Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
A Novel
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4.1 • 197 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
"THE BOOK THAT LAUNCHED THE 4B MOVEMENT" —Arya James, Fourth Wave
Longlisted • National Book Award (Translated Literature)
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year and Editors' Choice Selection
Best Books of 2020 — NPR, TIME, Chicago Public Library
Vulture • Best Books of the Year (So Far)
A global sensation, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 “has become...a touchstone for a conversation around feminism and gender” (Sarah Shin, Guardian).
One of the most notable novels of the year, hailed by both critics and K-pop stars alike, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 follows one woman’s psychic deterioration in the face of rampant misogyny. In a tidy apartment on the outskirts of Seoul, millennial “everywoman” Kim Jiyoung spends her days caring for her infant daughter. But strange symptoms appear: Jiyoung begins to impersonate the voices of other women, dead and alive. As she plunges deeper into this psychosis, her concerned husband sends her to a psychiatrist. Jiyoung narrates her story to this doctor—from her birth to parents who expected a son to elementary school teachers who policed girls’ outfits to male coworkers who installed hidden cameras in women’s restrooms. But can her psychiatrist cure her, or even discover what truly ails her? “A social treatise as well as a work of art” (Alexandra Alter, New York Times), Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 heralds the arrival of international powerhouse Cho Nam-Joo.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In her sledgehammer of a novel, author Cho Nam-joo exposes the misogyny experienced by women in South Korea—and she’s got receipts. With unflinching precision, her story follows the life of a seemingly ordinary South Korean woman from childhood to motherhood, highlighting unjust and, at times, terrifying events that are disturbingly commonplace. Jiyoung is groped by male teachers, harassed on the street (and then blamed for it by her father), and passed over by managers who promote her lower-performing male counterparts. The barrage never ends and it’s no wonder Jiyoung seems to be descending into psychosis. Cho Nam-joo weaves statistics and historical facts (complete with citations) into her narrative, making the reality behind the sexism that’s driving Jiyoung insane impossible to ignore. The result is an eye-opening, cathartic, and unavoidably infuriating read, whether Jiyoung’s story validates your own experiences or opens your eyes to someone else’s reality.
Customer Reviews
Hard to follow style
I thought I was reading a book. The statistics that kept getting thrown in was really distracting. It would seem hiring a woman who had kids in middle school would be best for the current company lifestyle. They can get themselves to hagwon on their own and come home after 10 anyway. Why is no one blaming the Korean transit authority for not having enough seats, instead it’s blaming other passengers. Absolutely right on hiring more people would solve the problem of excess working hours. In the end this is just a grumpy person. The hero was her own mom and gram. Gram shouldered the providing for the family and mom shouldered the financial decisions that made them send kids to school and prosper. Her mom and gram worked.