The Midnight Shift is a 2021 novel by South Korean author Cheon Seon-Ran.
Publication history The novel was originally published in Korean in 2021. An English translation, translated by Gene Png, was released in August 2025.
Themes In an interview with Mochi, Cheon stated that "above all, I focused on the aspect of vampires as ‘long-lived beings.’ To live a long life, I believe, is to find that all sorrows eventually become the same," adding that the novel was inspired by a trip she took to Mont-Saint-Michel in France, where "I stared out into the dim landscape and felt certain that somewhere out there was a vampire — a solitary being who had lived for an impossibly long time. I wrote in my diary: ‘France, vampire. Must write.’"
Critical reception Publishers Weekly gave the novel a positive review, saying that "though the worldbuilding occasionally feels inconsistent, Cheon’s nuanced exploration of loneliness and isolation resonates. K-drama fans, especially those drawn to moody supernatural thrillers and complex, character-driven plots, will eagerly devour this genre-blurring tale." Ian Mond of Locus wrote that the novel "never feels like a vampire novel, but rather a nuanced, compassionate meditation on loneliness, family, loyalty, and love."
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