The Hole

Description

The Hole is a haunting and suspenseful Korean novel that delves deep into the psychological terror of isolation, grief, and obsession. After a devastating car crash leaves Oghi paralyzed and unable to speak, he finds himself completely dependent on his mother-in-law—the only family he has left after the accident also claimed his wife’s life. As she quietly mourns the loss of her daughter, Oghi lies helpless in a room filled with memories of the woman he loved, especially her devotion to the garden she so carefully tended.
But something is off. Isolated from friends, ignored by his nurse, and trapped in his own body, Oghi watches as his mother-in-law becomes increasingly fixated on the garden. What begins as simple care turns into something darker—she begins tearing up her daughter’s beloved plants and obsessively digging large, unexplained holes.
Tense and deeply unsettling, The Hole is both a masterclass in suspense and a chilling meditation on grief and emotional decay. Called “a Korean take on Misery” by Time and praised for its unnerving depth by critics, it’s a bestseller in Korea that will leave readers questioning what’s real—and who they can trust.