have the presence of mind to draw or read.’
‘The least I could do was warn the villagers to prepare. Language was a problem. How could I describe—to these villagers? How could I convince the villagers to stand up to yangban?—I tried to explain to them what had happened to us in our village, but it was not easy. I had thought we might be able to communicate in writing through a Chinese interpreter they brought over, but the interpreter did not even know the meaning of the characters for yangban, which was to me the most basic of written words. Unable to convey my meaning in words, I attempted to relate my story through a series of several dozen drawings.’
‘I studied English frantically—A year later, I could speak it fluently, but still no one believed my story—Over the decades, I have learned—French, Vietnamese, Cantonese—I have written down my experience multiple times in every language I know. I wrote it as a memoir the first time, and thereafter as fiction. I tried out many styles, each retelling becoming more and more imaginative—I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the memoir you have just read. When I left Singapore, I lost the original memoir that I had written—the truth of the cruelty & inhumanity—experienced over a century ago.’
‘He doesn’t know much about politics, and never cared about the people starving or being executed—To understand his attitude, it’s important to know what happened—But was North—really any different from any of the other places the invaders had colonised? It was bound to happen somewhere, and North—just drew the short straw. He suddenly finds himself thinking about—Yeon-ah. Why now? Is it because he knows he has little chance of surviving the fight that awaits him? No, it’s only because there’s nothing else to do.’
‘‘I can’t let you kids die,’ Jinho says to Hyeonhwa—Not only does he know each child’s face and name, he knows their nicknames, their hometowns, their favorite foods. Not one of them can die. Yeongwu shouldn’t have died either. Even knowing that Yeongwu had placed them all in danger, Jinho couldn’t hate the dead kid. The kids were no longer fungible to him. While they had once been just a faceless group of bodies, now he saw them as individuals. ‘Uncle, what about you?’ asks Hyeonhwa. ‘I’m not going there to die,’ Jinho lies. Before leaving, Jinho leaves his treasured notebook with Hyeonhwa—Hyeonhwa understands what the gift means, but she doesn’t protest. She only cries, covering her mouth and pressing on her throat to stifle the sound.’
‘Jinho doesn’t really know why—He’s not some courageous philanthropist or altruist. In fact, he doesn’t even particularly like kids—Fleeing would have been easier without the kids, but then he would be stuck—with no real reason to live. At least this way he knows why he has to keep forging on: for the children. No matter what, he has to make sure the kids survive. And in order for that to happen, he has to survive as well. What could be more obvious than that?’
‘I want to tell you the story of—a woman who suffered incessantly for thirty-eight years from the tedious biases and casual malice—I doubt you’ll like it. The story contains good people who suffer unjustly; a miserable villain who dies before the drama even begins; and ordinary people who, in banding together, end up perpetrating an act of evil greater than anything their petty prejudices and general callousness might otherwise have instigated.’
‘Coming from a genuine storyteller, this would be a poignant tale. Coming from an honest one, it would teach you something meaningful. Either way, that story still needs an ending. I hope someone will be able to give it one someday. Preferably a happy one in which the heroine frees herself, achieves emotional and economic security, and is ultimately able to love her daughter without pain. But I am not going to tell you that story, for it would require an authenticity equal to the weight of its topic, and I now know that what I once thought to be true is nothing but a self-indulgent fantasy. Instead, I will tell you an entirely different kind of story—I doubt it will move or edify you. But it’s the only one I can tell without lying.’
‘What fascinated the Earthlings was what had happened next. The jungle began to examine their houses, machines, and libraries. It did not have any particular aim—it was probably just bored. It had time and nothing better to do. The many ways in which living organisms could be killed must have been interesting, but eventually the colonists were all dead and the jungle had to find other ways to amuse itself. The jungle did not have much interest in natural science—Its concern was purely utilitarian: it needed just enough scientific knowledge to operate the construction group’s machines and access the libraries. It was not interested in the sorts of things that it could figure out for itself; it wanted instead to learn about the lives of people on Earth. And the more sensational, explicit, and simple the stories were, the better. In that sense, the jungle was a bit like your stereotypical middle-aged housewife. It loved American and Latin American soap operas, twentieth-century Hong Kong and Taiwanese melodramas, and nineteenth-century Italian operas. But its absolute favorite stories were those that featured beautiful female protagonists suffering from unjust social oppression.’
‘Being on a planet one hundred and seventy-eight light-years away didn’t change the fact that I was connected to the Baba Yaga jungle—From the hotel room itself, which was already filled with Baba Yaga jungle particles sloughed off from my body. Shall I tell you something even better? Billions of these particles have taken up residence inside the bodies of everyone who’s ever inhaled or otherwise ingested them. Which means I can now control their brains and nerves—Please don’t do this, you say? For better or worse, it’s already happened. Did you hear about the island that suddenly appeared in the middle of the Pacific yesterday? Keep your tributes. I have no interest in lording over the universe. The Baba Yaga jungle has never had ambitions suitable for ultimate plans before either.’
‘Anyway, according to that article, human history has a purpose. But that purpose is not, as classical historicists would have it, to arrive at an ideal stateless society. The purpose of history is to produce what is necessary for each moment in time. If a particular age has not fulfilled its potential, it can be considered a failure. And it’s our job to make up for any such deficiency.’
