Ep. 40: South Korea (XOXO + The Plotters)

Summary: Add some Seoul to your day and join Holly and Devin in South Korea for today’s Summer Jetset Series episode! While neither of them have made it to Korea yet, they have both fallen in love with the country, the culture, the vibrancy and K-Pop. They appreciate the country for its massive pop-cultural influence in both music with KPop, KDramas and K-beauty trends and fashion - it’s exciting to see South Korea stepping more and more onto the global stage. Until you can book your tickets, come armchair travel with us! 

Topics Discussed:

• The Heart (2:51): Devin discussed XOXO by Axie Oh, a delightful YA novel that follows cellist Jenny as she travels from her home in LA to Seoul and the Seoul Arts Academy for a semester to help her mother care for her ailing grandmother. Once there, Jenny realizes that the mysterious hunk she connected with one random night in LA is actually Jaewoo, star of an up-and-coming K-Pop group. Devin’s key takeaways were:

• Whether you’re a huge K-Pop fan or new to the scene, this book provides a fantastic overview of the K-Pop experience, both for the fandom and for the group members themselves. Oh executes with wonderful accuracy on the excitement and struggles of Jaewoo and his groupmates. 

• Unlike most Hallmark movies, XOXO doesn’t involve Jenny giving up her own dreams and goals for the sake of Jaewoo; she continues to explore what her cello career and future studies mean to her and her growth is not exclusively driven by her romance; a refreshing and important perspective for all readers.

• The side characters of this novel are phenomenal, well-rounded, and provide a pop of color and texture to the main plotline of a forbidden love between Jenny and Jaewoo. 

• The Dagger (16:47): Holly discussed The Plotters by Un-Su Kim, a contemporary novel that delves into the secretive world of assassins. The reader follows Reseng, a contract killer who was raised by the head of an underground organization, Old Racoon. The tensions between old guard leaders like Old Racoon and new blood portrayed by Hanja add layers of intrigue on top of an already compelling assassin story. Holly’s key takeaways were:

• Don’t judge a book by it’s assassin plot! This novel is introspective and explores the theme of personal identity and the search for meaning in life. Reseng grapples with questions about his own identity as he begins to recognize that his life has been controlled by external forces who have been pulling the strings behind the scenes. 

• The Plotters raises ethical questions about the nature of killing and the moral implications of assassination while weaving in some seriously intense action scenes. As is the case with 21st-century Korean crime films, this novel relies heavily on sharp and pointy objects that get deadly - principally, knives and hatchets. 

• As we follow Renseng on his journey, Kim explores the complexities of loyalty and betrayal within his sphere of assassins and underground groups. It raises questions about trust, the nature of relationships, and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their own interests. 

• Hot On the Shelf (33:13):

• Devin: The Fiancé Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur

• Holly: The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

• What’s Making Our Hearts Race (36:42):

• Devin: The Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio, TX (owned by Jenny Lawson!)

• Holly: Past Lives, a film in theaters! 

 

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Website: www.heartsanddaggerspod.com

 

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