The article consecutively examines the evolution of main themes in South Korean fiction since the foundation of the Republic of Korea until the present time. The author outlines three major periods of its development set in historical context: first, the appearance of new themes and problematics in national fiction after Liberation (1945-1951); second, the trauma of Korean war and its overcoming (1951-the first part of the 1960s); third, gradual decline of political and ideological themes, writers are getting more interested in individual life and personal issues of their characters (from the 1970s until today). Special attention is given to the transformation of the topic of family that historically played an important role in Korean worldview as well as in classical literature. The article concludes with the overview of the most recent trends in South Korean fiction's themes such as the future of consumer society, feminism, the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on human life.