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체공녀 강주룡
박민규의 <삼미 슈퍼스타즈의 마지막 팬클럽>, 심윤경의 <나의 아름다운 정원>, 윤고은의 <무중력증후군>, 장강명의 <표백> 등 꾸준히 독자들의 관심과 사랑을 받아온 한겨레문학상의 스물세 번째 수상작. 1931년 평양 평원 고무 공장 파업을 주동하며 을밀대 지붕에 올라 우리나라 최초로 '고공 농성'을 벌였던 여성 노동자 강주룡의 일생을 그린 전기 소설이다.
제23회 한겨레문학상 심사 당시 "거침없이 나아가되 쓸데없이 비장하지 않고, 비극적으로 삶을 마감했으나 자기 연민이나 감상에 젖지 않는 이 인물을 통해 우리는 전혀 다른 여성 서사를 만난다"(평론가 서영인), "이렇게 근사한 소설, 참으로 오랜만이다"(소설가 한창훈), "놀라운 생동감으로 역사의 책갈피 깊숙이 숨어 있는 아름다운 인간을 바로 지금 여기에서 살아 숨 쉬게 만든다"(작가 정여울) 등 심사위원들의 강렬한 지지를 받으며 205편의 쟁쟁한 경쟁작들을 제치고 수상작으로 결정되었다. 또한, 작가가 구사하는 간도 사투리의 말맛은 '새터민일 것이다', '나이 지긋한 기성 작가일 것이다'라는 추측과 함께 심사위원들의 감탄을 불러일으켰다.
수상자 박서련은 2015년 단편 '미키마우스 클럽'으로 「실천문학」 신인상을 받으며 등단한 신인으로, <체공녀 강주룡>은 그가 처음 완성한 장편이자 첫 책이다. 작가는 새롭고도 단단한 상상의 힘으로 미처 제대로 주목받지 못했던 역사 속 인물 '강주룡'을 지금의 우리 곁으로 소환한다.
제23회 한겨레문학상 심사 당시 "거침없이 나아가되 쓸데없이 비장하지 않고, 비극적으로 삶을 마감했으나 자기 연민이나 감상에 젖지 않는 이 인물을 통해 우리는 전혀 다른 여성 서사를 만난다"(평론가 서영인), "이렇게 근사한 소설, 참으로 오랜만이다"(소설가 한창훈), "놀라운 생동감으로 역사의 책갈피 깊숙이 숨어 있는 아름다운 인간을 바로 지금 여기에서 살아 숨 쉬게 만든다"(작가 정여울) 등 심사위원들의 강렬한 지지를 받으며 205편의 쟁쟁한 경쟁작들을 제치고 수상작으로 결정되었다. 또한, 작가가 구사하는 간도 사투리의 말맛은 '새터민일 것이다', '나이 지긋한 기성 작가일 것이다'라는 추측과 함께 심사위원들의 감탄을 불러일으켰다.
수상자 박서련은 2015년 단편 '미키마우스 클럽'으로 「실천문학」 신인상을 받으며 등단한 신인으로, <체공녀 강주룡>은 그가 처음 완성한 장편이자 첫 책이다. 작가는 새롭고도 단단한 상상의 힘으로 미처 제대로 주목받지 못했던 역사 속 인물 '강주룡'을 지금의 우리 곁으로 소환한다.
253 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
About the author
Park Seolyeon
9 books187 followersPark Seolyeon (1989-) is a South Korean novelist. She made her literary debut in 2015 when her short story “Mikimauseu keulleob” (미키마우스 클럽 The Mickey Mouse Club) won the Silcheon Munhak New Writer’s Award. In 2018, she won the 23rd Hankyoreh Literature Award with the novel Chegongnyeo gangjuryong (체공녀 강주룡 Kang Juryong, the Woman in the Air). She uses love and the voices of the underprivileged, such as women, the elderly, and sexual minorities, who are excluded and hidden from society, as the subject of her works.
박서련(1989~)은 한국의 소설가다. 2015년 단편으로 신인상을 받으며 작품활동을 시작했다. 2018년 장편으로 제23회 한겨레문학상을 수상했다. 작가는 여성, 노인, 성소수자 등 배제되고 은폐되는 약자의 목소리를 사랑을 매개로 작품의 주제로 삼고 있다.
