Park Jinwoo
Dundurn Press
30 September 2025
224
eBook - PDF
Contemporary Fiction/Thriller
ARC via NetGalley
The natural enemy of a Korean is another Korean.
When North Korean spymaster Doha Kim is mysteriously killed in Oxford, his protege, Yohan Kim, chases the only breadcrumb given to him in Doha’s last breath: “Soju Club, Dr. Ryu.” In the meantime, a Korean American CIA agent , Yunah Choi, races to salvage her investigation of the North Korean spy cell in the aftermath of the assassination. At the centre of it all is the Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in Oxford, owned by Jihoon Lim, an immigrant from Seoul in search of a new life after suffering a tragedy. As different factions move in with their own agendas, their fates become entangled, resulting in a bitter struggle that will determine whose truth will triumph.
Oxford Soju Club weaves a tale of how immigrants in the Korean diaspora are forced to create identities to survive, and how in the end, they must shed those masks and seek their true selves.
The Oxford Soju Club was a quick but intriguing read. It combined a classic three-way espionage tale with a study of identity, in particular self-identity. Although we didn't get to spend long with them, the characters were all well written and distinctive. The action jumped between present and past but was always clear to follow, and the ending was satisfying. Overall, this was a fun tale that also included some deeper themes, and I am giving it 4.5 stars. This is a short review, but I am wary of saying too much in this case to avoid any spoilers. If you like thrillers and contemporary fiction, this book offers a story that blends the two genres.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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