Frances Cha's Depiction of Korean Society in ‘If I Had Your Face’
Cover of 'If I Had Your Face' by Frances Cha
I have recently taken up exploring Asian authors and women empowering books such as the works of Mieko Kawakami and Min Jin Lee, in hopes that I can dive more into the contemporary conflicts that directly affect women daily. And as a young woman myself, still figuring out who I am or am to become, Frances Cha’s debut novel has made me ponder on several points in women’s shared experiences in society.
I’m okay. I have survived the day, again. All I need now is for these stupid fucking pills to work.
Page 192 of ‘If I Had Your Face’
This book follows the story of four young women living in Seoul, struggling to float above the drowning waters of Korea’s social norms and beauty standards, without having its readers wrestle with keeping track of each individual story that is all somehow tied down to each other.
Photography by Julia and Nic of SHSandler
STEREOTYPES
Kyuri may just be my favorite out of the four women because of the brazen truths that her character is able to state in the lines of the book, which most I have always known but never taken time to acknowledge as an actual problem—which is exactly why I love Cha’s writing.
They pinpoint where you are on the national scale of status, then spit you out in a heartbeat.
Page 68 of ‘If I Had Your Face’
Her character, working a job as a room salon girl which is one that is closely followed by stereotypes and rumors, gives way to breaking off clichés from these women who are just the same as any other, working to survive in this cruel world where the way you look and whether you pay rent monthly or annually greatly affects the course of your life.
Handmade Collage by Ewa Look
PERSPECTIVES
Another aspect of the book which I greatly enjoyed was being able to go through the different perspectives of each character and see how they view each other individually. It is with Miho and Wonna that I begin to notice that the whole book is full of thoughts that would normally be kept to oneself and is something that makes me feel closer to these women.
It hollows me out, the way that they would rather kill themselves than be born to me.
Page 117 of ‘If I Had Your Face’
‘If I Had Your Face’ consists of stories that shed light on several topics that needed to be raised awareness like social constructs, privilege, beauty, and inequality, among others.
I will be glad when we are almost home and the scenery will turn into rice fields and farm plots, and I will be reminded of how far I have come instead of what I cannot reach.
Page 151 of 'If I Had Your Face'
Rather than being completely fictional, Frances Cha succeeds in making these stories feel so real as if they had been truly lived by people before, and also allowed me to see myself through these women in different and unique ways.
The ending, I found completely satisfying, as the author was able to introduce her characters so well that I had a vivid imagination of what their lives could go on to be like once I reached the last remaining pages.
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by Isobelle Cruz, 20/07/2022
