🇰🇷 Korean Fiction Book Club 📖 Now reading 죽이고 싶은 아이! 🗳️

[HopeWaterfall]

@bibliothecary

In Korea, a total of 89 pets have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs), raising the need to develop an animal vaccine. The COVID-19 virus can infect both animals and humans, but there have been no cases of animal-to-human transmission to date.

I just had a conference talking about this topic this morning! Gorillas, for example, have almost become extinct in nature because of Ebola. This book explores a really interesting scenario!

I’d also love to learn more biology related vocab in Korean. I’m still a long way off from being able to read research papers in Korean, but this can only help!

[bibliothecary]

@HopeWaterfall

I’d also love to learn more biology related vocab in Korean.

It might be worth having a look around for children’s science textbooks and websites if it’s something you’re interested in.

긴긴밤 | L30?? is another children’s book on my TBR which is tangentially related, about the last surviving rhino on earth and its friendship with a penguin, which won a children’s literature award (the book, not the penguin ).

[HopeWaterfall]

@bibliothecary

It might be worth having a look around for children’s science textbooks and websites if it’s something you’re interested in.

I’ll probably do that soon, but I think I still need to improve a bit before that’s actually doable. I plan on reading 유미의 세포들 | L24?? first, since it being a webtoon should make it easier to follow. I tried to read it a while ago, but then I was also struggling with reading anything at all, and obviously the completely new to me biology vocab didn’t help.
From the naver series description: 유미는 지금 무슨 생각을 하고 있을까?
그녀의 머릿속에서 바쁘게 움직이는 세포들 이야기!

[bizoo]

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Book: 서울 사는 외계인들 | L22??
Genre: Young Adult
Length: 256 pages
Is there an ebook available?: yes

Summary - Korean

이 소설은 빼곡한 아파트와 거대한 건물이 둘러싼 작은 주택을 배경으로 펼쳐진다. 마당에는 무화과나무 한 그루가 풍성한 잎을 드리운 이 집에 중학교를 자퇴하고 외톨이로 살아온 열여덟 살 ‘윤사우’가 이사 온다. 여고생 딸을 둔 안주인 ‘찔레꽃 씨’는 나이를 짐작하기 어려울 만큼 젊어 보이는 데다 기품이 있고 신비로운 느낌을 주지만, 사실 그녀는 글을 알지 못한다. 이 둘이 마음을 열고 다가서면서 치유의 기적이 시작되는데….
사우는 어린 시절 학교 교사에게 성추행을 당하고도 주변으로부터 보호나 위로를 받지 못한다. 스스로를 지구에 버려진 ‘외계인’이라 생각하는 사우는 집 창문에 종이를 덕지덕지 붙이고 세상과 단절한다. 성폭력 피해자인 주인공은 기존 청소년소설에서는 보기 드문 캐릭터다. 작가는 사회적 문제를 소설 속으로 끌어들이고 상처 받은 인물을 자신만의 방법으로 보듬는다. 동시에 지금도 유사한 아픔에 시달리는 많은 십대에게 위로를 전하고자 한다.
이 작품에서는 돈과 욕망에 찌든 사람들의 민낯이 그대로 드러난다. 어린 윤사우를 향해 추악한 욕망을 드러낸 교사, 사우의 고통을 떠벌린 어른과 놀리는 아이들, 찔레꽃 씨의 집을 차지하려고 회유와 폭력을 일삼은 일당들…. 사우와 찔레꽃 씨는 세상에서 상처받고 사람 때문에 다친, 각자의 사연을 가지고 살아간다. 그러나 역설적이게도 상처가 있었기에 이 두 사람은 서로의 슬픔과 아픔을 들여다보고 소통하는 일의 소중함을 깨닫는다.

Summary - English

This novel plays out against the backdrop of a small home surrounded by apartments and huge buildings. It’s to this little house with a fig tree in the yard, that 18 year old Yoon Sa-woo moves after dropping out of school and lives alone.

