This was a wonderful novel! The characters all had compelling stories that intertwine as the novel goes on. An amazing exploration of identity and self- I highly recommend it!

“There are people who plan for the future, and there are people who plan for the present,” he recalls Dr. Ryu telling him. “Those who plan for the future rely on assumptions. They expect that there will be a tomorrow, a kind of tomorrow that fits into their projected narrative. It’s why the powerful are obsessed with planning for the future. Only power can guarantee things. For us, however, we must plan in the present. We’re not so lucky with our resources. We have to assume that we’ll have nothing in the future.”

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to gain early access to this novel!

Oxford Soju Club is a soon to be released spy thriller which delves into the lives of three key characters. Each character is facing their own demons and trying to keep their secrets and true identities under wraps, all while trying to be the one who comes out alive.
Jinwoo Park’s use of varying timelines when telling the characters’ stories was often clever as it kept me guessing, however, there were times where the jumping of timelines came across as confusing.

Overall, this story possessed in-depth character development and several exciting, and often heartbreaking, twists and turns.

Book Review: Soju Club by Jinwoo Park

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
(I received a free digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.)

Jinwoo Park’s Soju Club is a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish—well, almost. This is exactly the kind of book I love: sharp writing, a gripping plot, and characters who feel real. It’s got everything—spies, secrets, shifting alliances, and a deeper story about identity and belonging.

What Works

The setup is fantastic. Yohan, a North Korean operative, is trying to uncover the truth about his mentor’s death. Yunah, a Korean American CIA agent, is desperate to save her failing investigation. And Jihoon, the owner of Oxford’s only Korean restaurant, just wants a fresh start. Their lives collide in a way that feels completely natural yet impossible to predict.

Park keeps the tension high while giving the characters emotional depth. This isn’t just a spy novel—it’s a story about people trying to find their place in the world. That balance between action and character is what makes this such a standout read.

I have no doubt Soju Club is going to be made into a movie. It’s too cinematic not to be. I can already picture the tense conversations, the double-crosses, the atmospheric shots of Oxford’s streets. I’d love to see how a director brings this to life, but until then, the book itself delivers everything I want in a thriller.

Where It Falls Short

For the first 75% of the book, the pacing is razor-sharp. The stakes keep escalating, the character dynamics stay fresh, and the twists come at just the right moments. But in the final stretch, the energy shifts. Instead of the tightly controlled tension that made the earlier chapters so engaging, the plot starts to drag, weighed down by drawn-out resolutions and a sense that the story is circling rather than driving forward.

It’s not that the ending is bad—Park knows how to wrap up a narrative—but compared to the electric buildup, the conclusion lacks that same urgency. The last act feels like it’s moving through the motions, ensuring every plot thread is neatly tied rather than delivering the same heart-pounding suspense that made the first three-quarters so gripping.

That said, the novel still stands out as one of the strongest spy thrillers I’ve read in a while. The depth of the characters, the layered storytelling, and the overall execution make Soju Club absolutely worth reading. Park is a writer to watch, and I’ll be eager to see what he does next.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The most intriguing of stories is woven by Jinwoo Park and I couldn't put it down! It was masterful seeing how all the different components were operating on their own and then seeing how it all came together at the end was like watching a conductor close out the ending notes of his symphony. I stayed up until 2Am finishing this because I couldn't put it down. A definite must read for anyone who has lived with a mask (that is to say, EVERYONE)!

This was a very interesting read.

Set during 2012 in Oxford, I was immediately intrigued because being Korean myself and Oxford being one of my favorite places in the whole world, it seemed right up my alley.

I was not expecting it to be sympathizing more with the North Korean spies, and almost villainizing the South Korean character in a way. However, I think that’s what makes this story particularly unique. It challenges you to think outside the box and stretches your mind to realize that not all things are black and white. There are lots of grey areas when it comes to these topics.

The writing felt a bit disjointed at times and I did find myself getting lost several times because of this. And for that reason, I’m giving it a 3.5 star rating.

But overall, a solid read and looking forward to seeing more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reading this book feels like watching a fast paced Korean action movie. Its about political intrigue and the cat and mouse chase between operatives as well as the classic standoffs between North Korea, South Korea and America (they are always in the center of everything) but its main themes revolves around the sense of belonging as well as identity especially those who's ethnicity and nationality are considered two polar opposites; where do they belong? What part of their self determines their identity? Is it their blood? Their culture? or Their nationality in their passport?
I like how this book tackles such issues through the perspectives of the characters in this book.

A great debut novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for giving me an arc of this book <3.

Oxford Soju Club is a whodunnit spy story that also pushes themes of Korean diaspora to the forefront.

This book is multiple point of view and multiple time lines that jump from one to another within each chapter. I felt that the execution was often confusing. There's a lot of names for a shorter story.

