On December 16, Jane Austen fans around the world will celebrate the 250th anniversary of her birth. Her six published novels – Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion – continue to enchant readers and inspire writers with unforgettable characters and evocative settings.
I didn’t start reading Austen until 1995, when a slew of Austen-inspired movies hit the big and small screens: Pride and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, Clueless (a modern spin on Emma) with Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd, and my favorite, Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.
Movies may have been my introduction to Austen, but I became a true Janeite once I had the pleasure of reading her words. As a Korean immigrant who spent her youth observing how to fit into American society, I ate up Austen’s wry social commentary and zippy one-liners. My 2024 novel Relative Strangers is a playful riff on Sense and Sensibility, following two half-Korean American sisters as they grapple with forgiveness and romance along the Pacific coast.
Intrigued? Here are some of my favorite (or most anticipated) novels by Korean American authors that pay homage to Jane Austen and other literary classics.
That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee
A modern-day Emma, That Prince is Mine revolves around Emma Yoon, a Korean royal court cuisine instructor in search of a perfect-on-paper husband. Emma is waylaid from her plan when she meets a professor — and prince in disguise — who will do anything to prove to her that love and happily ever after can be theirs.
Stone Angels by Helena Rho
Inspired in part by Persuasion, Stone Angels tells the story of Angelina Lee, a middle-aged Korean American woman who journeys to her homeland and uncovers a secret that makes her rethink everything she thought she knew about her mother. Told through the voices of three women, this family drama explores love and loss, grief and healing, and the mother-daughter relationship.
Behind Five Willows by June Hur
A Pride and Prejudice retelling set in the Joseon Dynasty, Behind Five Willows is the story of Haewon, a young woman transcribing forbidden books, and Seojun, an aloof and wealthy young man hiding his own literary secret. Their budding romance despite their different backgrounds forces them to wrestle with questions of class, respectability, and the idea of carving out one’s own destiny. (Anticipated publication date: May 19, 2026)
Give Me One Reason by Jayci Lee
In this Persuasion-inspired romance, a K-drama actress gets a second chance at love. For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. To save her family, Anne left the US (and Frederick) to pursue acting in Korea. When she returns to LA, Anne and Frederick find themselves in the same wedding and wondering if it’s not too late to fall in love all over again.
Re Jane by Patricia Park
Jane Re is a half-Korean, half-American orphan from Flushing, Queens – a place she’s been trying to escape from her whole life. Jane works in her uncle’s grocery store and is thrilled to become the au pair for two professors and their adopted Chinese daughter. A witty nod to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Re Jane is a story of falling in love, finding strength, and living not just out of obligation to others but for oneself.
The Sisters K by Maureen Sun
A contemporary reimagining of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Maureen Sun’s debut introduces us to three sisters – Minah, Sarah, and Esther – with a legacy of violence haunting their lives. Called to their father’s deathbed, the sisters must confront a man little changed by the fact of his mortality to chart a better future for themselves.
Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee
Anna K is a 17-year-old Korean American girl at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society. As her friends struggle with the pitfalls of ordinary teenage life, Anna always seems to be able to sail above it all … until the night she meets Alexia “Count” Vronsky, a playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and who lives for his own pleasure. A Gossip Girl-style reimagining of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Anna K is suitable for YA and adult readers alike.
K-Jane by Lydia Kang
Channeling Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, K-Jane introduces us to Jane Choi, a third-generation Korean American and Nebraskan teen who feels like she’s missing something. Everyone seems to know more about Korean culture than Jane. With a baby brother on the way, Jane is determined to brush up on K-Pop, K-Drama, and K-everything. With plenty of humor and heart, K-Jane is a YA book that adults will enjoy.