‘Even if you claim your position is not deterministic, it reeks of eschatology. You are like those people who rush around trying to complete all you can before the world ends—You shamelessly push your opinions on me under nicknames such as Oedipus and Horace, and there’s something sinister about how you brazenly took advantage of Olivia’s creation and twisted it toward your own goals.’
‘‘I’ve heard that Terrans are violent. Didn’t they drive themselves to extinction? And don’t they sprout patches of fur and begin to stink when they mature? I’ve also heard that their beauty is ephemeral, that their faces distort and grow ugly over time. What then?’ The shopkeeper’s—smiled. ‘Ma’am, please. I assure you. I would never sell an unimproved Terran. My models never grow beyond seven years old. After they reach seven, they cease aging entirely. Moreover, their inclination toward violence has been adjusted, so that they won’t even kill insects. They can’t kill. That instinct has been blocked on a genetic level.’’
‘Of course, if someone with unlimited patience were to analyse his birth environment and genetics to ascertain the underlying causes that had shaped his personality and behavior, they might discover some excuse for these defects. But that didn’t change the fact that he’d often hit his wife and kids and, sometimes, had done even more terrible shit. Trash is trash, no matter where and how it became that way.’
‘To other children, appearing normal consisted of nothing more than a daily routine, but for Saebyeol it was the result of a brutal struggle for survival and camouflage. Even so, I can’t claim that Saebyeol’s behaviour was all fake. In fact, the kid really did maintain surprising composure even in the midst of—violence. Saebyeol didn’t hate him. To her, he was more like a natural hazard, one that stank, was unpleasant, and often proved deeply treacherous. Just as the meteorological administration staff forecasts weather, Saebyeol learned to predict—moods and figured out how to respond appropriately according to them.’
‘That’s the nature of this story. There’s really no reason to shoehorn a bunch of information into the middle here when it isn’t relevant to the progress of the story. Were people truly unaware of how Saebyeol and Saebom had lived? Certainly not. Many people had made assumptions about them to some degree. They just had never bothered to interfere—According to those people, in the end that amounted to a family issue, and even raising his children that way was pretty incredible given that their mom had run off and abandoned them—He had, after all, been a chatty man with whom the neighbours often had important business. Some people tried calling, but they couldn’t reach him, and nobody in the neighbourhood had heard any rumours regarding his whereabouts—If you want to lie well, you need to really understand what you’re lying about—I suppose it’s not necessary to answer all those questions.'
‘No matter how clever she was, she was still just a little kid—Tongyeong City, in South Gyeongsang Province. Not that this information really meant anything to Saebyeol—From the neighbourhood church to the shut-down factory and an abandoned old chicken coop in the junkyard, there was no spot they didn’t know about. Saebyeol’s slightly unique cultural preferences also formed under these conditions. The kid had never even laid hands on a Harry Potter book, but she’d read Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited and George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss. She’d barely even heard of Super Junior—Why? It just happened that way. Saebyeol never got the chance to just sit still and stare at the TV because of him, so she mainly read books, specifically old books that had been sent to the junkyard for recycling. Even though she didn’t really understand them well, Saebyeol mostly devoured random classic novel translations inside the old chicken coop that she’d settled upon as her spot.’
‘Whenever she found a book that she fancied, she either paid a few hundred won for it to Mr. Kwon, a man with paedophilic tendencies who was quietly kind to little girls, or she pilfered it. One of the books she discovered there was a classical music guide—About six months after stealing this book, a nearby high school’s music teacher had briefly lived alone next door. This teacher has been completely taken in by the musical facts that Saebyeol had spouted to her. When this teacher moved abroad, she gifted Saebyeol her old twenty gigabyte third-generation iPod. It was an old, obsolete device that went dead after just two hours following a full charge—Even so, to Saebyeol it was the best gift she’d ever received in her entire life.’
‘The Scarecrow was singing about how wonderful it would be if he had a heart and could feel human emotions. Saebyeol picked up a Persian cat at her feet and walked out into the hallway, to a window that looked out over the city toward the southwest. She hummed the theme from the overture of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella to herself as she looked out over the potted lettuce plant on the frame of the window. The window glass reflected back the small, pale face of a kid who had begun to look more like a young lady, superimposed over a view of buildings across the street with their ever more broken windows, an empty road that still bore the clear, long bloodstains of the commandos who’d been ripped apart and devoured by zombies a few months ago, zombies slowly crawling outside and easily picking off weaker fellow zombies, and the evening sunset glow that painted the whole neighbourhood crimson for a few moments before slowly fading away. To herself, the kid thought, ‘How pretty.’’
‘How would you like this story to end? Solemn destruction? Fierce punishment of evil by good? A heartwarming, happy ending? Or a cold, open ending? Any of those would be fine. I can make any one of them happen. In the end, it’s all just a matter of where the story is cut off. What about me? A happy ending. I always want a happy ending. If you’re okay with that, let’s just go with a happy ending. Seoul was now a ghost city. No, wait, not just Seoul—surviving in an empty ghost city densely packed with zombies was the easiest thing that they had done so far. Zombies neither touched nor even saw them. This was all because of—Bellflower.’
