via The Korea Herald
The literary world has been waiting, and the wait is almost over.
Cardinal (an imprint of Grand Central Publishing) is thrilled to announce that National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Min Jin Lee will release her long-awaited new novel, American Hagwon, on September 29th, 2026.
Following the global success of Pachinko—recently named one of the "100 Best Books of the Century"—Lee returns with a panoramic contemporary epic. American Hagwon is the third installment in her planned quartet exploring Korea and the Korean diaspora, joining the beloved Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko.
What is a "Hagwon"?
For those unfamiliar with the term, "Hagwons" are for-profit tutoring centers or "cram schools" where students of all ages receive instruction in everything from English and math to music and cooking.
Why This Story Matters
Min Jin Lee spent nearly a decade crafting this narrative to answer a fundamental question: Why is education so central to the Korean identity?
"I wanted to understand why education is so important to Koreans everywhere," Lee says. "After I wrote it, I realized that I wanted to know how to live a wise life in a world that was changing too fast."
Reagan Arthur, Publisher of Cardinal, describes the book as a "page-turning contemporary saga" where one family's fight for survival becomes a universal story of how we flourish when the odds are against us.
Publication Details
Release Date: September 29th, 2026
Formats: Hardcover, e-book, and audio
Global Reach: Published simultaneously in the UK and British Commonwealth by 4th Estate (HarperCollins).
Stay tuned for the exclusive cover reveal! Pre-orders are available now at your favorite bookstore.
