Min Jin Lee Reads “Testing”

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1:24This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker. I'm Deborah Treisman, fiction editor at The New Yorker. On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Min Jin Lee read her story, Testing, which appears in the July 27, 2026 issue of the magazine. Lee is the author of the novels Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, which was a National Book Award finalist in 2017. Her third novel, American Hagwon, from which this story was adapted, will be published in September. Now here's Min Jin Lee.

2:03Testing Even as an infant, Helen and John Coe's firstborn had a calm temperament and accommodating disposition, as if he appreciated what it meant to be a chongnam with the attendant privileges and responsibilities of primogeniture. furniture. Bo never seemed to let the burdens of being the eldest child overwhelm him. He exerted himself in the classroom and on the sports field. He got along well with his peers. A nice-looking and thoughtful young man, Bo was a blessing and a relief to his busy parents. All three children had been born in Paramus, New Jersey, while John was working for a Japanese trading company in New York City.

2:51The Koh family had lived in New Jersey for six years, Seoul for four, then Sydney for almost six prior to their return to Seoul. In the U.S., Australia, and South Korea, Helen's friends had constantly asked her how she was bringing up her eldest son. Was there a method to rearing such a fine student and good boy. Helen, however, insisted that the credit belonged neither to her nor to John. Bo came that way, she would say. Bo's mother could admit this truth not because she was modest, but rather because the experience of having more than one child in the same household amply demonstrated to any self-aware parent that each child was entirely unique.

3:45Eventually, all small humans, even when they were flesh of one's flesh, which should have provided some illusion of predictability, asserted their individuality, no matter how much a parent tried to control, shape, or design them. As educated and earnest middle-class parents, Helen and John had provided more than the basics, and certainly more than they themselves, both the children of poor parents, had been given. Parenting was a haphazard experiment for even the best intentioned, and Helen and John observed their offspring Bo, D.H., and Mito with profound fascination as only parents can. Each child was immutably distinct from the others.

4:37When Helen read a sad story in the news about a child who had gone astray, she very rarely assigned blame to the parents. Life had taught her that the debate between nature and nurture was almost moot. Excellent parents sometimes had badly behaved children, and careless parents could have progeny who performed admirably. The bond between a mother and her child was binding. Yet it had to be loosened. A mother had to love. And a child had to grow up. The results were often out of one's hands. In America, Bo was 18 years old, but his Korean age was 19, as the time in the mother's womb was counted.

5:28Girls admired his glossy chestnut hair, olive complexion, and large brown eyes. He spoke English like a native, which had made him an exotic curiosity at a public high school in Gangnam, and he studied from morning into the night, barely sleeping. In the evenings, his sister Mito studied as well, but she could never stay awake as long as he could. Helen did her best to stay up with Bo, but even she had to turn in eventually, because she had her job the next day and had to prepare breakfast for the family. Most remarkably, Bo had maintained an impressive grade point average in the second stay nine nationally, and he was now allowed to apply to Yonsei University.

6:13His school did not think he should test for Seoul National, his father's alma mater, which was reserved for the very top students. But his rank was high enough that his advisors thought Yonsei might be possible, especially if he applied for sociology, which was a subject he wanted to study. This was fine by Bo. He preferred Yun-Sei's old-fashioned campus and admired the university's alumni. In Bo's homeroom class, there was a precocious beauty named Ara Yang whom he liked and who adored him. After school, Bo usually went to his cram school, and once, she showed up at the hagwon and invited him to our house to study.

6:54and right there in her bedroom, she proposed sex. Stunned, grateful, and naturally tempted, Bo made a deal with her. After they were accepted into college, they would make love. Whenever he masturbated after that, he fantasized about the twin possibilities of attending the college of his dreams and having sex with Ara. Bo took to Sunung in November of 1994. In addition to that dreaded national college exam, in his year he also had to take the bonggosa, a specific exam for Yeonse. He believed that the tests went well enough. As soon as Bo and his classmates finished the bonggosa, they rushed back to their hagwon.

