Midnight Timetable by Bora Chung (2023)

Bora Chung’s latest novel is an intriguing collection of ghost stories that harken back to the tradition of tales told in the dead of night to curious listeners. Set in an isolated research lab, the stories revolve around a junior security staff member who takes the night watch along with a senior employee. As they patrol the lab, the senior staff member regales the narrator with spine-chilling accounts of previous security and janitorial staff’s encounters with supernatural beings and objects that call the lab home.

The lab, it turns out, is no ordinary research facility. It houses a range of supernatural creatures and objects with a penchant for causing mischief and mayhem. The stories shared by the senior employee are filled with eerie experiences and the consequences of foolish interactions with these entities. These tales serve as a warning to those who dare to meddle with the otherworldly inhabitants of the lab.

One of the stories tells of Sook, a cleaning lady who encountered a mysterious man in a suit within the lab. He warned her not to enter a specific part of the building, and she wisely heeded his advice. When Sook followed his instructions, she found herself inexplicably transported to the garage where she needed to be. In contrast, another employee named Chan ignored the suited man’s warning and ventured into the garage on his motorcycle. He soon found himself lost in an infinite highway tunnel, where he encountered a series of bizarre events, including sinister phone calls and a voice asking if he wanted a coffin. Ultimately, Chan narrowly escaped, but the experience was deeply unsettling.