The Legend of Lady Byeoksa

Travel to the Underworld and back in this tale of star-crossed lovers, political intrigue and mysticism inspired by Korean mythology and set in the Joseon dynasty, by the emerging Korean romantasy sensation Esther Park.

'Whether I remember or not, it seems I am destined to love you.'

Lady Seomun Bin has a secret: she is a cross-dressing byeoksaga, or ghost-stalker. Born with the unenviable ability to see spirits, she is forced to disguise herself as a man to perform exorcisms in order to break the demonic curse on her which puts those around her in danger.

When she sneaks into a lavish party at the Sagokjeong, the chief state councillor's country home, she bumps into Hyun Eunho, a loyal servant to the King sent to investigate the chief state councillor's suspected treason. Eunho feels an inexplicable attraction towards Bin and tries to get closer to her, while Bin, for reasons of her own, attempts to avoid him. As they continue to cross paths, they becoming increasingly entangled by the inescapable threads of fate that keep drawing them together.

Meanwhile, a darker presence is growing in power in the Underworld and the boundaries between the physical world and the one beyond continue to grow thinner. As evil forces seek to exert their influence over the court, Bin and Eunho must work together to overpower them.

Where will their destined connection lead? Will they finally be able to break Bin's curse?

** Translated from the Korean by Gene Png **

Review

A vividly imagined fantasy of courtly intrigue reminiscent of the best Korean dramas. Come for the cross-dressing exorcist, stay for the sweeping love story that's bound to tug at your heart strings. -- ELIZA CHAN, author of Fathomfolk

Propulsive and compulsively readable, The Legend of Lady Byeoksa is a sweeping, romantic tale about reforging your own destiny. Set in an expansive fantasy world with a rich tapestry of elements drawn from Korean folklore, this is an engaging, imaginative book perfect for readers who wish to be transported. -- JIHYUN YUN, author of And the River Drags Her Down

Full of magic, action, and romance,The Legend of Lady Byeoksa reads like a sweeping historical K-drama brought to life on the page. Set in the Joseon dynasty and originally written in Korean, it's the kind of story I've always dreamed of reading. -- JUNE HUR, author of A Crane Among Wolves

Perfect for anyone wanting to binge a top-tier historical fantasy K-drama in book form! A charming, compelling classic. -- SHELLEY PARKER-CHAN, author of She Who Became the Sun

An exciting fantasy brimming with romance and intrigue. -- ELIZABETH LIM, author of A Forgery of Fate

About the Author

Esther Park strives for memorability in her writing. She mainly writes historical fantasy and YA fiction. Her other works include REVELATIONS OF THE GARDEN (2023), OCCULT GIRL (2022) and D-CLUB QUEEN'S SUMMER (2016). She was the winner of the 1 BIR Marshmallow Fiction Contest for her YA series MICHAELA (2017), and her web novel saw her win the prestigious detective/mystery/thriller award organised by Korean entertainment giants KakaoPage, CJ ENM and Studio Dragon.

Gene Png is a literary translator and illustrator based in Singapore. She was awarded the Grand Prize in Poetry at the 53rd The Korea Times Translation Awards. Her books include Cheon Seon-ran's The Midnight Shift and Kim Hana and Hwang Sunwoo's Two Women Living Together.