Welcome friend! Told through the perspectives of “The Northerner,” “The Southerner,” and “The American,” Oxford Soju Club builds its story through tension, shifting loyalties, and layered identities. From the very first chapter, I was hooked on how these lives would intersect. Take a look at what the book is about.
The natural enemy of a Korean is another Korean.
When North Korean spymaster Doha Kim is mysteriously killed in Oxford, his protege, Yohan Kim, chases the only breadcrumb given to him in Doha’s last breath: “Soju Club, Dr. Ryu.” In the meantime, a Korean American CIA agent , Yunah Choi, races to salvage her investigation of the North Korean spy cell in the aftermath of the assassination. At the centre of it all is the Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in Oxford, owned by Jihoon Lim, an immigrant from Seoul in search of a new life after suffering a tragedy. As different factions move in with their own agendas, their fates become entangled, resulting in a bitter struggle that will determine whose truth will triumph.
Oxford Soju Club weaves a tale of how immigrants in the Korean diaspora are forced to create identities to survive, and how in the end, they must shed those masks and seek their true selves.
Oxford Soju Club – Review
Oxford Soju Club is a story that unfolds in shadows, across identities, and between loyalties that are never quite what they seem. The novel opens with the death of North Korean spymaster Doha Kim in Oxford. With his last breath, he leaves behind a cryptic message for his protégé, Yohan: “Soju Club, Dr. Ryu.” What follows is a tightly woven narrative where multiple factions—North Korean operatives, American intelligence, and individuals caught in between—move with urgency, each trying to secure truth, survival, or advantage.
At the centre of it all is the Soju Club, a Korean restaurant run by Jihoon Lim, a South Korean immigrant who has come to Oxford in search of a new life after personal loss. It is both an ordinary place and a meeting point for extraordinary tensions.
A story told through identities
To me, one of the most compelling aspects of this book is the structures of the narrative. Each chapter has three perspectives—The Northerner, The Southerner, and The American. This kept the suspense and also influenced me to think about each character in this way. In a story with many spies, this served as a reminder that identity is not fixed, even though the headers give the illusion of the opposite.
Yohan’s story, in particular, is layered with memory. Through flashbacks, we see his childhood and training under Doha Kim, and the influence of Dr. Ryu. These two figures—so different in their ways—become surrogate parents to him. Even in death, I found Doha’s presence to be powerful, lingering through lessons, instincts, and the authority he still holds over Yohan’s decisions.
I was deeply moved by the lengths to which Dr. Ryu and Doha went to protect him, especially as the systems they belong to began to collapse.
Suspicion, loyalty, and the cost of being wrong
This is a world where everyone could be a spy and often is. I loved the multiple identities of the characters and the underlying suspicion throughout the story about who was really a spy. There are moments where innocence is mistaken for deception, and the consequences are irreversible. That sadness of lives caught in chaos added an emotional weight to the story. I felt the loss alongside the characters.
Yunah Choi and the question of belonging
Among all the characters, Yunah Choi stood out to me. As a Korean American CIA agent, she exists in a space where she is constantly navigating perception—how others see her, what they assume about her, and what she must conceal. Through her, the book explores a larger idea: what does it mean to be yourself in a system that assumes you are not? That you must be performing, hiding, or serving some hidden agenda?
Spies, immigrants, and the masks we wear
It was only after I connected with the author that I began to see the story differently—that the spies in this book could also be read as immigrants. That perspective gave me new insight and if I return to this book, I would read it through this lens. Both spies and immigrants are required to adapt to unfamiliar environments. Both must learn new codes, languages, and behaviors. Both are often viewed with suspicion. And in both cases, there is a quiet tension between assimilation and self-preservation. I have felt it. Spies may be taking on these roles with more preparation than immigrants but the identity shift still remains.
Final thoughts
Oxford Soju Club was a completely different reading experience for me. I don’t often read about North and South Korean conflict, and this story offered an immersive, character-driven way into that world.
The writing is sharp and atmospheric. The characters are layered. And the structure keeps the suspense alive while deepening the thematic exploration of identity and belonging.
If you enjoy stories that blend espionage with questions of identity, loyalty, and what it means to belong, this is one worth picking up.
And in true life-meets-books fashion, I walked away with one unexpected takeaway: Yunah’s suggestion to try an everything bagel with cinnamon cream cheese. I tried it. It’s a new favourite. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for sharing a review copy with me for my honest thoughts.
Read the interview with the author next.
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