7:40Their tutors had been more or less flying blind, because there were almost no prior tests from which to teach. Each student, fresh from having taken the exam, was asked to recall the test questions, and three tutors recorded the questions and typed out their speculated answers. The Bunguza question, but would never forget, was, describe the difference between digital and analog. For his answer, he had written that a digital clock stated a moment in time, whereas an analog clock revealed the process of time. Bo's tutor said that this answer was terrific. Not that it mattered. Bo's Sunung score was what kept him out.

8:26A perfect score was 200. He received 153, a strong showing but not invulnerable. Impredictably, given his focus on studying for the college exams, his high school GPA had fallen to the lower end of the second stay nine, so he was no longer in the top 4 % nationally. Ara had been accepted to Sung Yun-Gwan University, but she told him she'd be happy to wait for him as he prepared to take the Yun-Sei exam again. Almost everyone took these exams more than once, especially for schools as hard to get it to as Yun-Sei, she said, trying her best to encourage him. Beau, guilt-ridden at the heavy expense of his failure, told her firmly that he would not hold her back.

9:13To make the situation clearer, he told her that they should not even be friends. Beau wanted to take the exams again. Helen did not know what to do. The sunung was offered only once a year, in November. and John, after falling out with his boss and not finding anything good in Seoul, had just been rehired at his old office in Sydney, albeit with a demotion and a lower salary. He and Mido were now staying with Helen's brother Kenny, who worked for Qantas, and his wife Lily. Thankfully, D.H. was still fine at Andover. Helen had to consider the cost of maintaining housing in Seoul, in Sydney, both hog-won fees for another year, and the family's stretched expenses.

10:01Helen's sister Sonia lived in an apartment complex made up of many separate towers in Apgajong. In the elevator in Sonia's building, Helen finger-combed her hair, tucking the loose wisps behind her ears. That morning, she noticed new gray hair sprouting from her side part. No doubt her sister would comment on this. Each week that Helen held off on getting her cut and color, She could put aside more for the children's school and hagwon fees. When the elevator opened on Sonia's floor, a uniformed maid stood waiting at the apartment's front door. Sonia's home, which was owned by her husband's uncle, Chairman Mun, was larger than most houses in Seoul.

10:48A full floor, two apartments combined. Three generations lived in the two units separated by a small hallway. Sonia spent her days taking care of the household, her husband, Yong-gil, their two sons, and the chairman. She managed a sizable staff with a formidable housekeeper, two maids, a cook, and a driver. The maid guided Helen to Sonia's home office, which was the size of Helen's living room. A large square of southern light flooded the elegant space. Behind the modern oak desk was a green mohair wool sofa where Sonia read in the evenings. Stacks of art books covered a low hand-carved Korean pine table.

11:36Tall branches of persimmons filled an enormous cobalt blue fishbowl on a rosewood pedestal. The maid remained at the door while Helen took a seat on the sofa and Sonia frowned. I can't believe you're going to leave. Again. You've barely been here, Sonia said, too exasperated to bother with pleasantries. She asked a maid for tea and the young woman bowed before closing the door. Is she new? Helen pointed toward the door. Just a niece of the cook, Sonia said, then regretted sounding so dismissive. She's part-time. I don't really need her, but the cook asked me. She's recently divorced. There are two little kids.

12:22Helen understood. Everyone asked her older sister for help, and Sonia had a hard time saying no. Did John find a house in Sydney? They're still at Kenny's. Still? Sonia raised an eyebrow. Well, Kenny and Lily said it's fine, and Mito is helping with the kids. Are you okay with money? Sonia asked bluntly. It's tough, Helen admitted. She drew a breath. Beau didn't get in. Oh, no, Sonia exclaimed. Was he close? I bet he was close. Beau was very smart, the hardest working boy. I shouldn't have favorites, but he is the best, nicer than my son's, Sonia said, then smiled. Then are you going to stay another year?

