There’s no denying that the young adult—often just referred to as YA—genre of literature is a wildly popular one with people of all ages (not necessarily just young adults). Young adult fiction is technically a category of fiction written for readers nestled within the ages of twelve to eighteen—even so, much of the YA population is saturated with adult readers, too.

Typically, though, YA fiction is indicative of literature that contains themes, characters, and experiences that surround the young adult or adolescent age group. Lately, one of the largest contributors to this YA genre is coming from Korean authors. In fact, Korean literature is sweeping the YA fiction category as of late, with many Korean authors tapping into an ever-popular theme that resonates with YA groups—pop culture, specifically K-pop and K-drama. But not all YA fiction from the Korean subset of literature revolves around these themes.

Korean YA fiction is rich with diverse topics, saturated with unique characters, and brimming with tons of must-read favorites that are becoming more popular by the moment. Not sure where to start? We’re here to help. We’ve listed out a few of our top favorite Korean literature YA books that sprouted onto the fiction scene in the past few years.

Our advice? Skim the entire list—but don’t pick just one. We highly recommend reading each and every one of these absolutely thrilling, enticing, and compelling Korean YA fiction books. Now, without further hesitation, let’s dive into this list of must-read YA books to start digging into ASAP.

Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh

Futuristic apocalyptic environments, great wars, ruined nations, and fighting against oppressive regimes—Rebel Seoul has been described as Pacific Rim meets North Korean action drama, and honestly, we couldn’t think of a better descriptor. This mind-blowing and page-turning YA science fiction novel is a must-read for all who love mystery, thrills, futuristic drama, and fabulous character development. Follow along with Lee Jaewon, a talented pilot rising in the academy’s ranks, in East Asia in the year 2199. In this time period, a great war has left East Asia in ruins and Jaewon, hoping to escape his orphaned past in the slums, is recruited into the most lucrative weapons development division in Seoul. His ambition and drive slips away when he meets Tera, a test subject in the government’s supersoldier project.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

Who doesn’t love a charming love story merging with the ever-popular world of K-pop and K-drama? We definitely do. Somewhere Only We Know is the quirky yet compelling tale of an American K-pop star and a Korean American tabloid photographer who fall in love among some of the strangest circumstances. As the two get to know each other better and some deception is thrown into the mix, Goo makes sure to tie in the importance of courage and communication in relationships, all while allowing readers a peek into the dark side of K-pop stardom. Overall, this is a must-read teen love story that’s swoon-worthy for all the right reasons, though, it might be a better choice for teens instead of kids.

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

For everyone out there who loves YA fiction with a supernatural twist, this is the Korean YA book to start with. Wicked Fox tells the story of eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung—a young girl with a big secret. She just so happens to be a gumiho—a nine-tailed fox that must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Her hunting ground? Seoul. But everything changes one night when she runs into a young human boy, Jihoon, being attacked by a goblin in the forest. She saves him, and, in the process, loses her fox bead and her gumiho soul. As the two get closer and their relationship develops, Miyoung must ultimately figure out how to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.

The Silence of Bones by June Hur

The Silence of Bones takes readers back in time, telling the story of homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol who just so happens to be living in the year 1800 under an ancient curse that dooms her to living in interesting times. Because she’s been indentured to the police bureau, she’s on the case with a young inspector when they begin delving into a murder of a noblewoman. But as they dig deeper into the crime, the dead woman’s secrets begin to emerge, and Seol’s curiosity grows. This bloody tale is perfect for crime and thriller lovers that enjoy being captivated, scared, and having their interest piqued at every passing turn. This page-turner will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park

A YA novel all about luck, youth, and desires, The Perfect Escape is awitty rom-com that brings readers face-to-face with Nate Jae-Woo Kim—a young kid with a desire to rake in the big bucks. When a friend makes a ridiculous but profitable offer to commit serious fraud, he’s faced with a choice—take the windfall and support his family (comprising his integrity in the long run), or say no and continue to only dream about his desire to be luxuriously rich? Then, another opportunity presents itself—a weekend-long survivalist competition hosted by a tech company and the zombie-themed escape room he works at. Can he team up with his work colleague Kate Anderson to win the grand prize and solve his problems? Enjoy this titillating adventure novel to see if he can make it through the weekend with the cash—and his heart intact.