‘From here on out, the story takes yet another turn. I’m not sure you will like this plot twist, so if you already feel you’ve heard enough, you should probably stop here. Know, however, that even if you do stop reading, you won’t be able to remain forever ignorant of what’s going to happen to me.’
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My first Djuna! And a wonderful introduction to their work. For those in prep of spooky season that miss Angela Carter or Edgar Allan Poe within the Korean context, look no further. A strong, strong collection that is skilled in exhibiting Djuna’s skills.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Read before publication as I'd received the novel as part of their yearly bundle.
This was my first introduction to Djuna, and I'm so glad I read this! For the most part, this was a really well done collection of short stories. The only real "dud" to me was the fourth story, "Pentagon," as I feel it didn't fully come together in terms of execution with its themes, but it still wasn't bad or anything.
The standouts to me were definitely the titular short story/novella, "Memoir of a Joseon Bride," as well as "Under the Sphinx" and "The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain." "Under the Sphinx" was an intelligent, suspenseful, and mysterious look at the rabbit holes one can go down on the Internet, trying to validate either the fabrication or existence of a supposed lost film from the past, and what that implies for both the past and present when the information presented us can easily be twisted or falsified - but who's to say what's true or a lie? Absolutely loved that, my favorite of the collection.
"Memoir" will likely be the highlight for most reading this book, as it's probably the most unique and captivating, as well as most horror-forward. I thought it turned the vampire sub genre on its head extremely well, and was a fascinating look into Korea's history during the Joseon period.
In general, this is a very strong collection of speculative and science fiction stories, definitely not for everyone as some of the literary devices and conventions are out of the ordinary, not everyone will enjoy the satire, or understand the science, but I thought this was an intelligent, well put together book that entertained me as I want genre fiction to do and satisfied me intellectually in the things it had to say in the themes explored in these stories. Great stuff.
This was my first introduction to Djuna, and I'm so glad I read this! For the most part, this was a really well done collection of short stories. The only real "dud" to me was the fourth story, "Pentagon," as I feel it didn't fully come together in terms of execution with its themes, but it still wasn't bad or anything.
The standouts to me were definitely the titular short story/novella, "Memoir of a Joseon Bride," as well as "Under the Sphinx" and "The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain." "Under the Sphinx" was an intelligent, suspenseful, and mysterious look at the rabbit holes one can go down on the Internet, trying to validate either the fabrication or existence of a supposed lost film from the past, and what that implies for both the past and present when the information presented us can easily be twisted or falsified - but who's to say what's true or a lie? Absolutely loved that, my favorite of the collection.
"Memoir" will likely be the highlight for most reading this book, as it's probably the most unique and captivating, as well as most horror-forward. I thought it turned the vampire sub genre on its head extremely well, and was a fascinating look into Korea's history during the Joseon period.
In general, this is a very strong collection of speculative and science fiction stories, definitely not for everyone as some of the literary devices and conventions are out of the ordinary, not everyone will enjoy the satire, or understand the science, but I thought this was an intelligent, well put together book that entertained me as I want genre fiction to do and satisfied me intellectually in the things it had to say in the themes explored in these stories. Great stuff.
October 8, 2026
There’s a great variety in this collection in their length as well as the branch of horror they fit into, from vampires to zombies, monsters and Korean folklore, to science fiction, for which its author is best known in Korea. Three of the stories are much longer than the others, qualifying for that most unfortunate of literary terms, the novelette.
The classic tropes are blended with literary depth, and there’s an element of the weird to all of them that makes them highly entertaining.
The classic tropes are blended with literary depth, and there’s an element of the weird to all of them that makes them highly entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Memoir of a Joseon Bride was a fun collection of tales. While several had strong sci-fi themes, others were more paranormal-horror, and it was those ones I personally enjoyed the most, being more of a paranormal/supernatural fan than a big sci-fi reader. The title piece was my absolute favourite, but I also loved the zombie-based tale. If you are a fan of speculative short fiction, this collection is definitely worth a look. I am giving it a solid 4.5 stars. The only reason it doesn't get to five is because I was less taken by the more science fiction-focused stories. I would definitely consider reading more from this author in the future if it was works more in the paranormal genre.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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October 9, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
When I started this book, I was like omg I'm going to love this. Then I read on, and I was like oh no it's kind of boring, and then I got to the last story and was like hell yea this was so good. So, maybe like any short story collection, this one was a pretty mixed bag, with only three stories that really stayed in mind, and multiple where I just found them... boring and/or needlessly long. Still, I can appreciate the creativity of the author, as well as their skill, and I think that maybe, some of the stories just weren't really meeting my genre or general preferences, as the three stories I really remember and enjoyed a lot all had more of a horror element to them than the purely sci-fi-y stories that I (to a degree) found a bit boring. Though I also have to say that some of them - in particular, the one about the movie - just really aren't really doing anything new or unique. Would I recommend every single story in this collection? Absolutely not. But do I think this collection is still worth reading, for the stories that - in my opinion - absolutely do slap? Yes, 100%. Especially the last story (Where's Your Dad?), but also Memoir of a Joseon Bride and The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain. I'll definitely keep an eye out for further works by Djuna!