13:12So, I can't stay. The apartment lease is ending, and we need that deposit back so we can get a place in Sydney. We can't keep relying on Kenny and Lily. Beau missed the test by just a few points, and the counselor said that this year's Sunung was a nightmare. Helen folded her arms and closed her eyes, unable to forget what her son had said after the test results came out. Amma, I want to take it again. I failed you and Appa. I'm sorry. She told him that he hadn't done anything wrong. He had never failed them, but Beau could not be consoled. Her oldest child did not cry or waste more words. He was certain that if he had studied harder, he would have passed.

14:04Acceptance was within his grasp. Three points, maybe four? He did not want all this expense and time to be squandered. How could she say no to a child who wanted to study harder? Helen could not. For her son, passing that test would be his redemption. The boy's apology continued to press down on his mother's brain like a tiny ball of tungsten, a deceptively heavy metal she had once held in her palm in a chemistry class. It doesn't make sense for me to stay here and lease a smaller place. Helen said. Sonia shook her head. She understood. Helen's growing expenses were unsustainable, and how would she ever save for the children's weddings and her own retirement?

14:58Sister, I was wondering. I know the chairman wouldn't like it, but do you think Bo could stay here to take the test again? He'd be at the hagwon most of the time and wouldn't be underfoot. I know it's a big... Sonia had been afraid of this. She felt unable to refuse her little sister, but unable to say yes either, because this was not her house. With her head bowed down, Sonia sat, not saying a word. Never mind, Helen said. She understood. Her sister couldn't ask the chairman. He felt strongly about not allowing anyone outside Yonggil's immediate family to stay overnight. He had never liked Sonia's relatives.

15:42For her sake, he tolerated them. I was thinking of renting a room for Bo. I can't decide if he should stay at a boarding house or a cushy one. I've heard that boarding houses can be terrible about meals, Sonia said, wanting to be helpful. The newer cushy one can be nicer, she said. They're more like motels now than dorms. The rooms are small, but some of them are better run. I can't help you with that. I am sorry about this. You know that if the chairman and my husband weren't so against, we'll be fine, Helen said, feeling foolish. I can help you with the cost, Sonia assured her. Find the best cushy one for him, right next to the hug one.

16:29The boarding houses are often far away and you don't want him to waste time commuting. Just pick the best one. I'll take care of it. I'll check in on him often. I promise. Sonia paused. You look tired, she said. The sweater is pretty, but the lilac color highlights the gray in your hair. You look older than me. Get an appointment and get your roots done. I'm a mean older sister, aren't I? But who else is going to tell you to take care of your looks? Helen touched her head. Her sister was picking on her because she felt bad. Sonia had married a man from a wealthy family, but had quickly learned that none of the family money was hers.

17:13The chairman controlled every decision and expense, and Sonia did everything she could to please him. She nagged or teased only two people in the world, Kenny and Helen. With everyone else, she was detached, her behavior unimpeachable. To everyone else, she appeared flawless. Sonia crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. Why is Beau doing this? It makes no sense. He should be studying in America. He likes being here. He feels closer to the people. He was even thinking of trying to get into military service. Helen said, mystified. Has my favorite nephew lost his mind? My sons would be overjoyed if they didn't have to go through this.

18:05It's crazy enough that Beau wants to take the test again and live in Korea. Do not allow him to give up his American citizenship to do service. I will not allow that, Sonia said sternly. Helen nodded. Sonia glanced at the clock. listen, let's have something to eat now, the chairman will be back soon. Bo failed on his second try, an impossible philosophy passage and a confounding geometry proof, a few points shy. On November 13th, 1996, he took the Sunung for the third time. The day before, after his last Hagwon class had ended, he got in a mostly empty subway car heading to the Yunsei campus and sat in a seat near the back.

19:00Cold, he tried to warm himself by tucking his blue woolen scarf into his faded black parka. If you want to be a Yunsei student, you have to behave like one, Kim teacher, his Hagwon instructor, had told him. Go to the cafes where Yunsei students have their snacks, read the books they read, and inhabit the peace of mind of being an admitted student. Visualize. Draw the picture in your mind. A Sunung wizard who got one of the top scores in the country for his year, Kim Teacher charged an extraordinary tutoring fee, which Bo's aunt Sonia paid. As a bachelor, not yet 40 years old, Kim Teacher earned more than several lawyers and judges combined, and already owned two commercial buildings in Hongdae.