I was a fan of the ending though. It was very heartfelt and really pushed the themes forward that I believe Park was trying to get across.

Oxford Soju Club is everything you could ever want in a spy novel, while also managing to make you question your place in society and break your heart a little (in the best way possible).

The subtle, quiet tension throughout really highlights the storytelling as you start to feel for the characters, and then you're rewarded with action points that carry the story forward really well. Reading this just felt smooth, and I really loved the writing style and prose utilized here.

I am always someone who appreciates the characters most, and I was not disappointed here. The plot is intriguing enough on its own, and then is perfected with characters that are well-rounded, interesting people who make you want to root for them and keep you turning the page to see what happens with them next. Jinwoo Park makes you think while you read, and this book has some really great commentary on what it means to be "real" and "true" in your culture and society. The spy/action aspect really pairs well with the serious, introspective discourse on culture and the individual.

All-in-all, just an absolute vibe.

P.S. - the Golden Compass mentions hit me in the nostalgia every single time.

I am incredibly honored to have received an ARC of this book. Thank you to Jinwoo Park, Dundurn Press, and NetGalley for this pre-release copy.

Sooo ... the timeline and perspectives? Confused me a lil 😵 Like, I couldn’t figure out who 👥 was who, what was happening, ⏳ But once I hit chapter 3, things started to click a bit more. It was like my brain 🧠 finally caught up. 😂

Even though I was confused half the time, the story itself is really interesting! 🤔✨ I was still super curious about what would happen next. Honestly, this is one of those books you need to read more than once to piece 🧩 everything together. 🔄📚 It’s like each time you read it, a new layer of the story unfolds.

One of the biggest themes is definitely identity, specifically as a Korean. 🇰🇷 I’d describe this as a “casual mystery,” which sounds weird🥴, I know. 😅 But there are deaths☠️ and killings🔪 (multiple), but it’s not that action-packed🔫, edge-of-your-seat type of mystery. It’s more like a slow-burn🔥.

The book is so different from what I usually read, and that’s probably why I just wanted to keep reading. It’s confusing, but in a way that makes you want to figure it out. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks Netgalley and the author for the ARC 💮🌟🐇

This book was an excellent exploration of identity and self wrapped up in a confusing timeline of murders and espionage. I was not the biggest fan of the writing, as much of the wording was distracting and felt disorganized. While I believe this may have been the point, it did not help me understand the story and I’m afraid I missed a few things during my reading. But, I will give credit, that was the point. Multiple points of view, everything centering on something different, and new players popping up halfway through the book reflect how little each character knew of the situation. This book was very intriguing, the formatting, the characters, and the identities that everyone formed were all unique yet familiar. Each character explored their identity and its connection to their heritage, culture, current, past, and future self. No two were alike and it was an excellent reflection of how people grow and change throughout their lives, and how identity is a confusing, multilayered thing. This book also explores national identity, especially nationalism, as each set of characters “The Americans” or “The Northerners” experience confusion, disbelief, loyalty, and disenchantment as they are pressured by the stereotypes and propaganda that confine them. They are not them, they are someone else. We get a little relief with Jihoon, which is then taken away with his death and further pushes the plot into chaos, and the readers are not the only ones relying on Jihoon for comfort, but so are the other characters. Seeing each side and exploring their backgrounds, what they thought of one another, the propaganda and disinformation, and the relationships they built were all confusing yet beautiful.

I enjoyed reading this, it was quick, fast-paced, and had enlightening twists for me to always keep guessing. For a debut novel, this was a good read.

Oxford Soju Club follows Yohan Kim, a North Korean spy in Oxford, England, and Yunah Choi, an American CIA agent who tries to salvage her investigation on a North Korean spy cell after the assassination of the North Korean spymaster, Doha Kim.

I loved the premise of Oxford Soju Club and the journey Park took us on. The background of the characters was brought to life throughout the novel and I really felt a connection to each and every one. I was drawn into the story straight away and was desperate to know more after it ended.

4.5/5!!

The night I started reading Oxford Soju Club I lost track of time and ended up going to bed close to 1am. Each night after that I had to peel my eyes away from the pages so I didn't stay up too late.

It's a spectacular story about identity, culture, family, living away from and finding home elsewhere.

Especially for people who are part of any diaspora, I think this book will resonate in some way. As part of one myself, it felt somewhat relatable despite not being about my home country.

The plot, which weaves between perspectives and points of view, is fast paced and action packed.

There's a switch to first person that felt abrupt (although it was the start of a chapter), made me go 'OH...' and then pay more attention to that character which I loved.

I wish I could talk about the details of this book with someone but I don't know anyone else who has read it.

If Jinwoo Park ever publishes another novel, I will be picking it up.

