허주은
JUNE (JU EUN) HUR
‘Hur’ pronounced ‘her’
June Hur is an Edgar Award-winning author of bestselling YA historical novels, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, and The Red Palace. Her books are often described as "Historical K-dramas in book form." Born in Incheon, South Korea, June spent her formative years in the US and Canada, with a brief return to Korea during high school. She pursued a double-major in History and Literature at the University of Toronto and also worked for the Toronto Public Library from 2011 to 2019.
Since debuting as an author in 2020, June has gained recognition for her literary contributions. According to a reviewer for the School Library Journal, June’s works have “broaden[ed] her readers’ understanding of the culture” and her “Joseon mysteries are groundbreaking." She and her works have been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC, KBS, The Korea Herald, Dong-a Ilbo, among others.
June considers each of her books to be love letters to Korean history and an opportunity to research more about her Korean roots. Her books so far have covered historical events from the Korean Catholic Persecution of 1801 (신유박해) to the human tribute system, and historical figures such as Crown Prince Sado and King Yeonsangun. Currently, June resides in Toronto with her husband and two kids. She can be spotted browsing the shelves at libraries or writing in coffee shops.