박서련(1989~)은 한국의 소설가다. 2015년 단편으로 신인상을 받으며 작품활동을 시작했다. 2018년 장편으로 제23회 한겨레문학상을 수상했다. 작가는 여성, 노인, 성소수자 등 배제되고 은폐되는 약자의 목소리를 사랑을 매개로 작품의 주제로 삼고 있다.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
August 9, 2026
Insanely brave and beyond courageous, totally curious and absolutely outrageous, hurt and traumatized and fervent—the woman Kang stole my heart and my breath. Capitalists must starve, indeed
4.5
4.5
November 3, 2025
An extraordinary story hampered by a very poorly edited English translation - typos, inconsistent spellings, grammar issues on every page that made the prose basically unreadable on top of just being clunky - not to mention they've accidentally put "Seolyeon" on the upper right hand side of every page instead of "Park", which is baffling for a press like Tilted Axis. I have no choice but to assume that they accidentally typeset the first draft translation instead of the final version and then it was just too late to reprint everything. Please god do something to save independent publishing.
September 20, 2025
Factory owners capitulate!
Victory through workers’ unity!
If those who do not work must starve
Then capitalists must starve!
Capitalists Must Starve is Anton Hur's translation of 체공녀 강주룡 (2018) by 박서련 (Park Seolyeon), published by Tilted Axis Press, and is their entry for the 2026 Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize.
The same author/translator duo had previously published A Magical Girl Retires, a reimagination of the Magical Girl genre (no, me neither) for a world of violence against women, economic insecurity and climate change.
This is a change in tone - and publisher - political historical-fiction.
The novel is based on the real-life story of 강주룡 (Gang Juryong), a Korean independence and, later, workers-rights activist. In 1931, and aged 30, she led a strike at a rubber-factory, and the first-ever rooftop protest by a worker on the 을밀대 (Eulmildae) tower in what is now North Korea, and died one year later, weakened from hunger strikes.
And the novel follows what is known of her life and her activism.
Now Anton Hur is an accomplished, the prize-recognised, translator as well as a novelist in his own right in English, so I think this must be a deliberate, stylistic decision, perhaps to match the era ... but it's hard not to comment on the stilted nature of the prose (and not just in direct speech):
“If I hadn’t insisted on following you into the movement, what mission could I have accomplished? So my accomplishment is also my husband’s, isn’t it?”
Not what she wanted to say at all, but not untrue, either.
She has no desire to take sole credit and let her name be known throughout the land. Just like Jeonbin had once said, the reason she wants liberation is for the happiness of the one she married.
She loves him and wants him to live in a liberated country.
주룡은 공을 독차지하고 이름을 떨치고 싶은 마음이 없다. 전빈이 언젠가 했던 말처럼 주룡이 독립을 원하는 것은 제 임자 때문이다.
당신이 좋아서, 당신이 독립된 나라에 살기를 바라는 마음.
Which makes for an interesting, but rather dry, and at times awkward, read.
As a positive, 주룡, who name is often abbrievated by comrades to 룡 (ryong, which could denote dragon) is a well crafted character - she stumbles into independence activism out of loyalty to her younger husband, but, as the quote above suggests, soon surpasses him, and someone who is driven by loyalty to her comrades and colleagues and, above all, determined to win and to change the status quo.
This is the October 2025 book from the brilliant Republic of Consciousness Book of the Month club, which raises funds that support the UKs most exciting annual book prize, as well as showcasing a collection of books from the vibrant small independent press scene.
The publisher - Tilted Axis Press
Tilted Axis Press is an independent publisher of contemporary literature by the Global Majority, translated into or written in a variety of Englishes.
Founded in 2015, our practice is an ongoing exploration into alternatives - to the hierarchisation of certain languages and forms of translation, and the monoculture of globalisation.
강주룡 historical speech from the rooftop
(+ ChatGPT's translation, where I asked it to preserve a fiery, archaic tone)
우리는 49명 우리 파업단의 賃金減下(임금감하)를 크게 여기지는 않습니다. 이것이 결국은 平壤(평양)의 2,300명 고무직공의 賃金減下(임금감하)의 원인이 될 것임으로 우리는 죽기로써 반대하랴는 것입니다. (…) 나는 平元(평원) 고무 사장이 이 앞에 와서 賃金減下(임금감하)의 선언을 취소하기까지는 결코 내려가지 않겟습니다. 끗까지 賃金減下(임금감하)를 취소치 않으면 나는 (…) 노동대중을 대표해 죽음을 명예로 알 뿐입니다. 그러하고 여러분, 구타여 나를 여기서 (집웅) 강제로 끄러내릴 생각은 마십시오, 누구든지 이 집웅 우에 사닥다리를 대 놓기만 하면 나는 곳 떠러저 죽을 뿐입니다.
