This ‘possession,’ or whatever it is, also seems to have removed her inhibitions, as she knows things she is not supposed to know and she is unafraid to speak her mind, directly and to other family members. But Jiyoung has started behaving ‘abnormally,’ talking like a much older or younger woman at different times, using the mannerisms and ways of speaking of both her mother, Oh Misook, and an old college friend who has recently died called Cha Seungyeon. She is married with a daughter and is living a fairly standard life. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (translated by Jamie Chang) begins when Jiyoung is 33. When presented with such a frank accounting of the petty inequalities and ongoing frustrations that prevail in the lives of girls and women, maybe we will also have had enough and torch the whole thing and dance in the light of the flames together. Now, all I can hope is that in future years, when the grandchildren of those of us born around the same time as Kim Jiyoung ask what finally made us burn down the patriarchy, we will be able to point to this book.

This Kim Jiyoung Born 1982 review is a little late as I started reading Cho Nam-Joo’s novel as part of 20 Books of Summer ’21! When I picked it up, I didn’t know too much about it, despite its bestselling status.

Kim jiyoung born 1982 cover