I really enjoyed this book! I found the time jumps a little off putting sometimes but overall this book was great. I loved the character development. I also really enjoyed that the cat and mouse game was done with three people and three different POV’s about what it means to be Korean. I do wish this book was longer. I wanted a more in depth story!

"So you're saying I can only be your friend if I reject who I am?"

Oxford Soju Club, set in early 2012 in the aftermath of the death of Kim Jong-il, is both a spy thriller and an exploration of Korean immigrant identity, as the author explains in a foreword:

"On the surface, Oxford Soju Club is about a Korean American CIA agent, a North Korean spy, and a South Korean restaurateur engaged in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game in Oxford. It is a metaphor in one part about the ruthless competition between Korean immigrants that I’ve experienced. But this story is also about the way in which immigrants wear different masks to hide their true identities for survival. Each character represents the different masks I have worn as a Korean immigrant — the one who tries to assimilate, the one who tries to be the model minority, and the one who rejects all of the above and tries to be Korean."

The spy story itself - which opens in media res with the junior of two North Korean agents in Oxford finding his superior bleeding to death in an alley - is rather over-dramatic and not terribly plausible, and really not my literary taste, but the novel fares better in its second guise, particularly the story of pretty much the only character in the novel who actually goes by their real name and isn't suddenly trying to murder the other characters, Jihoon who runs the eponymous restaurant:

"The Soju Club is the only Korean restaurant in the city, and that alone is a draw for many. When he first stepped foot in Oxford, he found it strangely empty, particularly in comparison to Seoul, Busan, or even Sacheon, the seaside town his mother is from. Back in Seoul there would be three fried chicken places, five noraebangs, six Korean barbeque joints, and even two plastic surgery offices, all in one block. From what he saw, Oxford had no buildings higher than three storeys. The transit was inconvenient at best and, on an average day, frustrating enough to induce cancer, as his mother would often say when irritated."

And while the story races forward in the present-day of the novel, and the bodies pile up (rather oddly given that they've all seemingly known of each others existence for some time), we also get flash backs to the past of the various characters involved - a Korean-American who works for the CIA, two North Korean spies, and Jihoon himself:

"The day before the exam, Jihoon comes home from a long day of practice tests. He feels ready. When he arrives his mother has a small table out with a soju bottle and two small glasses. He sits right across from her, setting his bag down next to him He has never had a drink in his life. He has heard of his more carefree classmates going out to bars that secretly serve under-age drinkers. The convenience store he works at stocks various brands. The most famous one, Chamiseul, the green bottle with the toad logo in the upper corner, is the one in front of Jihoon."

The novel, to its credit, focuses sympathetically on the North Korean spies (a South Korean agent, who is the only one unknown to everyone else, is, if anything the villain of the piece), although it's perhaps a bit disappointing in that regard that they are all disillusioned with the regime - a character loyal to the Dear Leader would have made for an interesting perspective.

More interesting as a character study and exploration of the Korean dispora than a spy thriller - 2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park is a multifaceted debut novel. On the surface, it is a relatively quick and easy read, but upon delving deeper, it explores themes of identity and the complexities of the Korean diaspora. Set in Oxford, the novel follows three spies—North Korean, South Korean, and American—who find themselves tangled in a world of deception. As these characters navigate their personal and professional lives, the novel invites readers into a realm of shifting allegiances, conflicting loyalties, and cultural exploration.

I enjoyed the layers of character development. The novel delves into the deep internal struggles of its characters, each of whom must balance their national identities with their personal sense of belonging. These themes are skillfully woven throughout the book.

Personally, I found Oxford Soju Club especially engaging because, as someone of Asian descent, I could deeply relate to the complexities of identity that the characters experience. The novel’s exploration of cultural struggles and the constant tension between different aspects of identity resonated with my own life. I’ve often found myself grappling with these same feelings of belonging, which made the characters' journeys feel particularly personal. What made this even more compelling for me is that I live and work in Oxford, where the story is set. The setting added an extra layer of connection—I could vividly picture the iconic locations, making the narrative feel all the more real and relatable.

In summary, Oxford Soju Club is a thought-provoking debut novel that showcases Jinwoo Park's talent as a writer. The book’s ability to tackle serious themes within the framework of an espionage narrative made it a worthwhile read.

Set in Oxford, we meet three different characters, all spies, whose stories are all interlinked. A North Korean, a South Korean and a Korean American.

When Doha, a spy master is killed, his partner must find out who did it and why. Theres new leadership and a feeling that they’re being picked off one by one 👀

There’s one thing bringing them all together - the Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in Oxford.

Cue a cat and mouse game between them all for their identities to not be revealed and to win the race to survive. Who will be exposed, what secrets will be uncovered and who will live to tell the tale?

There’s also a thought provoking underlying message from the author around what it is to be Korean and the challenges faced to establish an identity which runs throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this, a quick read with a few twists and turns along the way. Pretty good for a debut novel!

Thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.