Beasts of a Little Land: by Juhea Kim

Set against the backdrop of the Korean independence movement, this epic tale follows Jade, a young girl sold to a courtesan school, and a penniless hunter's son. Their fates intertwine across half a century, beginning with a pivotal moment in 1917 when a local hunter saves a Japanese officer from a tiger.

As Jade struggles to navigate her new life, she befriends an orphan boy, and together, they journey through love, war, and redemption.