Bora Chung

Cursed Bunny is a genre-defying collection of short stories by Korean author Bora Chung. Blurring the lines between magical realism, horror, and science-fiction, Chung uses elements of the fantastic and surreal to address the very real horrors and cruelties of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society. Anton Hur’s translation skilfully captures the way Chung’s prose effortlessly glides from being terrifying to wryly humorous. Winner of a PEN/Heim Grant.

Cursed Bunny

maddie

Therefore, "a moment ago" was always the best moment, and the present was always better than the future.

Klara Hansen 

 "It's all very fine and well to rip open your opponent when it's an animal, but if you do that to another man, the mess afterwards is such a fuss to clean up." 

Natalie Stenson

HORROR DISTURBING MINDBLOWING BUT SUPER COOL EDYAAAANNNN MEN. 

Rayyan.

oh lawd from the first story i was ready to throw up. aseops fables for the modern woman. i really enjoy short story collections and this one was no exception. bora chung and anton hur both have such mastery of the language i feel inadequte even writing this review. toward the end we start getting repetitive on the morals and scars was the weakest of the bunch imo but still a delight to read. 

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but many of the stories just fell a little flat for me. I don't read lots of short story, but lots of the endings made me wishing there was more going on, or something a little more tidy. It was a fun read, but I wouldn't recommend except for very specific reasons.

Max Riley

Well written, and an interesting insight into Korean values/critiques/thoughts. Does become very predictable and repetitive at times.

Acadia

Gelaine Trinidad

sneha

I find myself thinking about some stories pretty often, even though I read most of them last year. 

I particularly liked the ones related to curses.

Abigail

Loved it.

I find myself thinking about some stories pretty often, even though I read most of them last year. 

I particularly liked the ones related to curses.

Isabella 

literally my thought process: wtf - enjoying it - wtf - boring ...

Absolutely one of my best reads this year :0 The book started with lots of magical realism. It's like Budi Darma but with more angst. The first one was already a punch in the gut, and then it got better and better. Chung carefully added horror, folk-lore, sci-fi, and fantasy to the mix and nailed every single one. Gdi she's so talented it's almost a cheat. My favorites are The Embodiment and Scars, but every piece was stellar. With engaging story telling, simple writing, great pacing, heart wrenching twists and open endings, her short stories are complete circles that leave you squirming and breathless, simultaneously needing a timeout and wanting for more. Ms. Bora Chung, you got a fan in me.

thea

Buku yang menarik👀 Horror, science fiction, magic.. semuanya ada dibuku ini dan terbagi menjadi beberapa kumpulan cerita pendek yang bikin tegang, terkejut dan merinding! 💀
Setiap cerita akan dimulai dengan kalimat-kalimat yang bikin kita bergidik & takut dengan apa yang akan terjadi nantinya.. penulis hebat banget bisa bikin emosi yang kita rasakan seperti sedang naik rollercoaster🎢

Cerita pertama bikin ngeri & jijik.. Cerita kedua bikin kita mempertanyakan hal-hal tentang medis.. Hingga saat sudah selesai membaca, aku sadar semua inti ceritanya itu mengerikan☠️
Setiap cerita memiliki tema yang berbeda, ada yang balas dendam, cinta, trauma, keserakahan, ketakutan, atau keinginan mengerikan yang sebenarnya kita inginkan. Semuanya tentang sisi gelap para manusia.. Aku harus berhenti beberapa saat baru bisa lanjut ke part selanjutnya karena ga habis pikir manusia bisa sejahat ini🙃
Bikin aku bertanya-tanya juga apa yang ada dibenak si penulis ketika beliau membuat cerita ini?

completely fascinating, i don't think i've read a collection quite like this. thinking a lot of thoughts !

Shaz

Haritlak Thawikasikam

Disgustingly good, very satisfying. Don't read the first chapter while eating. This is a big warning

Grace M

“... If I could make a wish
I want to be just a little happier
If I become too happy
I will miss sadness”

Folklore for a new age. Snare, Reunion, and of course Cursed Bunny were true standouts in this smart, eerie collection of stories.

