{"book":{"book":"American Hagwon","author":"Min Jin Lee","publicationYear":2026,"description":"American Hagwon follows John and Helen Koh, a middle-class couple originally living in South Korea. When an unexpected financial crisis strikes, they relocate from Seoul to Southern California and must confront a harsh new economic reality. In America, they struggle to secure a promising future for their children and find their footing within the American Dream. The narrative examines the pervasive culture of hagwons, the Korean term for after-school academic learning centers. Author Min Jin Lee reflects on the profound personal impact of crafting this story, explaining how writing the novel deeply 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"}}