We, the forty-nine of this strike band, do not make much of our own wage cuts. Yet this, in the end, will be the cause of wage cuts for the 2,300 rubber workers of Pyongyang — and so we oppose it unto death. (…) I shall never come down until the president of Pyeongwon Rubber stands before me and withdraws his declaration of wage cuts. If to the last they refuse to withdraw it, then (…) as the representative of the working masses, I shall count death as my only honor.
And hear me, comrades — do not think to beat me or drag me down by force. Should anyone dare set a ladder against this rooftop, I will cast myself down and meet death at once.
Victory through workers’ unity!
If those who do not work must starve
Then capitalists must starve!
Capitalists Must Starve is Anton Hur's translation of 체공녀 강주룡 (2018) by 박서련 (Park Seolyeon), published by Tilted Axis Press, and is their entry for the 2026 Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize.
The same author/translator duo had previously published A Magical Girl Retires, a reimagination of the Magical Girl genre (no, me neither) for a world of violence against women, economic insecurity and climate change.
This is a change in tone - and publisher - political historical-fiction.
The novel is based on the real-life story of 강주룡 (Gang Juryong), a Korean independence and, later, workers-rights activist. In 1931, and aged 30, she led a strike at a rubber-factory, and the first-ever rooftop protest by a worker on the 을밀대 (Eulmildae) tower in what is now North Korea, and died one year later, weakened from hunger strikes.
And the novel follows what is known of her life and her activism.
Now Anton Hur is an accomplished, the prize-recognised, translator as well as a novelist in his own right in English, so I think this must be a deliberate, stylistic decision, perhaps to match the era ... but it's hard not to comment on the stilted nature of the prose (and not just in direct speech):
“If I hadn’t insisted on following you into the movement, what mission could I have accomplished? So my accomplishment is also my husband’s, isn’t it?”
Not what she wanted to say at all, but not untrue, either.
She has no desire to take sole credit and let her name be known throughout the land. Just like Jeonbin had once said, the reason she wants liberation is for the happiness of the one she married.
She loves him and wants him to live in a liberated country.
주룡은 공을 독차지하고 이름을 떨치고 싶은 마음이 없다. 전빈이 언젠가 했던 말처럼 주룡이 독립을 원하는 것은 제 임자 때문이다.
당신이 좋아서, 당신이 독립된 나라에 살기를 바라는 마음.
Which makes for an interesting, but rather dry, and at times awkward, read.
As a positive, 주룡, who name is often abbrievated by comrades to 룡 (ryong, which could denote dragon) is a well crafted character - she stumbles into independence activism out of loyalty to her younger husband, but, as the quote above suggests, soon surpasses him, and someone who is driven by loyalty to her comrades and colleagues and, above all, determined to win and to change the status quo.
This is the October 2025 book from the brilliant Republic of Consciousness Book of the Month club, which raises funds that support the UKs most exciting annual book prize, as well as showcasing a collection of books from the vibrant small independent press scene.
The publisher - Tilted Axis Press
Tilted Axis Press is an independent publisher of contemporary literature by the Global Majority, translated into or written in a variety of Englishes.
Founded in 2015, our practice is an ongoing exploration into alternatives - to the hierarchisation of certain languages and forms of translation, and the monoculture of globalisation.
강주룡 historical speech from the rooftop
(+ ChatGPT's translation, where I asked it to preserve a fiery, archaic tone)
우리는 49명 우리 파업단의 賃金減下(임금감하)를 크게 여기지는 않습니다. 이것이 결국은 平壤(평양)의 2,300명 고무직공의 賃金減下(임금감하)의 원인이 될 것임으로 우리는 죽기로써 반대하랴는 것입니다. (…) 나는 平元(평원) 고무 사장이 이 앞에 와서 賃金減下(임금감하)의 선언을 취소하기까지는 결코 내려가지 않겟습니다. 끗까지 賃金減下(임금감하)를 취소치 않으면 나는 (…) 노동대중을 대표해 죽음을 명예로 알 뿐입니다. 그러하고 여러분, 구타여 나를 여기서 (집웅) 강제로 끄러내릴 생각은 마십시오, 누구든지 이 집웅 우에 사닥다리를 대 놓기만 하면 나는 곳 떠러저 죽을 뿐입니다.