When I started this book, I was like omg I'm going to love this. Then I read on, and I was like oh no it's kind of boring, and then I got to the last story and was like hell yea this was so good. So, maybe like any short story collection, this one was a pretty mixed bag, with only three stories that really stayed in mind, and multiple where I just found them... boring and/or needlessly long. Still, I can appreciate the creativity of the author, as well as their skill, and I think that maybe, some of the stories just weren't really meeting my genre or general preferences, as the three stories I really remember and enjoyed a lot all had more of a horror element to them than the purely sci-fi-y stories that I (to a degree) found a bit boring. Though I also have to say that some of them - in particular, the one about the movie - just really aren't really doing anything new or unique. Would I recommend every single story in this collection? Absolutely not. But do I think this collection is still worth reading, for the stories that - in my opinion - absolutely do slap? Yes, 100%. Especially the last story (Where's Your Dad?), but also Memoir of a Joseon Bride and The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain. I'll definitely keep an eye out for further works by Djuna!
Review of advance copy
How would you like this story to end? Solemn destruction? Fierce punishment of evil by good? A heartwarming, happy ending? Or a cold, open ending? Any of those would be fine. I can make any one of them happen. In the end, it’s all just a matter of where the story is cut off.
넌 어떤 식으로 이 이야기가 끝났으면 좋겠니? 장중한 파멸, 매서운 권선징악, 가슴 따뜻한 해피엔딩, 쿨하게 열린 결말. 어떤 것이어도 괜찮아. 다 들어줄 수 있어. 결국 어디에서 이야기를 자르느냐의 문제니까.
from Where’s Your Dad? / 너네 아빠 어딨니?
Memoir of a Joseon Bride: Stories is a collection of speculative/science-fiction stories from Korean writer Djuna (듀나) and is publushed in the UK in 2026 by the small East-Asian focused press, Honford Star:
"Honford Star is a literary publisher of translated fiction from East Asia. Our books are boundary-pushing, unexpected, and entertaining. We are proud to work with some of the world's most talented and esteemed authors, translators, and graphic designers."
And this book is a paid-for subscription copy, so received pre official publication, not an ARC.
듀나 is the pen-name of a Korean writer, and film critic, whose real identity is unknown, and a name that was acquired almost by accident, as explained in this interview in Clarkesworld by Jihyun Park and Gord Sellar, and with a deliberate and obvious nod to Djuna Barnes, but also to the protagonist of Ellery Queen's Jr. Mystery Stories Series.
There are eight stories in this collection - seven were translated by Adrian Thieret and previously published in the US in 2024 by Kaya Press as part of the collection Everything Good Dies Here: Tales from the Linker Universe and Beyond (link to my review).
These are:
Memoir of a Joseon Bride 구부전 (2015, 2019)
The Rabbit Hole 토끼굴 (2006. 2024)
Through the Mirror 거울 너머로 건너가다 (2007, 2024)
Pentagon 펜타곤 (1997, 2000, 2013)
Under the Sphinx 스핑크스 아래서 (2000, 2013)
The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain 브로콜리 평원의 혈투 (2011, 2013)
Sea of Fog 안개바다 (2011, 2013)
The final story, added here, is translated by Jihyun Park and Gord Sellar
Where’s Your Dad? 너네 아빠 어딨니? (2007, 2024)
That is a OTT and tongue-in-cheek zombie thriller with a 4th wall breaking narrator, although with an underlying darker themes, that begins with a schoolgirl killing her father who was in the act of sexually abusing her younger sister. Left home alone (their mother left them years earlier due to their father's behaviour) life is now so much easier ... well except that their dad comes alive at 12.24 every evening and has to be re-killed and re-buried under the storeroom floor, but the two sisters soon establish a routine:
Things were much more comfortable and fun for them now than they’d ever been while their dad was alive. Of course, his corpse crawling up out of the grave had been scary for the first few nights. However, when they got a handle on how to deal with it, it proved no more of a hassle that doing this dishes.
But gradually things, and their killings and collection of interred zombies, spiral out of control, and eventually all of Seoul is impacted:
The window glass reflected back the small, pale face of a kid who had begun to look more like a young lady, superimposed over a view of buildings across the street with their ever more broken windows, an empty road that still bore the clear, long bloodstains of the commandos who’d been ripped apart and devoured by zombies a few months ago, zombies slowly crawling outside and easily picking off weaker fellow zombies, and the evening sunset glow that painted the whole neighborhood crimson for a few moments before slowly fading away.
To herself, the kid thought, ‘How pretty.’
The Kaya Press version also included "Jezebel" a novel in four stories, and from the same 'Linker Universe' as The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain and Sea of Fog - a construct the author set up with the idea that 'combining Lamarckism with Von Neumann machines would allow me to fill the universe with countless Star Trek-like planets and species without falling afoul of Clement's Paradox' (no, me neither).
I commented on the Kaya Press edition 'Not really my thing - I wouldn't read an English-language equivalent - so 3 stars for taste, although 4.5 for what it wants to be' - and a similar comment applies here, although the added story took this further into the weird and away from conventional sci-fi, which for me is a positive.