19:49It was rumored that he didn't have to work for money anymore. He just enjoyed teaching. His specialty was retakers, the ones who had not passed on their first or second tries. Kim teacher was convinced that Bo would pass this time. His practice scores were in the safety zone, so he focused on building Bo's mental game. At a corner table by the window of a popular two-story cafe near Shinchon Station that was frequented by students, Bo picked up a discarded copy of a Yonsei literary magazine and read it while drinking his tea. All around him, young men and women huddled together, warming their cold hands on hot coffee cups.

20:34Attractive girls in bold patterned sweaters and jeans discussed politics in hushed tones, ignoring the boys sniffing around them. Beau tried to imagine himself as one of the young men writing in their notebooks or reading. A female student with short, permed hair resembled Izzal, his friend at the Koshiwan who was studying for the civil service exam. The woman was reading The Stranger in French. Bo hadn't had time to read fiction since the summers during high school when he used to read classic European and American novels in English. He'd always imagined himself living and working in Korea, but he also wanted to be the kind of Korean who knew more about the world through books, film, and history.

21:24In less than 24 hours, he would take the Sunung again, and for the past three years, he had done little but sleep, eat, and study for this exam. He had failed a sunung in his last year of high school and then again after graduation and he hoped that tomorrow's sunung would be his last. He felt good about the test this year and ready to put it behind him. Earlier that morning, after class ended, Kim teacher had asked him to stay behind for a moment. Bo stood awkwardly while the teacher remained seated, his long brown face tilted in deep thought. The teacher was unusually tall, with broad shoulders and a square jaw.

22:11Even when he smiled, he looked more like a former professional athlete than a once stellar student from a strawberry farm in Gozhang. You will do very well, Kim teacher pronounced. He handed Bo a paper box filled with a customary taffy. Make the score stick. This is the best yacht in Seoul. Not everyone can get this. Bo smiled his thanks. One more thing, Kim teacher said, digging into his vest pocket to pull out a 501 coin. Take this with you tomorrow. It's a good luck charm from your old teacher. When you get nervous, just touch it. Remember, you're not alone. Think of the millions and millions of students who have taken difficult exams before you.

23:05Now you're part of this group of strugglers. It is good to be examined. A young person should learn and be tested so that he can retain knowledge. Surprised, Beau stared at the coin in his palm. He wouldn't have pegged his teacher as superstitious. My hagwon teacher gave me a coin when I took my test. I passed and got into SNU for the hardest course. A farm boy got a top score, he said laughing. So here I am, training you to take an exam, giving you a coin, and wishing you luck. Bo bowed and thanked him. How are you feeling? The instructor prided himself on checking in with his students. he felt that his personal approach was the reason that his students got their best scores and shook off their past failures.

24:03Bo grinned, staring at the pale blue walls of the large classroom. I'm well, teacher. I believe I've prepared as much as I could. You will have fine luck, too. You deserve it. I guess I haven't had much luck before. Sometimes it isn't just preparation. It's timing, circumstances, and personality. You have good habits, and you did the work, Beau. You're a good person. Go easy on yourself. Make sure you go to sleep early tonight. Tell yourself that the exam is just another practice test. You'll be fine. At the cafe, several tables had cleared out and Bo was alone in his corner. He put down the literary magazine for the next person who might want something to read.

24:58When he went to the cashier to pay the bill, he could feel the worn edge of the 501 coin in his coat pocket. He took the train home and stopped at the grocery store near the Koshi Wan to pick up supplies for dinner. Sonia had selected the best Koshi Wan near Bo's Hogwan, and it rarely had a vacancy because it was so well maintained. But it was still a pay-by-the-week lodging, filled with transient students, day workers, and ghostly figures who came and went. And, of course, it was nothing like home. The kitchen for the residents was a modestly sized rectangular room. There are three rice cookers and three electric kettles on a long white counter by a deep sink and a dish rack.

