On April 23, 2022, Columbia Fiction Foundry welcomed Frances Cha, author of the critically acclaimed IF I HAD YOUR FACE. Frances’ debut novel, published by Penguin Random House, was named best book of 2020 by NPR, TIME Magazine, USA Today, Bustle, Esquire, New York Post, and InStyle Magazine.

This riveting novel, set in a contemporary South Korea, follows the stories of four young women making their way in a world defined by impossible standards of beauty. The novel explores themes including Korean beauty culture, plastic surgery, friendship, and brutal social hierarchies. 

Frances, a former travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul, grew up in the United States, Hong Kong, and South Korea. A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Columbia University MFA writing program, she has written for The Atlantic, The Believer, and the Yonhap News Agency, among others, and has lectured at Columbia University, Ewha Womans University, Seoul National University, and Yonsei University.

Frances joined Columbia Fiction Foundry to discuss the book and its path to publication. See a recording of the event on CFF’s YouTube channel.

Buy the book here.