Minbak

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Minbak (n.) a lodging in a private home

Three generations of women living together in one room with a lifetime of secrets between them.

London, 2008: When her husband dies unexpectedly, Hana is left with a pile of debt and no way to pay it off. With her teenage daughter Ada and her declining mother Yuna relying on her, she has no choice but to move her family into one room, opening up the rest of their home to paying guests as a minbak.

Korea, 1985. Hana was in the same place; running a minbak with her mother and making some life-altering mistakes. Living with Yuna again brings back long-archived secrets for Hana, and, eventually, the truth of what happened over twenty years ago comes erupting to the surface. Eventually, the three women are forced to confront how little they know about each other, and whether it will bring them closer or break them apart.

‘Ela Lee is a remarkable new voice in fiction' Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Household

© Ela Lee 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026