Grotesque, unnerving & page turning. This collection of stories feature vibrant characters and deeply unusual storylines. 

Bora Chung has created such a singular and compelling writing style and maintained it through each and every one of these stories until the last page. 

jaz ☁️

Grotesque, unnerving & page turning. This collection of stories feature vibrant characters and deeply unusual storylines. 

Bora Chung has created such a singular and compelling writing style and maintained it through each and every one of these stories until the last page. 

felt like a spiritual successor to the fairy tale collections i read as a kid, but for an older age range and more applicable to modern society. 

Clara Gauthier

carys jenkins

Really surprised by how good this short story collection was - one of the best I’ve read overall. All the stories were unique but different from each other, yet the collection still felt cohesive. The snare and The frozen finger were stand out stories for me.

From a rising star of Korean literature, CURSED BUNNY is a collection that will shock and surprise readers with each new tale. Translated by the acclaimed Anton Hur, Chung’s stories are wildly unique and imaginative, by turns thought-provoking and stomach-turning, where monstrous creatures take the shapes of furry woodland creatures and danger lurks in unexpected corners of everyday apartment buildings. But Chung’s rare, haunting universe could be our own, illuminating the ills of contemporary society. “The Head” follows a woman haunted by her own waste. “The Embodiment” takes us into a dystopian gynecology office where a pregnant woman is told that her baby must have a father or face horrific consequences. Another story follows a young monster, forced into underground fight rings without knowing the force of his own power. The titular fable centers on a cursed lamp in the approachable shape of a rabbit, fit for a child’s bedroom. CURSED BUNNY is a book that screams to be read late into the night and passed on to the nearest set of hands the very next day.

Stories

Every story knocked the air out of my lungs. In gruesome understanding of human fears and the trauma of family Chung really got her point across. My favourite story was Snare

Florence

I think it makes a difference that I listened to this versus read it. However, there are some stories that stuck out more than others. I have spoke about the concepts of stories with friends though so I think that speaks to this book’s impact on me. However, it’s not a five star read. Just a book I enjoyed. 

Anyaconda

Way out of my comfort zone and too crazy. It just sounds like the author got drunk or stoned and thought about gross stuff they could write about. There's no rhyme or reason to any of the stories except shocking readers in my opinion.

Read Sayaka Murata's Earthlings instead.

Gia Palamos

I enjoyed reading most of the stories—some definitely gave me the creeps

The final story, titled "Reunion," was the crown jewel of this collection. The rest are also pretty good! I would recommend this set of stories to those who like offbeat contemporary short fiction.

Ashlyn

What a perfect collection of short stories - I do not think I have read something of the genre as good since "Things We Say In the Dark" in 2022. Chung manages to strike a perfect balance between the bizarre and horror; she does not shy away from the grotesque but knows how to use it to its maximum effect (the Eastern European influences are palpable).

The short stories vary in length and format but also in themes and motifs. I cannot imagine that every reader would not find at least one that sticks with them. My personal favourites are "Cursed Bunny", "Snare", "Goodbye, My Love", "Scars" and "Home Sweet Home" but I think we all have the shared experience of eyeing the bathroom with suspicion after reading the opening "The Head".

What a perfect collection of short stories - I do not think I have read something of the genre as good since "Things We Say In the Dark" in 2022. Chung manages to strike a perfect balance between the bizarre and horror; she does not shy away from the grotesque but knows how to use it to its maximum effect (the Eastern European influences are palpable).

The short stories vary in length and format but also in themes and motifs. I cannot imagine that every reader would not find at least one that sticks with them. My personal favourites are "Cursed Bunny", "Snare", "Goodbye, My Love", "Scars" and "Home Sweet Home" but I think we all have the shared experience of eyeing the bathroom with suspicion after reading the opening "The Head".

Cursed Bunny

Reviews

Highlights