Love in the Big City Paperback – November 15, 2022

I was so glad that I followed a friend’s recommendation on social media to read this book! I’ve been struggling to finish at least three other novels, but I absolutely devoured “Love in the Big City”. Idk how the original version compares to this English translation, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Props to the translator! ❤️ While culturally different from my own experiences, I found a lot of issues and circumstances of the main character and other characters to be so similar to my own. For example, I empathized with the main character as he struggled through relationships and being single…he brought back a lot of memories! Finally, I happened to be visiting Bangkok while reading this novel, and I HAD to run down the street to check out the Park Hyatt and Central Embassy. 😄 Definitely recommend this beautiful work!

Some novels are hard to get your arms around. You understand the words and the dialogue... But wonder what's the point of the story. You wonder if you should put it down, but you don't.And then suddenly it clicks and you find yourself getting into the groove of the story... and you're glad you didn't quit.Such is this story of a man living in Seoul. You experience the story through his eyes and his life as a gay man. A man trying to find himself and love. The meandering feels like life itself. Ups and downs become the story and I realize I want this character who is flawed, to find love. Meandering life in and out of love. And maybe that's why I liked this strangely simple story... Cause that's who we are all... Human hearts meandering in and out of love. #chellelynnreads

A complicated following of a main character's love life, full of questions and insecurity and self-doubt. A look at cultural norms, parental pressure, and so much more.

I only write in books that really click with me. I wrote so many fun notes all over this book. I'm so grateful for Sang Young Park's words and Anton Hur's wonderful daring translation. I can't imagine what the original hangul for "dickmitized" could've been, but wow I've been there. I've so been there. I love these characters so much. I'm reminded of Cassavetes films where all the characters are struggling to love each other, but it's all about love. the messy chambers in the heart. I loved how the four novellas flow into each other. I'd be so excited to see longer writing and more of this author's work translated into English. The end of the third section really broke me in the best way. That empty page right before part four is OUF. I devoured this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. Make this your next novel especially if you need something to ease you back into reading. It's full of heart and humor. I'm gifting this novel to all my fellow queers.

In a book like this both the author and the translator have different, but important roles. It is my impression that the translation is of an extremely accurate, high quality. Some of the situations and dialogue are relatable. The story works very well. On a different note... the hardback copy I had broke apart when I read it the first time. Pages were falling out like leaves from a tree. I've not had that happen before in a new book.

This book was put on my radar when I started reading a lot about translated literature and found the Twitter account of a translator named Anton Hur. He seems like a wonderful translator, and this is my first translation that I have picked up done by him.This book was told in 4 parts, each focusing on a different relationship/aspect of Young’s life. My favorite parts were the first 3. I was invested in those three but not as much in the final part. Young’s life is messy and not simple and this book explores the complicated parts of his life. I appreciated reading about some topics that I don’t see often in fiction.The setting of the city felt like part of the story as well. It felt like you really got to know many parts of Seoul, as well as some of Thailand when Young took a trip there.I would recommend this novel, especially if you enjoy Korean literature.

*Love in the Big City* by Sang Young Park caught my attention right away with its title. As someone who loves stories set in large urban environments, I was excited to dive into a novel centered around love and city life, especially in a setting as dynamic as Seoul. Although I was unfamiliar with Korean literature, I was hopeful that the book would offer an emotional and insightful exploration of love and relationships.However, the experience of reading the book didn’t live up to my expectations. While the story was intriguing in some places, particularly the dynamics of life in the city, the narrative was difficult to follow due to the lengthy chapters. This made it hard to stay engaged and fully understand the themes of love, identity, and modern relationships that the book aimed to explore.The main character's experiences, though interesting, were not something I could relate to, though I could see how they might resonate with others. Unfortunately, the book became a bit of a slog for me, especially as the emotional weight and pacing felt exhausting. By the time I reached the last section, I found myself skimming, drained from the long-winded progression through the first three parts.Ultimately, while the premise and setting were appealing, *Love in the Big City* didn’t deliver the emotional connection or city-life vibrancy I was hoping for. I wanted more from the story, but the structure and pacing made it a struggle to fully engage. If you enjoy reflective and drawn-out narratives, this may still be a book for you, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

Love the story.

What a gem of a findLoved this story.