Korean Literature discussion

Annyeonghaseyo! This month we will talk about To the Warm Horizon by Jin-Young Choi, translated by Soje.

I see that some of our group members have already read this one, many other have it on their TBRs. And judging from the star ratings you gave it, I think we are up for quite a discussion this month :)

I appreciated this one - and have recommended to others - but it didn't particularly grab me although I'd struggle to articulate why. It is noticeable for a the lack of world-building, but then normally I prefer that.

The translation was interesting - the attempt to render a Korean person speaking English, in English:

Jina did not put up her guard with me.
—You’re from Korea, right?
I, on the other hand, did not let my guard down. Jina scratched her cheek, looking at me as I said nothing in response.
—A-im peurom Koria.(*)
Out of the blue, she spoke English.

I would imagine the original Korean was 아임 프롬 코리아 ie English rendered into Konglish

The novel is clearly and explicitly inspired by The Road by Cormac McCarthy but rather more unusually by Christophe Bataille’s Annam. That's not a book I'd ever heard of and wonder if it is more popular in Korea. Has anyone else read it?

Haven't read that book Paul.
I was a bit disappointed with this one as well. The cover is truly beautiful but as mentioned the story is rather all too familiar dystopia stuff, not differentiated by any strong world building or very memorable characters.
Gave it two stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Hard to argue with that.

I may have had too high expectations of this book, even after reading the reviews. Am I correct in thinking that the main idea here was to add classic post-apo to a young adult-style teen drama?

Or is the YA stuff not there at all and I am seeing it because the characters talk with so much pathos and act seemingly randomly?