May 2026 Brunch Book Club

In May, we’re welcoming back a Brunch Book Club favourite, the brilliant Ela Lee, author of Jaded, who joined us for an unforgettable online discussion back in 2024. Her second novel, Minbak, is every bit as powerful: sweeping, emotional, and profoundly moving.

The story begins in 1985, when a baby without a surname is born the same night the army rolls into town. Set between South Korea and London, Minbak follows three generations of women — Hana, Youngia, and Ada — as they navigate dictatorship, exile, motherhood, and the weight of untold history. It’s a haunting and tender exploration of identity, memory, and the cost of silence.

We’ll start with an online discussion before gathering for brunch at Bondi Green, Paddington, our most sun-drenched venue yet. Overlooking Regent’s Canal and just a short walk from Paddington Station.

See you at brunch! 🥂📚🥑

PREORDER & PREPAYMENT POLICY: To confirm your place, we require a full preorder and prepayment one week in advance of the event. If these aren’t received by the deadline, your ticket will be forfeited. A preorder form will be sent to attendees via email two weeks before the event. Please ensure you add [email protected] to your contacts and check your spam to avoid disappointment.

Reminder: All tickets are refundable up to two weeks before our event.

P LEASE NOTE: This is an all day event starting with our online book discussion at 10:30am followed by brunch in the afternoon. To ensure you have all details please sign up to our mailing list where you'll receive a full itinerary, discussion questions, Online Discussion link and much more.

The night the baby without a surname was born, the army rolled into his mother’s town.

Incheon, South Korea, 1985. The country is revolting against a dictatorship, but in the local boarding-house, the chaos inside is only just beginning. When Hana is pulled from school to work in her family’s minbak, all she wants is to escape her small town. When she finally does, she leaves as an exile, a ruin, or a martyr, depending on who you ask. Her mother Youngia is left behind with the torment of both of their decisions.

London, 2008. Ada knows little about her mother, Hana. When tragedy hits, Hana has no choice but to move her daughter and ailing mother into a single room and turn the rest of their home into a minbak. As the past collides with the present, Ada is determined to unearth her mother’s secrets. But her obsession will lead to a discovery that unravels not just her family’s dark past, but that of an entire country’s.

From Korea’s industrial estates to London’s suburbs, the three women cross continents and generations to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.

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Info: A guided online book discussion hosted by our founder Taragh who will run through a set of pre-prepared questions. A link to this discussion is sent out the week of our event along with the discussion questions. To receive these first please subscribe to our mailing list. If you haven't received a link please check your spam folder and ensure you have added our email address: [email protected]

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