{"book":{"book":"American Hagwon","author":"Min Jin Lee","publicationYear":2026,"description":"This novel follows John and Helen Koh, a middle-class couple living in South Korea. When a financial crisis strikes, they make the decision to leave Seoul and relocate to Southern California. Once in the United States, they are forced to confront a challenging new financial reality. The couple continually struggles to find a place for their children among the promises of the American Dream. The narrative deeply explores the culture surrounding hagwons, the Korean term for private after-school learning centers. Author Min Jin Lee notes that the intense experience of writing this book profoundly transformed her.","image":"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2160x2160+0+0/resize/3000/quality/66/format/jpg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb9%2F3d%2F028624ed49d288d106a52c0f4d3a%2Fb4c475b3-b9a4-4d2b-a6aa-d07e59c2d978.jpg","date":"2026-10-05"}}