Hwang Jungeun’s One Hundred Shadows presents a haunting exploration of urban marginalization and human connection, set against the backdrop of Seoul's disappearing electronics market. Through the lens of magical realism, the novel delves into the lives of Eungyo and Mujae, two repair-shop assistants whose tentative relationship unfolds amidst the looming threat of redevelopment and the enigmatic phenomenon of rising shadows.

The narrative is anchored in a slum electronics market in central Seoul, an area earmarked for demolition in a city better known for its gleaming skyscrapers. This setting serves as a microcosm of the broader societal shifts, highlighting the tension between progress and the erasure of communities. Hwang's spare prose, illuminated by arresting images and moments of lyricism, crafts a deeply affecting atmosphere that blurs the lines between reality and the surreal.


Eungyo and Mujae, both having dropped out of formal education, find solace in their shared experiences and growing companionship. Their relationship, marked by quiet intimacy and mutual understanding, offers a counterpoint to the instability surrounding them. Hwang portrays their bond with subtlety, emphasizing emotional restraint over overt declarations, thus reflecting the complexities of human connection amidst adversity.


Central to the novel is the phenomenon of "rising shadows," where individuals' shadows detach and move independently, often leading to ominous outcomes. This element of fantasy serves as a metaphor for the characters' psychological states, societal pressures, and the pervasive sense of displacement. The ambiguity surrounding the shadows invites varied interpretations, enriching the narrative's depth.



Beyond its narrative, One Hundred Shadows offers incisive social criticism. Hwang eschews traditional realism, instead employing a blend of fantasy and reality to critique the superficiality of modern society and the marginalization of the working class. The novel's focus on the lives of those affected by redevelopment underscores the human cost of urban progress.

One Hundred Shadows stands as a poignant meditation on the intersections of personal and societal upheaval. Through its understated prose and rich symbolism, the novel captures the fragility of human connections in the face of relentless change. Hwang Jungeun's work invites readers to reflect on the unseen forces that shape our lives and the quiet resilience found in shared humanity.

This was an interesting story, albeit slow and a bit disjointed at times. I was definitely creeped out at times.

I ultimately DNFed the book, as I could not fully get into the story, which was unfortunate because I was really looking forward to this one.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy!

Magical realism when done adjacent to social boundaries can provide a great commentary about people existing within these peripherals, where being bound and free is juxtaposed to their identity. While the novel explores fundamental nature of belonging - to person, to society, to world, it narrows the narration down to self, where belonging to self and being alien to one's own positioning in society is often at conflict.

There is something for everyone here and perhaps that's what makes this book a good read.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Very dreamy and strange, like waking up from a nap you hadn't intended to take and not remembering whether your life or the dream was more real.

This ended up not being the right genre for me. I thought that the plot was theoretically fascinating, but I DNF and will not be rating it as I did not complete it. Thanks very much for the ARC.. (Added: apparently, I need to rate this book in order to send my review, so I will somewhat randomly do so--however, my rating does not reflect the quality of the writing, simply the fact that this novel was not for me.)

Please note there is a spoiler about the ending in this review.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is a story that was inspired by the 2009 Yongsan Disaster. It is filled with magical realism that I found very fascinating.

Even though I was approved to review the ebook, I had to switch over to audiobook. The lack of punctuation threw me off and was making it hard to read and keep track of the dialogue. It was extremely distracting. Thankfully, the audio was much better. I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator.

The idea that your shadow could lift from you and that you shouldn't follow it was a really awesome concept to me. I was enjoying the book, until the end. It just ends. I needed so much more to this story. I wanted to know what happens next. I was invested in Eungyo and Mujae's relationship and what was happening to them. I'm extremely disappointed and was left feeling wanting.

Stars: 3 out of 5

This was a strangely lyrical novella about love and loss and the sense of not belonging in this world and not fitting into society. In a way, both protagonists are lonely individuals with no friends or family to speak of. They just float through life without making any ripples. Were they to disappear someday, nobody would even notice. It is nice that they found some semblance of kinship in each other.

I wouldn't call this magical realism or anything. It's more a slice-of-life kind of story. Yes, people's shadows "rise" from time to time, but apart from that description, nothing really happens. And those shadows are more of a metaphor for loneliness and absence of hope than anything else.

