Counterattacks at Thirty: A Novel by Sohn Won-pyung

Counterattacks at Thirty by Sohn Won-pyung is a sharp, humorous Korean novel following Kim Jihye, a thoroughly ordinary 30-year-old administrative worker enduring a toxic, soul-crushing corporate grind at an elite academy. Her mundane, passive existence is upended by the arrival of Gyuok Lee, an eccentric new intern who refuses to submit to the rigid company hierarchy. Alongside two other marginalized colleagues, Muin and Mr. Nam, they form a secret alliance to fight back against their abusive bosses through a series of creative, non-violent, and highly satisfying petty pranks—such as writing anonymous exposés and leaving ransom-style notes. Although their rebellion eventually leads to the loss of their precarious jobs during a corporate crackdown, the experience completely transforms Jihye from a passive bystander into an active agent of her own life, delivering a powerful commentary on millennial burnout, solidarity, and reclaiming dignity under modern capitalism.