넌 어떤 식으로 이 이야기가 끝났으면 좋겠니? 장중한 파멸, 매서운 권선징악, 가슴 따뜻한 해피엔딩, 쿨하게 열린 결말. 어떤 것이어도 괜찮아. 다 들어줄 수 있어. 결국 어디에서 이야기를 자르느냐의 문제니까.
from Where’s Your Dad? / 너네 아빠 어딨니?
Memoir of a Joseon Bride: Stories is a collection of speculative/science-fiction stories from Korean writer Djuna (듀나) and is publushed in the UK in 2026 by the small East-Asian focused press, Honford Star:
"Honford Star is a literary publisher of translated fiction from East Asia. Our books are boundary-pushing, unexpected, and entertaining. We are proud to work with some of the world's most talented and esteemed authors, translators, and graphic designers."
And this book is a paid-for subscription copy, so received pre official publication, not an ARC.
듀나 is the pen-name of a Korean writer, and film critic, whose real identity is unknown, and a name that was acquired almost by accident, as explained in this interview in Clarkesworld by Jihyun Park and Gord Sellar, and with a deliberate and obvious nod to Djuna Barnes, but also to the protagonist of Ellery Queen's Jr. Mystery Stories Series.
There are eight stories in this collection - seven were translated by Adrian Thieret and previously published in the US in 2024 by Kaya Press as part of the collection Everything Good Dies Here: Tales from the Linker Universe and Beyond (link to my review).
These are:
Memoir of a Joseon Bride 구부전 (2015, 2019)
The Rabbit Hole 토끼굴 (2006. 2024)
Through the Mirror 거울 너머로 건너가다 (2007, 2024)
Pentagon 펜타곤 (1997, 2000, 2013)
Under the Sphinx 스핑크스 아래서 (2000, 2013)
The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain 브로콜리 평원의 혈투 (2011, 2013)
Sea of Fog 안개바다 (2011, 2013)
The final story, added here, is translated by Jihyun Park and Gord Sellar
Where’s Your Dad? 너네 아빠 어딨니? (2007, 2024)
That is a OTT and tongue-in-cheek zombie thriller with a 4th wall breaking narrator, although with an underlying darker themes, that begins with a schoolgirl killing her father who was in the act of sexually abusing her younger sister. Left home alone (their mother left them years earlier due to their father's behaviour) life is now so much easier ... well except that their dad comes alive at 12.24 every evening and has to be re-killed and re-buried under the storeroom floor, but the two sisters soon establish a routine:
Things were much more comfortable and fun for them now than they’d ever been while their dad was alive. Of course, his corpse crawling up out of the grave had been scary for the first few nights. However, when they got a handle on how to deal with it, it proved no more of a hassle that doing this dishes.
But gradually things, and their killings and collection of interred zombies, spiral out of control, and eventually all of Seoul is impacted:
The window glass reflected back the small, pale face of a kid who had begun to look more like a young lady, superimposed over a view of buildings across the street with their ever more broken windows, an empty road that still bore the clear, long bloodstains of the commandos who’d been ripped apart and devoured by zombies a few months ago, zombies slowly crawling outside and easily picking off weaker fellow zombies, and the evening sunset glow that painted the whole neighborhood crimson for a few moments before slowly fading away.
To herself, the kid thought, ‘How pretty.’
The Kaya Press version also included "Jezebel" a novel in four stories, and from the same 'Linker Universe' as The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain and Sea of Fog - a construct the author set up with the idea that 'combining Lamarckism with Von Neumann machines would allow me to fill the universe with countless Star Trek-like planets and species without falling afoul of Clement's Paradox' (no, me neither).
I commented on the Kaya Press edition 'Not really my thing - I wouldn't read an English-language equivalent - so 3 stars for taste, although 4.5 for what it wants to be' - and a similar comment applies here, although the added story took this further into the weird and away from conventional sci-fi, which for me is a positive.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've never encountered the author before, but welcomed the opportunity to get acquainted through this punchy short story collection. The stories are varied and cover a wide range of topics, though most fall within speculative fiction and/or science fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed most of them, finding them quirky, innovative, and refreshing, not dissimilar to Ted Chiang's work, but with the added benefit of more emotive storytelling.
The eponymous story places a traditional vampire/zombie narrative in 19th-century Korea, with somewhat predictable results, but also an interesting subplot exploring women's independence and the subversion of traditional patriarchal structures.
"The Rabbit Hole" is confusing at first, but quickly evolves into a post-apocalyptic horror story with deeply unsettling undertones and some surprising plot twists. "Through the Mirror" takes a few unusual twists and turns of its own, offering an intriguing take on The Truman Show-like elements and culminating in a rather terrifying ending.
"Pentagon" has nothing to do with the US Department of Defense. Instead, it explores an experiment in which the memories of a dead spy can be salvaged by transplanting them into a new body, and the consequences of such an implantation as old and new memories, identities, and bodies come into conflict.
"Under the Sphinx" is a mind-twister that demonstrates just how threadbare the boundary between elaborate inventions and reality can become, particularly when the former begin to take on lives of their own. Particularly pertinent in the age of AI, naturally.