We, the forty-nine of this strike band, do not make much of our own wage cuts. Yet this, in the end, will be the cause of wage cuts for the 2,300 rubber workers of Pyongyang — and so we oppose it unto death. (…) I shall never come down until the president of Pyeongwon Rubber stands before me and withdraws his declaration of wage cuts. If to the last they refuse to withdraw it, then (…) as the representative of the working masses, I shall count death as my only honor.
And hear me, comrades — do not think to beat me or drag me down by force. Should anyone dare set a ladder against this rooftop, I will cast myself down and meet death at once.
April 27, 2026
I will be honest here and say I find it shocking that Anton Hur is the translator of this novella. The writing was stiff, apathetic, and just plain painful to get through. I just didn’t care and skimmed more than I would have liked. It all felt irrelevant, bland, and dry. I’ve seen a few reviews mentioning grammar errors, and while I can’t say I noticed any, the fact that the writing was hard to get through remains.
Capitalists Must Starve is a novel by Park Seolyeon, the author of the very poignant, entertaining, anti-capitalist novel A Magical Girl Retires. Here, instead of following a lively, fun magical girl, we follow Kang Juryong, who lived in Pyongyang during the Japanese occupation and led strikes against the owner of the rubber factory where she worked.
I’m not really sure what to say about the book. It felt like an oxymoron. I associate Anton Hur with great translations and Park Seolyeon with poignant, entertaining books, and this was just not that in any way, shape, or form. While it was feminist and had some poignant scenes, it was mostly… dry and unreadable. It didn’t even have clear ideas to ground whatever the book went on and on about.
I don’t know, maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. I’ll admit I ended up skimming a few pages because I felt like banging my head against the wall one too many times. 1.5 stars rounded down because I don't care.
Capitalists Must Starve is a novel by Park Seolyeon, the author of the very poignant, entertaining, anti-capitalist novel A Magical Girl Retires. Here, instead of following a lively, fun magical girl, we follow Kang Juryong, who lived in Pyongyang during the Japanese occupation and led strikes against the owner of the rubber factory where she worked.
I’m not really sure what to say about the book. It felt like an oxymoron. I associate Anton Hur with great translations and Park Seolyeon with poignant, entertaining books, and this was just not that in any way, shape, or form. While it was feminist and had some poignant scenes, it was mostly… dry and unreadable. It didn’t even have clear ideas to ground whatever the book went on and on about.
I don’t know, maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. I’ll admit I ended up skimming a few pages because I felt like banging my head against the wall one too many times. 1.5 stars rounded down because I don't care.
August 21, 2025
A banger.
May 1, 2026
Thought the first half was really boring but the second half was SO GOOD go girly strike up your life x
Read
October 17, 2025i'm thoroughly obsessed with park seolyeon! her ability to write characters who are going through the most bizarre (magical girl series) or historic, high-stakes (capitalists must starve) events who also feel so real -- like you've met them sometime somewhere -- is incredible. she isn't trying to write a manifesto or "novel" that's just thinly veiled theory but manages to lay out capitalism as it is, which comes down to how it preys on people, puts them into a corner that feels inescapable, yet demands that you keep living through all of it.
that being said, i wish she would write longer books. i really didn't mind how short the two magical girl books were (even though i'm really hoping she's working on more books for the series 🤞🏻) but i do think it takes away from the story for this book.
"capitalists must starve" is about kang ju-ryong, who is the first korean woman to do a 고공농성 which is when you occupy a space really high up until your demands are met (not sure what the english term is). i did some very short research and found out that most of the characters and what happens is based on real historic events, but park took the liberty to add meat and character to the story. as one of the reviews attached in the book says, she does a good job of balancing research and imagination.
there is a lot of ground to cover in the book. i won't spoil anything (i think you should read it!), but it follows the main character through major life events, several moves across the country, and career changes. i loved how naturally the writing incorporated the northern dialect and speech from the early 1900s, and feel a little sad that that will not be as present/obvious in translation. like wow, it was so good that it felt effortless but i know how much research that must've taken.
i think the book would've benefited a lot by some more pages dedicated to character and world building. taking a moment to describe the space the character is in, the atmosphere, just a general vibe would've complimented the writing a lot and helped with the pacing imo. this is why i would say the short length is the biggest "flaw" of the book -- i would love to see future works from the author that takes more time. i get that witty and snappy is kind of her style, but for me this was a story that deserved a build up that pushes the reader to sit through slow tension and complex relationships.
overall, such a fun read, and i'm happy i have more park seolyeon books to read
that being said, i wish she would write longer books. i really didn't mind how short the two magical girl books were (even though i'm really hoping she's working on more books for the series 🤞🏻) but i do think it takes away from the story for this book.