My biggest complaint is that the dialogues aren't well formatted, so half the time I got confused as to what was just description and what was an actual line of dialogue, or who was speaking. I don't know if this was a formatting issue or of that's how dialogues are written in the original Korean version, but they should have translated this into the English formatting.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is an exploration of the lives of Mujae and Eungyo, set against a backdrop of the struggles faced by the working class in a capitalist society. Readers are taken on an emotional journey that highlights the complexities of love intertwined with the harsh realities of life. Hwang's writing style is undeniably poetic, reminiscent of Han Kang, and distinctly Korean. The blend of realism with fantastical elements creates this narrative where feelings and thoughts take on a life of their own as shadows. The subtlety embedded invites various interpretations, allowing readers to find their own meanings hidden.The story itself is a reflection of life’s unpredictability and struggles.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is an absolutely stunning novel. The story is quiet yet powerful, following Eunhui, a young woman working in a lighting store, and her complex relationship with a man named Jihyeok. Hwang’s writing is poetic and evocative, pulling you into a world where the lines between light and shadow, memory and forgetting, are beautifully blurred.

What really makes this book shine is its emotional depth. The characters feel real, their lives ordinary but profoundly moving. Through simple yet captivating prose, Hwang explores themes of identity, connection, and the things we hide from others and ourselves. It’s a story that stays with you, inviting reflection long after you’ve finished reading. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a deep, thoughtful read.

A bit hard to get into (mostly because the translation felt a bit fragmentary) but it was an engaging read after a while. This is not my first contact with Korean literature but it is the most profound one. Magical realism is what won me over and how much the writer focuses on little details that help us understand better the characters and the world they live in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun!

I thought this book was very interesting, but I found it hard to connect with. It was a bit disorienting and bleak despite being easy to read. I found the characters a bit hard to connect with because they were lacking emotional depth.

Thank you Netgalley and Erewon for the EARC.

I'm sorry but this really wasn't for me, it was bleak and depressing and I struggled to finish it.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun left a strong impression on me. The story, set in a rundown electronics market in Seoul, follows Eungyo and Mujae, two young workers trying to make sense of their lives amidst poverty and societal neglect. The idea of shadows rising and detaching from people felt like a brilliant metaphor for the psychological struggles they face—like a physical manifestation of their despair and fear.

I did find the repetitive dialogue a bit distracting, especially with the lack of quotation marks, which made the conversations harder to follow. But once I got past that, I really appreciated how the book tackled heavy topics like gentrification and class inequality. The mix of magical realism with such grounded, raw emotions felt powerful, even though the tone was quiet and understated.

Overall, it’s a bittersweet, thought-provoking read that really stuck with me—quietly powerful and full of insight into the lives of those society often overlooks.

Thank you Netgalley and Erewon for the EARC.

This was a wonderful story and beautifully written. The creepy superstition of the shadows was well done.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that blends surrealism with a deep exploration of loneliness and identity. The atmospheric writing creates a strong sense of place, which blurs the boundaries between reality and the supernatural element.

The story's slow pace and abstract narrative style are quite challenging, which make me feel difficult to connect with the story.

3.5 stars.
According to the publisher, Hwang Jungeun was inspired by the 2009 Yongsam Disaster to write this story of workers in a run-down Seoul industrial market slated for demolition. The mundane conversations, and sometimes stilted and repetitive dialogue echo the bleak future for these workers, while the shadows, which have taken on a life of their own, appear to be abandoning them along with everybody else. This spare and almost surreal story has moments of lightness, too, but for the most part, it's fairly bleak. Not everybody gets a happily ever after, unfortunately. Still, I recommend it.

⭐️: 2
DNF. I tried to get into it, but it didn’t hold my interest Maybe I’ll give it another chance at a later time.

One Hundred Shadows is set in a Seoul slum slated for demolition, where an eerie phenomenon begins: the residents' shadows start to rise, with no clear explanation. A mysterious warning spreads—never follow your shadow if it drifts away.

As their neighborhood is gradually destroyed, Eungyo and Mujae, who work at an electronics repair shop, can only watch as their world disappears. Their growing bond offers some solace, but with an uncaring ruling class and the inevitable rise of the shadows, their connection may not be enough to withstand the overwhelming forces at play.

Jungeon’s use of surreal imagery explores themes of resilience, identity, and the human condition, akin to the writing style of Han Kang in The Vegetarian. Both authors delve deeply into their characters' psychological struggles, exposing their battles with societal pressures and internal conflicts. In One Hundred Shadows, the characters are forced to decide whether to overcome or succumb to the difficulties surrounding them. When a shadow breaks free from its human form, following it leads only to suffering or death, highlighting the precariousness of survival in a world on the brink of collapse.

I am not sure if it is the translation or the actual story, but I cannot figure out what this book is about. It is very confusing, not in an ethereal way, but in a frustrating way. I was sad because the description looked very interesting.