Mrs Wildrose looks deceivingly young but she has a high school aged daughter. Despite the air of mystery and elegance she excudes the truth is that she is illiterate.

As these two become close and open themselves up to one another, they start to heal from their traumas.

Sa-woo experienced sexual harassment from a teacher at school and wasn’t protected or comforted by those around him. Considering himself an alien who has been abandoned on earth, he papers over the windows of his home and cuts himself off from the world. Having suffered sexual violence he’s a rare character in youth literature.

The author uses the novel to explore social issues and the way those that are hurt can be taken care of in their own way. And at the same time conveys a sense of comfort to the many teens who are troubled by similar pain.

In this novel those that are driven by money and greed are laid bare. The teacher that displayed ugly desire towards young Yoon Sa-woo, the adults that gossiped about and kids that teased him about his suffering, and the group that tried to occupy Mrs Wildrose’s house through cajoling and violence. Sa-woo and Mrs Wildrose, as hurt people in the world, each live their own stories. Through their hurt the two come to realise the value in understanding one another’s pain and sadness.

Content warnings if known

Sexual violence

Why are you nominating this book: While the subject matter might seem heavy this is a YA book so I don’t think it’ll be too dark and based on the reviews it seems it’ll have a positive/comforting message. It piqued my interest for tackling an unfamiliar topic within YA, and based on the Migaku stats the vocab is overall pretty high frequency so I think we could get a lot out of it as learners.

[bungakushoujo]

Really happy to see nominations coming in! Just taking a casual mood poll here, how long should we leave nominations open? I know @HopeWaterfall wanted to work through 소리를 보는 소년 first so I don’t want to get too ahead of things here since this club is quite small. Maybe until end of month, then a week long vote, and the start mid-March…?

[bibliothecary]

Sounds good!

I’m technically on week 5 of Week 10 of 소리를 보는 소년 👁👂 Korean Fiction Book Club 🇰🇷, so there’s a chance I can finish just in time to start the next book if I get my act together.

[eefara]

@bungakushoujo

Maybe until end of month, then a week long vote, and the start mid-March…?

Just a small bump from me that, at least according to the initial vibe-check, nominations are still open for the club, and voting for the next book will begin soon!

[bungakushoujo]

@eefara

Just a small bump from me that, at least according to the initial vibe-check, nominations are still open for the club, and voting for the next book will begin soon!

Thank you for bumping this!

@bibliothecary @HopeWaterfall @bizoo - are we all still feeling like we would want to vote and start relatively soonish?

[bibliothecary]

I’m fine with that!

[bizoo]

Yeah I’m good to start whenever

[HopeWaterfall]

I’m okay with that as well

[HopeWaterfall]

Book: 죽이고 싶은 아이 | L26
Genre: Crime, Suspense, Interview
Length: 200
Is there an ebook available?: yes ( and an audiobook)

Summary - Korean

『세계를 건너 너에게 갈게』 작가 이꽃님 신작
“팩트는 중요하지 않아. 사람들이 믿는 게 더 중요하지.”
조각난 진실과 부서진 믿음에 관한 이야기

십 대들의 외롭고 불안한 내면을 따뜻하게 어루만져 주는 작품으로 주목받아 온 이꽃님 작가가 결말을 예측할 수 없는, 놀랍도록 흡인력 있는 작품으로 돌아왔다. 『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 한 여고생의 죽음이라는, 결코 평범하지 않은 이야기를 통해 독자들에게 진실과 믿음에 관한 이야기를 건넨다.

소설의 주인공인 주연과 서은은 둘도 없는 단짝 친구다. 두 사람이 크게 싸운 어느 날, 학교 건물 뒤 공터에서 서은이 시체로 발견되고 가장 유력한 용의자로 주연이 체포된다. 그런데 어찌 된 일인지 주연은 그날의 일이 도무지 기억나지 않는다. 주연은 정말 서은을 죽였을까? 이야기는 주연과 서은에 대해 증언하는 열일곱 명의 인터뷰와 주연의 주변 인물들의 이야기가 교차되는 독특한 방식으로 전개된다. 인터뷰이에 따라 주연과 서은이 어떤 아이였는지, 둘의 관계는 어땠는지가 시시각각 변모해 간다. 반전에 반전을 거듭하며 독자를 혼란에 빠뜨리는 예측 불가능한 전개는 독자들에게 끝까지 책을 손에서 놓지 못하게 하는 엄청난 몰입감을 선사한다.