"capitalists must starve" is about kang ju-ryong, who is the first korean woman to do a 고공농성 which is when you occupy a space really high up until your demands are met (not sure what the english term is). i did some very short research and found out that most of the characters and what happens is based on real historic events, but park took the liberty to add meat and character to the story. as one of the reviews attached in the book says, she does a good job of balancing research and imagination.
there is a lot of ground to cover in the book. i won't spoil anything (i think you should read it!), but it follows the main character through major life events, several moves across the country, and career changes. i loved how naturally the writing incorporated the northern dialect and speech from the early 1900s, and feel a little sad that that will not be as present/obvious in translation. like wow, it was so good that it felt effortless but i know how much research that must've taken.
i think the book would've benefited a lot by some more pages dedicated to character and world building. taking a moment to describe the space the character is in, the atmosphere, just a general vibe would've complimented the writing a lot and helped with the pacing imo. this is why i would say the short length is the biggest "flaw" of the book -- i would love to see future works from the author that takes more time. i get that witty and snappy is kind of her style, but for me this was a story that deserved a build up that pushes the reader to sit through slow tension and complex relationships.
overall, such a fun read, and i'm happy i have more park seolyeon books to read
December 19, 2025
"No matter how weak and vulnerable a beast, they will still find a way to survive."
This is based on a real woman, Kang Juryong, who lived and died in the early 1900s after becoming martyred for the labour movement. She was a pioneer in many senses of the word, and although this book is fiction, I felt that this reimagining really brought her to life and made me curious about her story. She was more than a historical figure; she was also a person with a mother who loved her, a husband she fought for, and a community she was willing to die for. She was poor, uneducated, a working-class farmhand, born into an extremely misogynistic society during an extremely misogynistic era, and yet she resisted.
Another thing that I really liked about this book is its depiction of other women from that era and class. What Juryong faced was not isolated by systemic. The intersection between class, gender, and politics is made clear through emotionally charged scenes of ordinary women struggling to make it through the months when quite literally everything around them—their husbands, employers, and country's colonisers—threatens their survival in a very real and imminent way. It was inspiring to read about these women banding together, risking life and limb for a greater cause, in spite of being so downtrodden.
Similar reads:
- 'A Woman of Pleasure' by Kiyoko Murata
- 'Flowers of Fire' by Hawon Jung
- 'Delicious Hunger' by Hai Fan
This is based on a real woman, Kang Juryong, who lived and died in the early 1900s after becoming martyred for the labour movement. She was a pioneer in many senses of the word, and although this book is fiction, I felt that this reimagining really brought her to life and made me curious about her story. She was more than a historical figure; she was also a person with a mother who loved her, a husband she fought for, and a community she was willing to die for. She was poor, uneducated, a working-class farmhand, born into an extremely misogynistic society during an extremely misogynistic era, and yet she resisted.
Another thing that I really liked about this book is its depiction of other women from that era and class. What Juryong faced was not isolated by systemic. The intersection between class, gender, and politics is made clear through emotionally charged scenes of ordinary women struggling to make it through the months when quite literally everything around them—their husbands, employers, and country's colonisers—threatens their survival in a very real and imminent way. It was inspiring to read about these women banding together, risking life and limb for a greater cause, in spite of being so downtrodden.
Similar reads:
- 'A Woman of Pleasure' by Kiyoko Murata
- 'Flowers of Fire' by Hawon Jung
- 'Delicious Hunger' by Hai Fan
Read
January 31, 2026Kang Juryoung deserved better
better editing, better writing, and perhaps a better translation
better editing, better writing, and perhaps a better translation
March 2, 2026
The strength of this book is definitely character writing and development, as the main character Juryong carries the story on her back.
It was very educative to learn more about unions and protests in Korea during the Japanese occupation as well as the role and pressure that women were subjected to at that time. It never felt like a book that was teaching us something but it was more intended to walk us though Juryong life and her struggles.