"The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain" and "The Sea of Fog" are both set in the Linker universe. They explore scenarios in which human evolution is jump-started by a virus that makes people more adaptable to their environments, just as humanity gains surprising access to new planets far from Earth. I don't recall where, but I'm fairly certain I've encountered this idea before. These stories are not particularly strong, especially compared with the rest of the collection, where the author's imagination and ability to surprise really shine.
The final story, "Where's Your Dad?", offers another take on the vampire narrative, this time told from the perspective of two young girls struggling to free themselves from the yoke of their abusive father. Again, it's neither the most innovative nor the most surprising story in the collection, but it is well executed and provides an interesting angle on a more traditional premise.
All in all, the weakest parts of the collection are the two vampire stories and the two Linker stories, and even these are solid, readable, and interesting. The remaining stories are truly exceptional, with a genuine shock factor and an impressive ability to surprise.
This collection is definitely worth reading, and the author deserves a far broader readership than they currently have. These are genuinely among the best speculative short stories I've read in a very long time.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The eponymous story places a traditional vampire/zombie narrative in 19th-century Korea, with somewhat predictable results, but also an interesting subplot exploring women's independence and the subversion of traditional patriarchal structures.
"The Rabbit Hole" is confusing at first, but quickly evolves into a post-apocalyptic horror story with deeply unsettling undertones and some surprising plot twists. "Through the Mirror" takes a few unusual twists and turns of its own, offering an intriguing take on The Truman Show-like elements and culminating in a rather terrifying ending.
"Pentagon" has nothing to do with the US Department of Defense. Instead, it explores an experiment in which the memories of a dead spy can be salvaged by transplanting them into a new body, and the consequences of such an implantation as old and new memories, identities, and bodies come into conflict.
"Under the Sphinx" is a mind-twister that demonstrates just how threadbare the boundary between elaborate inventions and reality can become, particularly when the former begin to take on lives of their own. Particularly pertinent in the age of AI, naturally.
"The Bloody Battle of Broccoli Plain" and "The Sea of Fog" are both set in the Linker universe. They explore scenarios in which human evolution is jump-started by a virus that makes people more adaptable to their environments, just as humanity gains surprising access to new planets far from Earth. I don't recall where, but I'm fairly certain I've encountered this idea before. These stories are not particularly strong, especially compared with the rest of the collection, where the author's imagination and ability to surprise really shine.
The final story, "Where's Your Dad?", offers another take on the vampire narrative, this time told from the perspective of two young girls struggling to free themselves from the yoke of their abusive father. Again, it's neither the most innovative nor the most surprising story in the collection, but it is well executed and provides an interesting angle on a more traditional premise.
All in all, the weakest parts of the collection are the two vampire stories and the two Linker stories, and even these are solid, readable, and interesting. The remaining stories are truly exceptional, with a genuine shock factor and an impressive ability to surprise.
This collection is definitely worth reading, and the author deserves a far broader readership than they currently have. These are genuinely among the best speculative short stories I've read in a very long time.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 29, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this collection of science/speculative fiction short stories by Djuna. Across past, modern day and future Korea, we encounter vampires, zombies, xenophobic dog communities, fake IMDb pages and more. It was so weird in the best way.
Unlike some short story collections where some stories hit and some flop, all the stories were unique, interesting and thought-provoking. My favourites: Memoirs of a Joseon Bride, Under the Sphinx, Pentagon and Sea of Fog. I was hooked and wished I had full books of some of these!
The only downside for me was that the characters are somewhat emotionally flat and I missed that in some of the stories. I would recommend checking trigger warnings, particularly for the last story “Where’s your dad?”
This book would work for those who into weird lit, like a bit of everything and are ready for anything. A great read for fall.
Thank you to NetGalley and Honford Star for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this collection of science/speculative fiction short stories by Djuna. Across past, modern day and future Korea, we encounter vampires, zombies, xenophobic dog communities, fake IMDb pages and more. It was so weird in the best way.
Unlike some short story collections where some stories hit and some flop, all the stories were unique, interesting and thought-provoking. My favourites: Memoirs of a Joseon Bride, Under the Sphinx, Pentagon and Sea of Fog. I was hooked and wished I had full books of some of these!
The only downside for me was that the characters are somewhat emotionally flat and I missed that in some of the stories. I would recommend checking trigger warnings, particularly for the last story “Where’s your dad?”
This book would work for those who into weird lit, like a bit of everything and are ready for anything. A great read for fall.
Thank you to NetGalley and Honford Star for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! ♡
Memoir of a Joseon Bride is the sort of collection where history keeps slipping sideways into scifi, horror and satire.
Djuna moves between vampires, machines, viruses and stranger things without ever letting the speculative elements become empty show. The strongest stories use the impossible to expose very real structures of patriarchy and cultural inheritance often with a wonderfully dry cutting sense of humour.
As with most collections, some stories landed more strongly for me than others! But even when a story did not entirely work for me, there was almost always an idea in it I wanted to keep turning over afterwards.
Would absoluteeeely read more from Djuna!
Memoir of a Joseon Bride is the sort of collection where history keeps slipping sideways into scifi, horror and satire.