『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 보이는 대로만 보고 듣고 싶은 말만 듣고 믿고 싶은 것만 믿는 사람들로 가득한 세상이 얼마나 야만적인지를 독자들의 눈앞에 생생하게 펼쳐 보인다. 이꽃님 작가의 전작들이 십 대들에게 건네는 다정한 위로였다면, 『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 십 대들의 곁에 선 작가가 진실이 멋대로 편집되고 소비되는 세상에 던지는 서늘한 경고라고 할 수 있다.

Summary - English

New book from the author of “I will cross the world to you”
“Facts don’t matter, what people believe matters more.”
A story about fragmented truth and shattered faith

Chul Chul-nim, who has been recognized for her warm and heartwarming stories of teenage angst, returns with a surprisingly absorbing novel with an unpredictable ending. "The Child I Want to Kill tells the story of a high school girl’s death, a story that is anything but ordinary, and tells readers a story about truth and faith.

The novel’s protagonists, Joo-yeon and Seo-eun, are best friends. One day, after a big fight, Seo-eun is found dead in a vacant lot behind the school building, and Joo-yeon is arrested as the prime suspect. But for some reason, Joo-yeon can’t remember anything about that day. Did Joo-yeon really kill Seo-eun? The story unfolds in a unique way, with seventeen interviews of people who testify against Joo-yeon and Seo-eun, intercut with the stories of the people around Joo-yeon. Each interview changes the picture of who Joo-yeon and Seo-eun were as children and what their relationship was like. The unpredictable development of the story, with twists and turns that confuse the reader, creates a tremendous sense of immersion that will not let the reader put the book down until the end.

"The Child I Want to Kill vividly reveals the savagery of a world filled with people who see only what they see, hear only what they hear, and believe only what they believe. Whereas her previous books were a tender comfort to teenagers, The Kid I Want to Kill is a chilling warning from an author who has stood beside teenagers in a world where truth is edited and consumed at will.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Content warnings if known

character death, murder investigation

Why are you nominating this book: The topic is a little bit heavy, but it’s also very interesting, and quite deep. I expected that such a topic would have complex vocab, but at least, from what I could read from the preview, it’s a lot easier than 소리를 보는 소년 | L27.
It’s one of the YA books written by famous author 이꽃님, which just makes me want to read it even more. You can check out @lingophile 's review to get a better idea of what the book is like.

[bungakushoujo]

It’s time to vote! Since we have a few book options but not so many members, I would say we all have one vote each for now (subject to change as the club grows)?

Which book would you like to read next as a club?

• 시간 고양이
• 서울 사는 외계인들
• 죽이고 싶은 아이

When should we start?

• Let’s start immediately! (March 11)
• Let’s start soonish (March 18)
• Let’s start later in the month (March 25)
• Other (leave a comment)

[eefara]

A 3-way tie so far. Can’t believe the Korean club’s going to be reading three books at once this time.

[bibliothecary]

The difficulty of being a tiny book club.

[eefara]

You simply need to have a battle royal for who will be the Korean Monarch. Then their votes count for 2.

[bungakushoujo]

Paging @HopeWaterfall to break the tie.

[bibliothecary]

Oh! We have a in leader in the polls…

[bungakushoujo]

@bibliothecary

Oh! We have a in leader in the polls…

Indeed! I am going to leave this poll open until Tuesday just in case it attracts anyone else, but it’s looking like we will end up with 죽이고 싶은 아이!

[bungakushoujo]

I’m going to call it! Looks like we have a winner! I’ll get a thread set up soon