Ever arc of this book felt needed and necessary to lead Juryong to where she has to go and what she needs to accomplish. Despite being only 200 pages, it is very thorough with every step of Juryong’s life and everything she learned from each step of the way.
Despite having interesting side characters, their story felt very second to Juryong’s and it was some very good writing from the author to have her main character completely carry the whole book by herself.
I would have loved to spend a few more pages just reading everything Juryong is able to accomplish by learning through her experiences and meetings.
It was very educative to learn more about unions and protests in Korea during the Japanese occupation as well as the role and pressure that women were subjected to at that time. It never felt like a book that was teaching us something but it was more intended to walk us though Juryong life and her struggles.
Ever arc of this book felt needed and necessary to lead Juryong to where she has to go and what she needs to accomplish. Despite being only 200 pages, it is very thorough with every step of Juryong’s life and everything she learned from each step of the way.
Despite having interesting side characters, their story felt very second to Juryong’s and it was some very good writing from the author to have her main character completely carry the whole book by herself.
I would have loved to spend a few more pages just reading everything Juryong is able to accomplish by learning through her experiences and meetings.
January 26, 2026
The story follows the life of the protagonist Kang Juryong and deals with themes like sexism, gender-based violence, national liberation movements, and workers rights struggles, against the backdrop of a Japan-occupied Korea and Manchuria in the early 20th century.
I enjoyed the story and felt emotionally invested in the windy road that Juryong's life takes her down.
One thing that made me struggle with the translation quite a bit was that many words were left in the original Korean, without any explanation.
I studied a bit of Korean in uni so the honorifics people use to address each other, and a few of the other words were familiar to me. But there were still many names of clothes, rooms in the house, professions of people etc that I would have loved to have a short explanation for.
Sometimes certain words are very specific and can not be translated, so I'm not against leaving them in the original Korean, I just wish there had been a list of those words with explanations somewhere.
I read the ebook, so if there was a list of words that was more easily accessible in the print version, I wouldn't know it.
I enjoyed the story and felt emotionally invested in the windy road that Juryong's life takes her down.
One thing that made me struggle with the translation quite a bit was that many words were left in the original Korean, without any explanation.
I studied a bit of Korean in uni so the honorifics people use to address each other, and a few of the other words were familiar to me. But there were still many names of clothes, rooms in the house, professions of people etc that I would have loved to have a short explanation for.
Sometimes certain words are very specific and can not be translated, so I'm not against leaving them in the original Korean, I just wish there had been a list of those words with explanations somewhere.
I read the ebook, so if there was a list of words that was more easily accessible in the print version, I wouldn't know it.
January 21, 2026
the title is better than the book
February 12, 2026
Bad ass bitch who cries a lot but you can never say she doesn’t get stuff done
January 22, 2026
Kiinnostava historiallinen biofiktio korealaisesta nuoresta leskestä, joka erilaisten vastaliikkeiden ja aviomiehen kuoleman jälkeen päätyy Pjongjangiin tehdastyöntekijäksi, ja hieman myöhemmin koko työväen ammattiyhdistystaistelun suureksi esikuvaksi.
Seolyeon seuraa taiten mitä ilmeisemmin historiallisiin faktoihin perustuvaa tietä, jonka kumitehtaan työntekijä Kang Ju-ryong kulkee matkallaan työläisten oikeuksien taistelijaksi. En tiedä katoavatko jotkin (ajalliset) siirtymät käännökseen vai kaunokirjallisen muodon ulottumattomiin, mutta lukukokemusta häiritsee paikoin hieman ajallisten etäisyyksien hahmottamisvaikeudet – sekä osin myös hahmojen ohuus. Toisaalta teos on nopealukuinen, feministis-viihteellinenkin sukellus Japanin vallan aikaiseen Koreaan melko visuaalisessa, jopa elokuvamaisessa muodossa – tämä olisi hyvinkin suuri merkkiteos valkokankaalle päästessään.
Seolyeon seuraa taiten mitä ilmeisemmin historiallisiin faktoihin perustuvaa tietä, jonka kumitehtaan työntekijä Kang Ju-ryong kulkee matkallaan työläisten oikeuksien taistelijaksi. En tiedä katoavatko jotkin (ajalliset) siirtymät käännökseen vai kaunokirjallisen muodon ulottumattomiin, mutta lukukokemusta häiritsee paikoin hieman ajallisten etäisyyksien hahmottamisvaikeudet – sekä osin myös hahmojen ohuus. Toisaalta teos on nopealukuinen, feministis-viihteellinenkin sukellus Japanin vallan aikaiseen Koreaan melko visuaalisessa, jopa elokuvamaisessa muodossa – tämä olisi hyvinkin suuri merkkiteos valkokankaalle päästessään.
