Where to Start with Bora Chung
If you are new to the surreal, unsettling, and genre-defying literature of South Korean author Bora Chung, the recommended starting point is her breakout collection, Cursed Bunny. Translated by Anton Hur, this volume serves as the perfect showcase of her unique voice, blending body horror, Korean folklore, dark humor, and piercing critiques of modern capitalism and patriarchy. Because these stories are short and self-contained, they allow readers to adjust to her visceral and highly original style before moving on to her longer works.
After finishing Cursed Bunny, readers can choose their next destination based on preference: those who prefer sci-fi, artificial intelligence, and dystopian themes should pick up her second translated collection, Your Utopia. Readers looking for longer, sustained narratives should transition to her novels, Red Sword and The Midnight Timetable.
Bora Chung Books in Publication Order
Bora Chung's work has been published in South Korea over the course of more than a decade, but her English translations have arrived in a different sequence. Following the English translation order is the most practical path for Western readers, though understanding the original Korean publication timeline provides context on her growth as a novelist.
English Translation Order
- Cursed Bunny (Short Story Collection) – Translated in 2021 (UK) / 2022 (US) (Original Korean: 2017)
- Your Utopia (Short Story Collection) – Translated in 2024 (Compilation of stories from various Korean releases)
- Red Sword (Novel) – Translated in May 2025 (Original Korean: 2019)
- The Midnight Timetable (Novel) – Translated in October 2025 (Original Korean: 2023)
Original Korean Publication Order
Chung's early novels were published under her own name or the pen name Chung Do-gyung. Her major novels and collections in South Korea include:
- The Door Opened (Novel) – 2010 (Currently untranslated in English)
- Dreams of the Dead (Novel) – 2012 (Currently untranslated in English)
- Cursed Bunny (Collection) – 2017
- Red Sword (Novel) – 2019
- The Midnight Timetable (Novel) – 2023
Deep Dive: The Translated Works
Cursed Bunny (2017 / 2021)
This collection contains ten stories that traverse magical realism, horror, and fable. Iconic stories like "The Head" (a story about a woman confronting a creature formed from her own waste) and the title story "Cursed Bunny" (about a cursed rabbit lamp designed to ruin a greedy family) showcase Chung's ability to turn everyday anxieties into physical nightmares.
Your Utopia (2024)
In contrast to the folk-horror elements of her first book, Your Utopia leans into speculative fiction and soft sci-fi. Across eight stories, including "A Song for Sleep" (which details a smart elevator developing an emotional connection to an elderly resident) and "The Center for Immortality Research," Chung explores the loneliness of technology, corporate absurdity, and the boundaries of humanity.
Red Sword (2019 / 2025)
Translated in May 2025, Red Sword is a dark fantasy novel that represents a longer-form execution of Chung’s visceral style. It expands on themes of conflict, survival, and societal critique in a surreal, frozen world, bringing the same mythic atmosphere of her shorter fables into a novel-length narrative.
The Midnight Timetable (2023 / 2025)
Translated in October 2025, The Midnight Timetable is a paranoid, bureaucratic mystery set within a strange research institute. Grounded in office politics and shifting temporal realities, it captures the existential dread of modern work environments through a surreal lens.
What to Know Before You Start
No Direct Continuity: None of Bora Chung's translated books are part of a continuous series. Every collection and novel is a standalone work, meaning readers do not need to worry about cliffhangers or character crossovers across different books.
The Translator's Voice: Author Bora Chung’s international success is heavily tied to the translator Anton Hur, who translated all four of her major English releases. Hur’s translation style perfectly mirrors the sparse, fable-like quality of Chung’s original Korean prose.
Tone and Content Warning: Chung's writing frequently deals with graphic bodily functions, psychological trauma, violence, and intense emotional scars. Readers who prefer speculative themes over visceral horror should start with the more tech-focused Your Utopia rather than the raw, gruesome tales of Cursed Bunny.