KCCUK Hosts ‘Minbak’ Book Launch with Ela Lee in London

The Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) hosted ‘Evening with Ela Lee: Celebrating the Publication of Minbak’ on Wednesday, 4 March, introducing the novel to UK readers and members of the literary community.

Ela Lee, a British author of Korean and Turkish heritage, made her literary debut in 2024 with her first novel Jaded, which drew critical attention for its exploration of consent, race and identity. She has since developed a distinctive body of work centred on themes of generational memory, migration and belonging. Her latest novel, Minbak, marks a further evolution of this literary voice.

Set between Incheon in 1985 and London in 2008, Minbak traces the interconnected lives of three generations of women. The narrative begins with the birth of a nameless baby in a traditional Korean guesthouse, before following Hana, who once worked there as a child, and Ada, who, years later, sets out to uncover her mother’s past and long-buried family secrets. Through these interwoven stories, the novel explores memory, family relationships, migration, loss, and resilience, reflecting on how the past continues to shape the present.

The event featured a conversation between the author and her publisher, offering insight into the novel’s themes and creative process, followed by a Q&A session and book signing. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with Lee and discuss the narrative and its wider cultural context.

Through the event, KCCUK aimed to introduce a compelling new voice in contemporary literature to UK audiences while supporting the growing presence of Korean and diasporic storytelling within the English-language literary landscape.