Lee Mirinae (Korean: 이미리내) is a South Korean writer from Seoul. She is known for her debut novel 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster. It is the first novel by a Korean author to win the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing in fiction, and the first novel by a Korean author to be longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.
Writing Lee is the author of 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster, published in 2023 by HarperCollins. The book is inspired by her great-aunt, one of the oldest women to have escaped alone from North Korea. It was originally written in English and has been published in more than 10 different countries.
Awards and honors TitleYearAwardResultRef.8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster2024William Saroyan International Prize for WritingWonWomen's Prize for FictionLonglistedWilbur Smith Adventure Writing PrizeLonglisted2025Prix du roman FnacLonglisted
Personal life Lee lives in Hong Kong with her family.. Mirinae Lee was born and raised in South Korea. Mirinae lives in Hong Kong with her husband and children.
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