The Hustle : A Korean Family’s Escape from the Margins
Three Generations of Work and Resilience
by EUNJIN KANG
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Pub Date Jul 16 2025 | Archive Date Aug 15 2025
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Description
Originally published in South Korea, The Hustle has garnered recognition from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, as well as from major bookstore chains and journals. The author’s unique combination of personal reflection, family history, and academic research creates a powerful narrative that resonates with readers worldwide.
The Hustle traces the labor journey of three generations of a Korean family as they navigate South Korea’s rapid industrialization, economic crises, and the precarious gig economy of today. Blending intimate family interviews with rigorous social analysis, this narrative nonfiction book offers a deeply personal yet universal exploration of working families' struggles across generations.
The book follows the labor histories of the author’s father—a factory worker turned entrepreneur who became a motorcycle courier after bankruptcy—her sisters, who juggle clerical work and single motherhood, and her nephews, who balance education with gig work. Their interconnected stories reveal how historical events, from Korea’s industrialization in the 1960s to the Asian financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, shape individual work experiences and family survival strategies.
Through the lives of her father, sisters, and nephews, The Hustle examines the intersections of gender, age, and social and economic change, showing how these factors shape labor experiences in an unforgiving economic landscape. The book offers a window into the dignity of honest labor, drawing attention to the profound ways in which the evolving Korean economy has shaped labor trajectories—especially in a time when work has become increasingly fragmented and precarious.
Advance Praise
- This is a story about the lives of workers—our own lives, our families, and our neighbors—that we all thought we knew, yet no one truly spoke about. Without diving into controversial issues or grand social debates, the book presents these stories through the lens of the author’s family members, offering us a clear and honest reflection—like looking into a mirror.
- Even if you're not particularly interested in labor or social issues, I recommend this book as a moment to pause, reflect, and offer comfort to the lives of your own family or neighbors—much like checking in with yourself when you look in the mirror.
- The stories of the protagonists, who work tirelessly as members of society yet cannot escape poverty, feel deeply personal—like the stories of my own family and friends. It made me realize that poverty is not just an individual problem.
- Despite not having dramatic twists or novel elements, the book never felt boring. It is a concise retelling of a family’s life story, based on true events. The narrative weaves in the lives of three generations—three daughters of the author’s parents’ generation and their children—while subtly intertwining modern and contemporary Korean history.
- By objectively analyzing poverty and hard labor, which reflect both the author's family and my own, I found comfort in realizing that these struggles aren’t caused by laziness or personal failings.
- At first, I thought the topic might be heavy, but I found myself reading quickly because the writing flows so smoothly. What stood out most is that it’s not a hard, academic read—it’s a relatable story about people we know, people like our families.
- The author presents their family’s labor history with an objective yet gentle touch, yet throughout, I felt the warmth and care of an artist. This made the reading experience deeply emotional.
Available Editions
ISBN | 000B0FH5FN5T1 |
PRICE | $9.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 204 |