Djuna moves between vampires, machines, viruses and stranger things without ever letting the speculative elements become empty show. The strongest stories use the impossible to expose very real structures of patriarchy and cultural inheritance often with a wonderfully dry cutting sense of humour.
As with most collections, some stories landed more strongly for me than others! But even when a story did not entirely work for me, there was almost always an idea in it I wanted to keep turning over afterwards.
Would absoluteeeely read more from Djuna!
October 3, 2026
Thank you to Honford Star and Netgalley for making this advance copy available to me!
This is my first time reading Djuna's work. I went into every short story and surprised and curious what it would be about. They played with many different science fiction conventions, mixing in irreverent humor, with main characters diverse in age and gender. Particular standout stories for me were "Under the Sphinx" and "Where's Your Dad?", likely because these stories used comedic elements the most.
The reason why I gave this three stars and not four was because the writing occasionally felt almost "clumsy" and drawn-out, sometimes too emotionally detached to encourage full attachment to the characters and plot.
This is my first time reading Djuna's work. I went into every short story and surprised and curious what it would be about. They played with many different science fiction conventions, mixing in irreverent humor, with main characters diverse in age and gender. Particular standout stories for me were "Under the Sphinx" and "Where's Your Dad?", likely because these stories used comedic elements the most.
The reason why I gave this three stars and not four was because the writing occasionally felt almost "clumsy" and drawn-out, sometimes too emotionally detached to encourage full attachment to the characters and plot.
October 24, 2026
so I loved this book! It is a collection of horror(mild) short stories, some of them derived from ancient korean folklore! The stories were versatile in terms of topics & monsters, ranging from parasitic vampires, zombies, to aliens and a viral outbreak capable of accelerating evolution and changes in our existing species. The great thing about these stories was that they centered around a strong protagonist and all the world and horror were part of their narrative, hence the focus was always on the human element which kept me quite engaged as a reader. The translation was very good and I would say every story in this collection was top-notch.
Must read if you enjoy horror, science fiction, ancient folklore or a blend of all three!
Must read if you enjoy horror, science fiction, ancient folklore or a blend of all three!
September 15, 2026
Review of an ARC
This book is very much love and hate. A few of stories I loved. They were very good, well written and had me absorbed, the first one especially. It was a unique spin on a classic vampire tale. I loved the style, the concepts ranging from sci-fi to horror-esque and the unique/bizarre aspects to each. Each tale would lead you down a rabbit hole never knowing where it would go and that part I loved. However, others were... lacking. I did have to skip two stories that I just could not get into at all - they were overly complicated and didn't hold my interest like some of the others. I feel like there was potential but it just missed the mark for me
This book is very much love and hate. A few of stories I loved. They were very good, well written and had me absorbed, the first one especially. It was a unique spin on a classic vampire tale. I loved the style, the concepts ranging from sci-fi to horror-esque and the unique/bizarre aspects to each. Each tale would lead you down a rabbit hole never knowing where it would go and that part I loved. However, others were... lacking. I did have to skip two stories that I just could not get into at all - they were overly complicated and didn't hold my interest like some of the others. I feel like there was potential but it just missed the mark for me
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September 26, 2026I ordered and paid for this book from Honford Star publishing on 9/1/26. It was sent to me immediately via international shipping. It took 1-2 weeks to arrive. I'm confused why Goodreads is treating it as not yet published. Maybe it was just not yet published in my country?
The story that caused me to buy it, the only one I actually wanted to read, was the last one which was the first one I read: Where's Your Dad? I really enjoyed. The other stories were interesting too. Definitely is a mix of sci-fi and horror as labelled by publisher. This is the first book I've read by them, Djuna. I ordered some other books now.
The story that caused me to buy it, the only one I actually wanted to read, was the last one which was the first one I read: Where's Your Dad? I really enjoyed. The other stories were interesting too. Definitely is a mix of sci-fi and horror as labelled by publisher. This is the first book I've read by them, Djuna. I ordered some other books now.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thankyou to the publisher and netgalley for the Earc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a very interesting collection of sciencefiction and horror short stories. i loved the confuscious vampires and the linker virus world in two of the short stories was very interesting and i would love to learn more.
Some of the stories were just a little gross in their horror elements which i am not a massive fan of but overall this was a great collection of short stories in which all were enjoyable. Would definietly read more by this author.
This book was a very interesting collection of sciencefiction and horror short stories. i loved the confuscious vampires and the linker virus world in two of the short stories was very interesting and i would love to learn more.
Some of the stories were just a little gross in their horror elements which i am not a massive fan of but overall this was a great collection of short stories in which all were enjoyable. Would definietly read more by this author.
September 19, 2026
Thank you, NetGalley, for the e-ARC!
Right from the jump, the cover instantly drew me in, as it was a nice mix of mysterious, historical, and kinda sexy, which is what I would say this particular collection of short stories is.
Memoir of a Joseon Bride: Stories is a short story collection that revolves mostly around Korean mythology, history, and vampires. In the first story, the writing style felt reminiscent of Anne Rice's "Interview with a Vampire" mixed with S.T. Gibson's "A Dowry of Blood," as it takes on a similar premise: a confessional letter from a young bride who has witnessed and participated in her in-laws' crimes. The following stories take their own beat as we move through later time periods and characters.
