Review of Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, Translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort

Hi fiction lover! I was walking around Target one day and saw a very interesting-looking book in the YA section, titled Snowglobe by Soyoung Park. Once I finished my current read, I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle and began my adventure through the frozen wastelands slash the idyllic streets of Snowglobe itself. Having studied in Korea for almost a full year, and even taking a class about Korean translation, I was drawn to this book and knew it would be right up my alley. Here is my review of Snowglobe by Soyoung Park (translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort). 

The Premise

The world has plunged into an Ice Age after a serious climate change disaster, and so most of the world lives in towns like Chobahm’s, where people are forced to work in a power plant for ten hours a day, generating electricity by running in human-sized hamster wheels. The only break from this monotonous life is a 24-hour TV program that comes from Snowglobe. In Snowglobe, actors and directors live in a climate-controlled city of warmth and color. In exchange for their privacy, the actors live lives of comfort and entertain the rest of the world through various programs. In Chobahm’s case, she watches a famous actress Goh Haeri and is obsessed with her reality show—not to mention, they bear a striking resemblance. 

When Goh Haeri dies mysteriously, Haeri’s director, Director Cha, offers Chobahm a chance to take her place. After all, no one will be able to tell them apart. Even though Chobahm dreams of becoming a director, taking the place of a megastar actress might just be her ticket in. And the life of Snowglobe, with its comforts and glamor, offers an escape from her current situation in the power plant. 

As Chobahm takes Haeri’s place, she finds out that Snowglobe has a dark underbelly, one that will make it not so easy for her to adjust to life as Haeri. As she experiences a plethora of luxuries for the first time, she also must uncover the secrets that Haeri was hiding. 

My Review of Snowglobe by Soyoung Park

Firstly, I want to talk about the ten hours a day on the hamster wheel. I can’t even make an hour on the treadmill, so I can only imagine how hard this is for Chobahm and her family. There is a moment on the “hamster wheel” when Chobahm finds escape in the Snowglobe programming. I can totally relate to that! There are many times when I escape through watching my favorite show. Some I realize are my “comfort shows,” which I fall back on in hard times—for example, In the SOOP or ONE DREAM.TXT. I can totally relate to Chobahm admiring Haeri and living through her vicariously. 

I love the relationship between Chobahm and her brother, Ongi. They care for each other greatly and manage to find moments of joy even when trying to survive the wasteland in negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a shame that they have to part ways, but Chobahm definitely keeps him in mind while navigating her new life in Snowglobe. 

When Chobahm receives the offer to replace Haeri, there is already the sense that Director Cha is hiding something really big. I won’t spoil what happens after the offer, but let’s say that there is something that involves an airplane and a hatch, and another poor actor. Director Cha obviously isn’t someone to be trusted, but Chobahm tries her best to comply. After all, her dream of becoming a director is on the line.

I have to admit, just like Chobahm, I was drawn into the glamor of Snowglobe. Chobahm charms an athlete and goes on dates that she could only dream of before. There is also the handsome Bonwhe, the son of the Snowglobe founding family, and he hides several secrets with the original Haeri. Chobahm is well respected and loved as the new weathercaster, where she picks out balls to decide what the next day’s forecast for Snowglobe will be. I found the whole system of Snowglobe interesting, where even the police aren’t allowed free access to the director’s tapes. That’s how much Snowglobe values the footage making it out to the rest of the world with the discretion of the director. And that’s how one of the shows ended up featuring a serial killer, who ended up landing back in Chobahm’s town. 

Chobahm’s character is determined and strong willed, much to the combined admiration and disdain of Director Cha. I love how Chobahm wants to chase a dream that she managed to preserve even in the horrible living conditions of her hometown. For instance, she continues to apply for the role of director even though she fails multiple times. But how far is she willing to go for this dream? And how much of her admiration for Haeri will both aid her in Snowglobe but also blind her from its harsh realities? 

I thoroughly enjoyed Snowglobe and will definitely be reading the second book of its duology. I love anything that compares itself to The Hunger Games, which was the series that fully transported me to the wonders of YA. Check out my blog if you’d like to see more reviews, and thank you for joining me for my review of Snowglobe by Soyoung Park!