Hanna Yoon

I missed being completely absorbed in a book — the kind of reading where hours disappear. So I tried to make it intentional. Tried to carve out time. But when you’re balancing work and motherhood, time doesn’t open easily.

Maybe next year I’ll be able to read more deeply, more widely. I hope so.

Human Acts — Han Kang

On the first Monday of the new year, I left my child with my aunt and sat alone in a café.

That’s where I read Human Acts by Han Kang, the Nobel laureate in Literature 2024. I had to stop often. It was heavy in a way that sits in your chest. But it reminded me why literature matters and why we need it.

Project Hail Mary

Recommended by a coworker — and unexpectedly delightful. A genuinely fun sci-fi novel. Apparently it’s being adapted into a film starring Ryan Gosling next year. I’m already looking forward to it.

Somehow, Tennis

I picked this up because I want tennis to become an official hobby of mine. There were parts about parenting, about tennis, about growing up in Mokdong, Seoul — the same generation, the same cultural references — that felt strangely familiar. Comforting, even.

Market Yourself as a Brand

I first saw the author on a dating show and became curious — what mindset do people in Silicon Valley carry toward their work? One line stayed with me:

“If someone is already good at their job, imagine how much further they could go if they also communicated well.”

The author seems exceptionally skilled at personal branding.

This Is My Life, After All

“If I collapse, the entire universe disappears.” That sentence alone felt like all the comfort I needed. I finished the book wanting to become an elegant, composed grandmother one day.

You’ll Eventually Achieve Anything

I bought this at the Eternal Journey bookstore at Ananti in Busan. The title felt like something I wanted to say to my husband. After putting the baby to sleep, I sat in the hotel’s hinoki bath with a beer, reading slowly. That time — quiet, warm, unhurried — felt precious.

Make the World Want What You Have

I brought this along for a Labor Day trip to AutoCamp. It’s written by Choi In-ah, the owner of a bookstore I’ve long admired. I was curious — and I’m so glad I read it. It reminded me what it means to work for myself. I haven’t finished it yet, but I already want to reread it.

The Making of a Manager (Audiobook)

Commute listening — partly for English practice, partly for design leadership.

Solo Leveling (Webtoon)

Started because my husband recommended it. A few days later, I realized I’d stayed up late reading nonstop. The steadily leveling-up protagonist made it oddly relaxing — no anxiety, just momentum.

2024

Balancing work and parenting left very little time for reading. And when I did read, I often forgot what I’d read. The most memorable work this year was Red Moon by Hwang Mi-na. I found it on my mother-in-law’s bookshelf after putting the baby to sleep during a visit. For a comic published thirty years ago, it felt surprisingly relevant — almost eerily timely in the age of AI.

2023

Before the baby was born, I read here and there. After summer — almost none. The highlight: finishing the entire Dragon Raja series during late-night feedings. It was a fantasy classic I’d wanted to read since middle school but never had the time for. Parental leave finally gave me the chance. I almost looked forward to 3 a.m. feedings because of it. Somehow, those early newborn months — exhausting as they were — passed more gently because of that book.