Plant Lady by Minyoung, Kang

In the heart of a quiet town, a young woman tends to her plant shop, but beneath the surface of her lush, green sanctuary lies something far darker....

Will you dare to disrespect her plants?

Tucked away in the corner of a neighborhood in Dosan, South Korea, is the Plant Shop. Shop owner Yoohee has started anew, and her meticulously grown foliage thrives under her tender care. To both her customers and herself, Plant Shop is a refuge, where petunias and marigolds bloom and the air itself is like an elixir of peace.

By day, Yoohee dispenses advice on gardening, but she also finds herself offering a special service off the clock. Women who are at their wits' end come to her about a man they hope might disappear from their lives. Pulling extra hours is taxing, but Yoohee has encountered--and dealt with--these kind of men in her own life, men who treated her (and her beloved plants) with utter disrespect. So as night falls, Yoohee trades her apron for a shovel and a hoe and disappears into her moonlit garden. There, she buries not just the remains of the day, but also the bloody remnants of a few unfortunate encounters.

As men begin to disappear...will anyone ever suspect the Plant Lady?

A highly acclaimed novel from South Korea, Plant Lady brings atmospheric tension and delicate humor to a story of obsession and misogyny that will keep you rooted right to its simmering last page.

Author: Kang Minyoung
Publisher: Berkley Books
Published: 08/04/2026
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.69lbs
Size: 8.31h x 5.90w x 0.85d
ISBN: 9798217187577

Review Citation(s):
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001
Library Journal 05/01/2026 pg. 112
Publishers Weekly 06/01/2026
Booklist 06/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2026

About the Author
Minyoung Kang is a writer and editor-in-chief of film magazine CAST. Her publications include the novel Don't Let me Freeze Up, Please and the essay collection Ride a Bicycle and Keep Going. She also publishes short stories on the popular Korean e-book platform RIDIBooks. She lives in South Korea.

Shanna Tan is a literary translator working from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese into English. Her translations include the bestselling Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum. Born and raised in Singapore, she is currently spending some time in Bangkok.