This was my first time reading Djuna's work, and I was wonderfully surprised by how detailed short stories can be in building environments and moods in so few words. I think the first story, "Memoir," is still the strongest in the collection because of its depth in Korean feudalism, Confucianism, and religion; however, I still greatly enjoyed the rest of the collection.
If you're looking for a short, spooky read that will haunt you after you've finished it, I think you will like this book!
⅘ stars
Right from the jump, the cover instantly drew me in, as it was a nice mix of mysterious, historical, and kinda sexy, which is what I would say this particular collection of short stories is.
Memoir of a Joseon Bride: Stories is a short story collection that revolves mostly around Korean mythology, history, and vampires. In the first story, the writing style felt reminiscent of Anne Rice's "Interview with a Vampire" mixed with S.T. Gibson's "A Dowry of Blood," as it takes on a similar premise: a confessional letter from a young bride who has witnessed and participated in her in-laws' crimes. The following stories take their own beat as we move through later time periods and characters.
This was my first time reading Djuna's work, and I was wonderfully surprised by how detailed short stories can be in building environments and moods in so few words. I think the first story, "Memoir," is still the strongest in the collection because of its depth in Korean feudalism, Confucianism, and religion; however, I still greatly enjoyed the rest of the collection.
If you're looking for a short, spooky read that will haunt you after you've finished it, I think you will like this book!
⅘ stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dnfed at 48%
I was excited to read some of the most famous stories of this author but unfortunately only the first short story, Memoir of a Joseon bride, picked my interest. I thought since I thoroughly enjoyed the first story, it would be the same case for the other seven. It wasn’t. The rest were based in speculative fiction, that seems I don’t enjoy that much. I found it hard to stay engaged and so I decided to stop reading at the sixth short story.
Thank you to Honford Star and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was excited to read some of the most famous stories of this author but unfortunately only the first short story, Memoir of a Joseon bride, picked my interest. I thought since I thoroughly enjoyed the first story, it would be the same case for the other seven. It wasn’t. The rest were based in speculative fiction, that seems I don’t enjoy that much. I found it hard to stay engaged and so I decided to stop reading at the sixth short story.
Thank you to Honford Star and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 30, 2026
This is a book of stories, which are clever, insightful - peppered with just the right amount of dark humor.
I enjoyed the fusion of vampires and the history of Josean period, which is somewhat atypical.
I also enjoyed getting to "know" Djuna, this mysterious Korean writer who remains shapeless, genderless and alltogether a mystery. Are they even Korean, or do the just WRITE in Korean?
All in all a great read for spooky season, this collection of stories will give more than the standard chills and thrills.
I enjoyed the fusion of vampires and the history of Josean period, which is somewhat atypical.
I also enjoyed getting to "know" Djuna, this mysterious Korean writer who remains shapeless, genderless and alltogether a mystery. Are they even Korean, or do the just WRITE in Korean?
All in all a great read for spooky season, this collection of stories will give more than the standard chills and thrills.
September 4, 2026
I was really looking forward to this book, ever since Honford Star announced it. However, I find myself only enjoying the first story, and that's the title story. Initially, I thought that would be a good indicator for the rest of the collection, but I found myself losing my concentration and interest while reading through the rest of the stories.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.
November 14, 2026
[Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc!]
I really, really enjoyed the first story; the others were alright. The pacing was either too slow, or there was so much story crammed into a short number of pages that everything felt rushed. I'd really like to see some of these- especially the first one- fleshed out into larger, more elaborate tellings of these stories. But I also understand why the author chose to write them this way!
I really, really enjoyed the first story; the others were alright. The pacing was either too slow, or there was so much story crammed into a short number of pages that everything felt rushed. I'd really like to see some of these- especially the first one- fleshed out into larger, more elaborate tellings of these stories. But I also understand why the author chose to write them this way!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wonderful horror/sci-fi short stories collection. I thoroughly enjoyed the sci-fi stories with such well-written world building. I would have given this a 5 stars but as with most short stories collection, there were a couple that I didn’t enjoy as much.
My top favorites are:
- Memoir of a Joseon Bride
- Through the mirror
- Under the Sphinx
- The bloody battle of broccoli plain
My top favorites are:
- Memoir of a Joseon Bride
- Through the mirror
- Under the Sphinx
- The bloody battle of broccoli plain
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.
I found these stories very imaginative and entertaining. My favorite was about a fake IMDB page for a movie that slowly starts becoming real. There were a couple stories that I felt dragged a little but otherwise I really enjoyed this collection.
I found these stories very imaginative and entertaining. My favorite was about a fake IMDB page for a movie that slowly starts becoming real. There were a couple stories that I felt dragged a little but otherwise I really enjoyed this collection.
September 4, 2026
This is a neat sampling of Djuna's short story work, which dances between horror, sci-fi, and history, and gives you a real sense of the range of their work. Definitely worth your time this fall.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The first half of this book was excellent - the stories were crisply written and full of interesting genre twists. The second half? Not so much. I felt those stories dragged a bit, which is a shame.
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October 6, 2026what an odd and disquieting collection of stories
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