“Korea did not come together to fight for freedom until everyone realized they were on the same side,” Hyun Sook said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Our book is about a group of grumpy old grannies who invite a group of troublemaking teens to their farm. Everyone is at odds, and the teens are terrified that the grannies will uncover their secret banned book club and turn them into the police. But they quickly learn that the grannies have secrets of their own, from their own experiences to ghost stories, folk tales, and legends about what haunts the farm. "
“When Hyun Sook and I started writing books about her experiences in a dangerously divided society under an authoritarian government that fostered distrust as they assaulted and imprisoned those who exercised free speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom to read, it was a cautionary tale,” said Estrada. “But as the world started to mirror the history we were writing about, we decided that we'd better write a book inspired by how Korea saved itself. Good Old-Fashioned Korean Spirit is about generation gaps, culture clashes, secrets, and other reasons that cause a persimmon orchard full of people to distrust and fear one another. But the more they communicate and collaborate, the more they realize that we're all in it together."
Estrada and Hyun Sook, who are married and live in South Korea, had planned to come to the U.S. to promote the book this year but decided not to out of concern for Hyun Sook’s safety (see “Eisner Nominated ‘Banned Book Club’ Creators Speak Out on Canceled Book Tour”).
