The Noh Family

By: Grace K. Shim

Narrated by: Hannah J. Choi

A sparkling K-drama inspired debut teen novel by Grace Shim, The Noh Family introduces irrepressibly charming teen Chloe Kang, who is reunited with her deceased father's estranged family via a DNA test, and is soon whisked off to Seoul to join them....

When her friends gift her a 23-and-Me test as a gag, high school senior Chloe Kang doesn’t think much of trying it out. She doesn’t believe anything will come of it—she’s an only child, her mother is an orphan, and her father died in Seoul before she was even born, and before her mother moved to Oklahoma. It’s been just Chloe and her mom her whole life. But the DNA test reveals something Chloe never expected—she’s got a whole extended family from her father’s side half a world away in Korea. Her father's family are owners of a famous high-end department store, and are among the richest families in Seoul. When they learn she exists, they are excited to meet her. Her mother has huge reservations; she hasn’t had a great relationship with her husband’s family, which is why she’s kept them secret, but she can’t stop Chloe from travelling to Seoul to spend two weeks getting to know the Noh family.

Chloe is whisked into the lap of luxury, but something feels wrong. Chloe wants to shake it off—she’s busy enjoying the delights of Seoul with new friend Miso Dan, the daughter of one of her mother’s grade school friends. And as an aspiring fashion designer, she's loving the couture clothes her department store owning family gives her access to. But soon Chloe will discover the reason why her mother never told her about her dad’s family, and why the Nohs wanted her in Seoul in the first place. Could joining the Noh family be worse than having no family at all?

©2022 Grace Shim (P)2022 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"The Noh Family is at once a fairytale about dreams coming true entwined with deliciously sinister family secrets. It whisked me straight to the neon lights of Seoul and pulses with enough family drama for days. I didn't want to leave this captivating place that Shim has brought to life."
- Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties

"Shim deftly employs all the whirlwind romance and jaw-dropping reveals of classic K-dramas via breezy prose and vividly drawn settings to explore classism, heartbreak, identity, and manipulation amid familial and societal expectations in this enticing debut." - Publisher's Weekly

"Just like Chloe’s favorite K-dramas, the novel sucks readers in from the get-go with lots of glitz, grit, and a hint of romance as well as a handsome assistant who always has an umbrella at the ready, mouthwatering descriptions of food, and cutting insights into familial and societal dynamics.
An enjoyable, pacy family drama." - Kirkus Reviews

Great Story, kept me wanting to listen.

I liked the K-Drama story since I could listen while working. Story kept me listening. Now I just want more.

Narration is iffy, Some things too in-your-face

The narrator’s “male” voice & “Korean” accent is not good... Even worse that she’s Korean herself.

I wish female narrators wouldn’t try a male voice because it just sounds so off & nasally.

I don’t like the Korean accent she gives the characters either. Each word is abrupt, sounds like they’re constipated, & makes the characters sound slow.
It’s like she’s talking to the friend & mocking the accent rather than actually trying to make an accent.
I’ve heard better…






It’s pretty bad how obvious the author drops her desired sponsors if a movie is made.
A whole chapter titled named 23andme. com is crazy lol
Then name dropping Etsy, Uber, & Kakao over & over.

A Colombian named Hazel is… well.
I’ve never seen such a name from someone of Colombian ancestry before unless they’re part Colombian through one grandparent & their parents don’t partake in Colombian culture much. That’s all I’ll say lol

Enjoyable, engaging read

More from this author, please! Excellent story line! kept me immersed the entire book!

Amazing!

I love it from the beginning!
A lot of unexpected turns!!
Part 2, I hope it is out soon!

The Characters, Plot and Ending .... Everything!

I hope there will be a sequel book(s). I didn’t want it to end.

The ending is unsatisfying..

I get that they want to leave you hanging so you get the next book but the whole trip to Korea/ the whole story just feels like a waste of time with no bright sides not a single ally from her entire family. Ugh I need to make up for this sh*tty feeling now by finding a good comedy or something lol

Loved it!

It might just be that I LOVED k-Dramas in high school but this was so much more entertaining than my life was. The reference spot on. Also Lee Min Ho was my crush at one point too. 🤣