Once comfortably middle class in Korea, John and Helen Koh and their three children, Bo, DH, and Mido, see their lives upended by a betrayal and the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Searching for stability and opportunity, the family leaves Seoul for Sydney before eventually settling in Southern California.

As the Koh family adapts to life across three countries, parents and children confront questions of ambition, sacrifice, belonging, and the belief that education can provide the next generation with security and success. American Hagwon follows the family and the people around them through years of shifting fortunes, relationships, and expectations.

From Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko, this sweeping family saga explores immigration, education, class, family obligation, and the pursuit of a better life.

• Title: American Hagwon
• Author: Min Jin Lee
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 656
• Publisher: Cardinal
• Publication Date: September 29, 2026
• Genre: Literary Fiction / Family Saga / Immigration
• ISBN: 9781538752036