If I Had Your Face

As a Korean American, this book spoke so many truths to me. Alot of people around the world see only the glamorous side of Korea: the kpop, the dramas. This book exposes some of the ugly sides of everyday life as a woman in Korea. I couldn’t stop reading it once I started. Room salon girls have existed since as far as I can remember, my mom was terrified of some man accosting me to work at one when I was younger. The need to fit into this perfect mold is hammered into our heads as a child as we grow up with skewed views on what beauty is. Thank you Frances Cha for writing this wonderful book that touched and spoke out to me.

I am not very familiar with Korean culture, so this was somewhat eye opening for me. Being a woman even in Western society today has a lot of challenges but a woman in Korea seem so much more complex. The intense focus on family status and retaining it, seems to result in marriage more for practicality than love. And in that kind of society, fidelity, especially for men, as not expected. The enormous industry of bars where women are hired to serve, entertain, flatter and often prostitute for wealthy business men seems widely accepted yet never admitted. As usual the women working there despite large money earned don’t keep it due to manipulation (loans with huge interest for extra cosmetic surgery to help them earn more), exploitation and huge expenses (hair & makeup done professionally daily, beauty treatments). I had thought the ridiculousness of Western “beauty standards” from hair extensions, fake tans, fake breasts, botox, lip fillers and plastic surgery had distorted our perceptions so badly, that natural beauty was near impossible. But Korea is a whole different level with eye surgery a common high school practice, massive jaw shaving that leaves the user unable to feel their chin and enormous plastic surgery centers. To see into the lives of women with out wealth, connections, education or family status try to find a life in this world was eye opening, compelling and honestly sad. It seemed 3/4 through the book their situations were hopeless. But looking out for each other and some luck did cause enough change for hope, which I’d say was the message.

Spoiler alert. The book just …….ended! No sooner had I invested interest in how these young women would resolve their various dilemmas, then I found myself on the last page. Entirely unsatisfying.

As a foreigner living in SK, I would say that the novel depicts the ever widening wealth gap ravaging the nation in stupendous precision. It is interesting in an enigmatic way that the author chose to tell the story through the lifes of young women who still believe in the system, unlike the vast majority who has loss any hope of climbing the ladder. If you are a fan of the Oscar winning Parasite movie, than this book is made for you.

This weeks book If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha! I love reading books about other cultures! This book is Chas first novel and it is a great story about women in #SouthKorea living their lives in a culture based on wealth, beauty and lineage! It was interesting to read about the culture of a different country and its views on the US! Vivid, clear and riveting narrative with multiple heart wrenching and yet empowering stories about women and their friendship, bond and love of each other in all spaces of their lives! It was interesting to see me and my girls in this story of women living different lives than us clear across the globe! I flew through this book because it was captivating! A wonderful read! Thank you @franceschawrites & @kevinkwanbooks for recommending! Mrs. Cha I cant wait to read your next books! #Reading2020 #Book#12

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