Minbak

Editor’s Pick: Minbak by Ela Lee is out now, published March 5, 2026.

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Minbak
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Minbak Release Date: March 5, 2026

Published

Editor’s Pick

‘Had me utterly engrossed. An incredible story of love, conflict and heartbreak.’ Rosie Price

‘A poignant and precise novel by a writer of great skill’ Nicola Dinan

Incheon, 1985. A nameless baby is born in a minbak in South Korea and vanishes nine days later.

London, 2008. When tragedy strikes, Hana faces ruin. She is forced to move her family – her teenage daughter Ada and ailing mother Youngja – into a single room with her, converting the rest of their home into a minbak, in a painful echo of her past life.

In the confined space of their shared room, there is nowhere to hide. As the past collides with the present, all three women are forced to face not only their family’s dark history, but that of an entire country.

Minbak is the story of three generations of women who cross continents and decades to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.

‘Lyrical and devastating Minbak is a flawless meditation on memory, love and misunderstanding.’ Ella King

‘Minbak aches with the unspeakable nature of loss. Deeply moving and graceful, it shines light on a secret slice of Korea’s history, gradually unveiling the secrets that bind – and divide – three generations’ Silvia Park

Reader Anticipation Rating:
[Average Rating: 5]

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Genre: Literary Fiction

Ela Lee

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Book Club Journal: Reading Log For Adults & Kids Who Love Books!
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