Lee Mirinae

Lee Mirinae
Lee Mirinae in 2023
BornSeoul, South Korea
Occupationnovelist
GenreLiterary fiction
Notable works8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster (2023)
Notable awardsWilliam Saroyan International Prize for Writing
Website
mirinaelee.com

Lee Mirinae (Korean: 이미리내) is a South Korean writer from Seoul. She is known for her debut novel 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster. It is the first novel by a Korean author to win the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing in fiction[1], and the first novel by a Korean author to be longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.[2]

Writing

Lee is the author of 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster, published in 2023 by HarperCollins. The book is inspired by her great-aunt, one of the oldest women to have escaped alone from North Korea. It was originally written in English and has been published in more than 10 different countries.[3]

Awards and honors

Title Year Award Result Ref.
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster 2024 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing Won [4]
Women's Prize for Fiction Longlisted [5]
Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize Longlisted [6]
2025 Prix du roman Fnac Longlisted [7]

Personal Life

Lee lives in Hong Kong with her family.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Korean author wins William Saroyan International Prize for writing - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. 2024-08-24. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  2. ^ "Mirinae Lee longlisted for Women's Prize for Fiction - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  3. ^ "Interview with novelist Lee Mirinae". 동아일보. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  4. ^ "Mirinae Lee and Fae Myenne Ng awarded the 2024 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing | University Libraries". Libraries. 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  5. ^ "Mirinae Lee longlisted for Women's Prize for Fiction - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  6. ^ Digital, Make (2025-11-23). "PRESS: Longlist Revealed - 2024 Best…". Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  7. ^ "Les 8 vies d'une mangeuse de terre - Lou Gonse, Mirinae Lee". ActuaLitté.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  8. ^ "Her main character is lover, terrorist and spy. And based on a great-aunt". South China Morning Post. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-11-23.