25:47Residents were required to wash their own dishes. Beau found Izzel at the communal table, her eyes closed with her head propped up on a civil service study guide. An aluminum ramyeon pot with rounded handles simmered on the stove. Izzel wore her usual indoor clothes. Black sweatpants, gray sweatshirt, white ankle socks with black and white plastic slippers. She was bone thin and tiny, and although she was four years Bo senior, she looked like a primary schoolgirl wearing her older brother's clothes. Severely nearsighted, Izzel wore eyeglasses with thick plastic lenses which obscured her lovely small eyes.

26:34Bo had met Izzel in the communal kitchen on his first day at the Koshyuan. Within a week, she'd made a point of sitting him down to tell him that he was nothing like the other residents. You're not a loser like most of us. You'll have a bright future. Keep studying. She had already graduated from Busan National with good marks, but she hadn't been able to get any office jobs. Dejected at the thought of continuing to apply for white-collar positions, she had taken a break for a few months to work as a bartender at a restaurant owned by her aunt, who had borrowed money so that Izzel could study in Seoul for the civil service exam.

27:19Izzel had failed twice already. On her first try, she'd made it to the interview stage, but had caught a severe cold and lost her voice on the day of the interview. Izzel's windowless room was one of the smallest in the Koshy one and she had to share a bathroom on the women's floor. She teased Beau for being a rich kid because he had his own bathroom and a transom window that opened allowing him to get fresh air from the lobby windows. Izzel and Beau had made a deal that whoever passed on the third try would buy the other a beef barbecue dinner. Every day they ate at least one meal together in the third floor kitchen, where they could have as much rice, kimchi, and ramen as they wanted, all supplied by the Koshiwan.

28:09With the allowance that his parents sent, Bo bought eggs, sausages, tofu, and tins of jajang tuna, and he shared his groceries with her, though she ate so little that her intake was hardly noticeable. Whenever her aunt sent her fish or banchan from home, she shared it with him. She called him her little brother. The ramen in the pot burbled over, and Bo hurried to the stove to turn off the gas. Sister, it's done, right? Izzel didn't open her eyes, and he nudged her shoulder gently, feeling the sharp edge of her shoulder blade beneath a thick sweatshirt. He saw that she was sleeping soundly and had forgotten to take off her eyeglasses.

28:57As he removed them from her small face with both hands, Izzel still didn't wake up. Big Uncle, a middle-aged security guard at a downtown bank, peeked into the kitchen. A longtime resident and a kind of mayor of the Goshiwan, he favored Izzel and Bo. Six years ago, after his elderly father died, Big Uncle had moved into one of the back rooms with a bathroom and never saw the point of finding a bigger place of his own. He preferred the bustle of the Koshiwon to the idea of living alone and took great care to remember the birthdays of both residents and staff. On a birthday, he'd buy a red bean bun from his favorite bakery and leave it in the kitchen with a person's name and a smiley face and a heart drawn neatly on the paper bag.

29:51Our little Isel looks tired, Big Uncle said. Maybe we can get Manager Huang to open her room so she can sleep properly. Her neck is going to hurt if she sleeps that way, he said, clucking his tongue. Manager Huang is at the store now. He'll be back in half an hour or so. Sister? Sister? Bo jostled Ishal's shoulder, but got no response. He spotted the familiar green lanyard with her room key in her sweatpants pocket. He turned to Big Uncle. Maybe we can take her ourselves. She must weigh 40 kilos, if that. Big Uncle bent over her chair and scooped up the young woman in his arms like an infant. She weighs less than a small sack of rice, he said with concern.

30:49They both checked that she was breathing. Taking her key, Beau walked ahead of him to open Izzel's door. Having never seen the inside of her room before, he was startled by how small it was, less than half the size of his. She had almost no possessions. The white walls were bare and the sheet of paper size patch of floor immaculate On the clothing rack hung a navy winter coat a black interview suit one white dress shirt and a Burberry scarf that Izzel's aunt had sent last Christmas Every centimeter of her desk was covered with heavy piles of test guides and notebooks Her bed was made and covered with a thick red and green checkered blanket.