Joheun Lee author page

Joheun Lee biography

Joheun Lee is a children’s author and Korean-to-English literary translator from Korea. Alongside her writing and translation work, she has worked professionally as a UX designer. She was selected for the National Centre for Writing’s 2023–24 Emerging Translator Mentorships programme, where she was mentored in Korean translation by Clare Richards, and completed a National Centre for Writing residency in Norwich in 2025.

Lee has translated Korean fiction into English, including Lee Heejoo’s Holy Boy, published by Picador in February 2026, and Amil’s The Forest Called You, published by Harvill Secker in June 2026. The latter is a speculative novel set in a future Korea and follows high-school student Soop and K-pop idol Yichae.

Her first children’s series, K-Pop Spirit Academy, is published by Farshore, an imprint of HarperCollins, and illustrated by Silvia Brunetti. The first book was published in May 2026. It follows shy singer Sanha as she arrives at an idol training academy and discovers that the school also trains its pupils to fight supernatural monsters. Sanha joins fellow students Kenny, Jo and Lia as they learn both K-pop performance and monster-slaying skills.

Farshore has announced four books in the K-Pop Spirit Academy series. The second, K-Pop Spirit Academy: Mayhem at the Mall, again illustrated by Silvia Brunetti, is scheduled for UK publication on 5 November 2026.