This combined image shows the covers of Korean books to be published in English in 2025. From left are Han Kang's "We Do Not Part," Chung Bora's "Red Sword" and Cheon Seon-ran's "A Thousand Blues" / Courtesy of Penguin Books and Honford Star

A wave of Korean literature is set to reach English-language readers in 2025, ranging from a new novel by a Nobel laureate to science fiction bestsellers and heartwarming healing fiction.

The highlight would be the English publication of another novel by 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Han Kang as her 2021 work, "We Do Not Part," is slated for a Jan. 20 release by Penguin Books. The novel, co-translated by E. Yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris, explores the Jeju April 3 Massacre, a tragic chapter in modern Korean history where tens of thousands were killed. The story follows Kyungha as she uncovers haunting memories on Jeju Island while caring for a friend's pet bird, intertwining themes of friendship and historical trauma in Han's signature poetic prose.

Chung Bora, a finalist for the International Booker Prize and the U.S. National Book Award, will release two new novels in English — "Red Sword" in May and "Midnight Timetable" in October, both translated by Anton Hur. "Red Sword" ventures to a distant, war-ravaged planet, while "Midnight Timetable" details enigmatic objects at a mysterious research center, narrated by a night shift worker.

Cover of "Counterattacks at Thirty" by Sohn Won-pyung / Courtesy of Harper Collins

Cheon Seon-ran's bestselling science fiction, "A Thousand Blues," about two sisters attempting to save a famous racehorse in a near-future world where robot jockeys ride horses, will be available in March. Another work of Cheon, the vampire murder mystery, "The Midnight Shift," is due in August.

Sohn Won-pyung, known for "Almond," will release "Counterattacks at Thirty" in March, a novel about young workers challenging the corporate status quo, translated by Sean Lin Halbert, The Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards winner in 2018.

Jo Kyung-ran's "Blowfish," scheduled for July, intertwines the stories of a sculptor and an architect in a postmodern exploration of art and identity.

Pyun Hye-young's short story collection, "To the Kennels: And Other Stories," set for a Jan. 16 release in the U.K., delivers a chilling collection of Kafkaesque tales, while Kim E-whan's "The Black Orb," an apocalyptic horror novel set in modern-day Seoul, will also be available in February in the U.S.

Epic fantasy lovers can look forward to Lee Young-do's "The Bird That Drinks Tears," often compared to Tolkien's works. Set for publication by Harper Voyager, this classic Korean fantasy, translated by Hur, will be available in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia in 2025.

Rooted in feminist science fiction and fantasy, Amil's short story collection, "Roadkill," will arrive in May, appealing to a new generation seeking a bold, fresh viewpoint.

Cover of "The Second Chance Convenience Store" by Kim Ho-yeon / Courtesy of Harper Collins

The trend of Korean healing novels continues with the U.S. release of "The Healing Season of Pottery" by Yeon So-min on Jan. 30. In this novel, a burnt-out office worker finds solace in a pottery workshop, embracing the tactile and emotional warmth of clay.

Kim Ho-yeon's international bestseller, "The Second Chance Convenience Store," following a retired teacher who transforms her neighborhood after taking in a mysterious homeless man to her convenience store, will be available for English readers in June.

In May, Park So-young's young adult novel, "Snowglobe 2," will be published, wrapping up the two-volume dystopian saga that Entertainment Weekly described as "'The Hunger Games' meets 'Squid Game.'"

In nonfiction, Ha Tae-wan's essays, "Every Moment Was You: Notes on Loving and Parting," in May, will offer solace and wisdom for navigating modern life's challenges. Moon Ju-hee's "The Kind Art of Korean Letter Writing" will shed light on the fading tradition of handwritten correspondence from the perspective of an owner of Seoul's beloved stationery shop Geulwoll to English readers in September.