July 5, 2026
3.5
“Juryong is determined never to judge anyone for the life they’d lived. Education did not always make someone a better person, and a lack of it didn’t mean someone was bad, either. And she didn’t want to be judged in that way herself.”
This was such an eye-opening story, a fictionalized account of an amazing woman I’d never heard of before. This is the kind of historical fiction that makes you want to research the real events and find out more about what actually happened. This particular book is about a woman refusing to back down even in the harshest of circumstances, working to secure the rights of the working class, women in particular.
NOTE: I was really disappointed with the many typos (even with character names!) and clunky, oddly-phrased sentences. I’m not sure if this was an editing thing or a translation thing. I’m leaning toward editing, because I’ve read other works from this author and translator pair that didn’t have these issues. Either way, I didn’t want to include this in the star rating since it isn’t the author’s fault the post-production wasn’t executed well. Note this before reading it though!
“Juryong is determined never to judge anyone for the life they’d lived. Education did not always make someone a better person, and a lack of it didn’t mean someone was bad, either. And she didn’t want to be judged in that way herself.”
This was such an eye-opening story, a fictionalized account of an amazing woman I’d never heard of before. This is the kind of historical fiction that makes you want to research the real events and find out more about what actually happened. This particular book is about a woman refusing to back down even in the harshest of circumstances, working to secure the rights of the working class, women in particular.
NOTE: I was really disappointed with the many typos (even with character names!) and clunky, oddly-phrased sentences. I’m not sure if this was an editing thing or a translation thing. I’m leaning toward editing, because I’ve read other works from this author and translator pair that didn’t have these issues. Either way, I didn’t want to include this in the star rating since it isn’t the author’s fault the post-production wasn’t executed well. Note this before reading it though!
June 16, 2026
it's the state of my own country that makes me want to jump up and down and hit the wall. someone could be as radical as kang juryong and still the president won't hear us. now what? now what? we're isolated. i thought reading this book for the second time would inspire me but now i'm going down a spiral. there is no place for us indonesians. there is no place for us indonesian women.
November 10, 2025
if those who do not work must starve then capitalists must starve
May 10, 2026
Incroyable roman biographique sur Kang Juryong et son parcours de jeune fille qui n'a été élevée que dans l'optique de "s'occuper de ses parents et de son mari" à militante pour la libération de la Corée puis militante ouvrière à Pyongyang.
Texte magnifique et centré sur le ressenti et les pensées de l'héroïne qui permet de témoigner de son évolution.
Texte magnifique et centré sur le ressenti et les pensées de l'héroïne qui permet de témoigner de son évolution.
May 8, 2026
captivating fictionalized biography of the fascinating life of 1930s labor activist Kang Juryong. beautiful korean translation that will leave you in tears!
February 22, 2026
3.75/5
Kang Juryoung, you will always be remembered.
Kang Juryoung, you will always be remembered.
February 21, 2026
translated fictionalization of the life of kang juryong, a farmhand daughter who became factory worker and then a labor union activist during the japanese colonization of korea. very glad I picked this up despite the back cover description being a bit pithy. absolutely ripped
February 15, 2026
3.5☆. I like the premises but I don't feel the punch of it. I like the ending, even tho a bit sad.
November 16, 2025
"We have done nothing wrong, and the factory owner here has no clout. ... The police were deployed to intimidate us, but they have no excuse to arrest us, that's what."
Kang Juryong! Aku mencintai kisahmu ini!
Benar sosok dia mengingatkan saya pada Marsinah Indonesia.
Kalau kalian ada budget beli buku, kalian harus beli ini.
May 14, 2026
Translated texts can be difficult to embody core messaging.
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September 6, 2026an interesting narrative looking at the life of a seemingly ordinary woman and her development into someone more extraordinary. I wish I had actually read the back of the book and realized it was based on a real person before reading it LOL. I do wish it was paced a little differently because it felt like her character development was relatively backloaded.
I also wish I could have read it in Korean because there are some blatant grammatical errors in the translation that make me wonder what else was messed up or lost in the prose. crazy to me that this translator has won awards when he's writing grammatically incorrect sentences that read like they were translated literally instead of accounting for the differences in sentence structure/construction between English and korean and adding the implied pronouns, possessives, etc.
I also wish I could have read it in Korean because there are some blatant grammatical errors in the translation that make me wonder what else was messed up or lost in the prose. crazy to me that this translator has won awards when he's writing grammatically incorrect sentences that read like they were translated literally instead of accounting for the differences in sentence structure/construction between English and korean and adding the implied pronouns, possessives, etc.
August 3, 2026
First act was lowkey boring af...second act was much more interesting although I felt like it was poorly connected to the first. Unfortunately, the translation is poorly done. Grammatical mistakes are visible throughout and much of the book could've been rewritten in a manner that is more poetic and clear. The writing isn't dense, but it feels like the word order and other syntax was translated into English word-for-word rather than trying to translate the beauty of the original writing into a way where anglophone readers could also appreciate the story.
2.75/5
2.75/5
January 18, 2026
Factory owners capitulate!
Victory through worker’s unity!
If those who do not work must starve
Then capitalists must starve!
Banger book, that is all
Victory through worker’s unity!
If those who do not work must starve
Then capitalists must starve!
Banger book, that is all
June 12, 2026
3⭐️
read: june 9-12, 2026
kang juryong was a rubber factory worker in japan-occupied korea in the 1930s. in may 1931, she conducted a solo protest against the factory after it aimed to cut women's pay by 20-25%. she did it atop the ulmil pavilion, which was on a scenic park and consequently garnered public attention. this is an incredibly impressive historical event for women and for colonial korea. the novel capitalists must starve tries to fill in the gaps of what little is known about kang juryong, which is definitely a feat in itself. however, it fails to live up to the power of its central figure. it infuses the story with a lot of humor and makes kang juryong a comedic, witty, not-like-other-girls type of character. perhaps it is too simplistic in the way it tries to convey its main character. the banter is funny, but it also feels like it was written to be adapted into a kdrama instead of being a serious literary work about inequality, women's rights, gender violence, and the capitalist imperialism of japan at the time. i'm not saying a story can't be both, but this feels too juvenile, to the point that even the dialogue sounds like it came from a pamphlet. somebody should just make a wikipedia page about kang juryong because there is so little in this novel that i would be happy to simply read that instead. the times that i did like this book were the moments of her interactions with other women. the stories of other women, like ginseng, really added a lot to the second half because they humanize the people behind the movement beyond just kang. i wish the novel had explored more of this instead of constantly trying to inject humor into the story. this is definitely an important story to tell, but i just don't think it was told well. i will definitely try to seek out more stories about colonial korea because i think there is a lot to learn from this time and place.
read: june 9-12, 2026
kang juryong was a rubber factory worker in japan-occupied korea in the 1930s. in may 1931, she conducted a solo protest against the factory after it aimed to cut women's pay by 20-25%. she did it atop the ulmil pavilion, which was on a scenic park and consequently garnered public attention. this is an incredibly impressive historical event for women and for colonial korea. the novel capitalists must starve tries to fill in the gaps of what little is known about kang juryong, which is definitely a feat in itself. however, it fails to live up to the power of its central figure. it infuses the story with a lot of humor and makes kang juryong a comedic, witty, not-like-other-girls type of character. perhaps it is too simplistic in the way it tries to convey its main character. the banter is funny, but it also feels like it was written to be adapted into a kdrama instead of being a serious literary work about inequality, women's rights, gender violence, and the capitalist imperialism of japan at the time. i'm not saying a story can't be both, but this feels too juvenile, to the point that even the dialogue sounds like it came from a pamphlet. somebody should just make a wikipedia page about kang juryong because there is so little in this novel that i would be happy to simply read that instead. the times that i did like this book were the moments of her interactions with other women. the stories of other women, like ginseng, really added a lot to the second half because they humanize the people behind the movement beyond just kang. i wish the novel had explored more of this instead of constantly trying to inject humor into the story. this is definitely an important story to tell, but i just don't think it was told well. i will definitely try to seek out more stories about colonial korea because i think there is a lot to learn from this time and place.
September 15, 2026
Didn’t quite do it for me but I can’t put my finger on it. Follows our protagonist from getting married to fighting as a guerrilla to becoming a union organiser and then holding a speech from a pavilion roof
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
wanted to like this a lot more than i did.. it felt a little disjointed and had some long slow bits. terrific book to tote around though what a title
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