★ A shocking work that confronts the social issue of child abuse head-on: This is Jo Su-kyung's second full-length novel, following Whenever I See the Morning, I Think of You. Inspired by the Pyeongtaek child murder and secret burial case, the novel asks: When a child suffers abuse, loses their life, and disappears from the world—what is the task left for us?

★ A multi-perspective group portrait that reflects every ordinary person who "looks away": The book is divided into two parts. Part One tells the stories of children trapped in the blind spots of the system, waiting for rescue. Part Two depicts the adults surrounding the abused children. Most of the adults in the book have no full names: Mr. Kim, the neighbour who notices something wrong but doesn't want trouble and pretends not to know; Ms. Jung, the kindergarten teacher who has contact with an abused child for three months but dares not call the police; Mr. Choi, the witness who walks past a homeless child with indifference. They are us—ordinary people who, consciously or unconsciously, look away from the problem of child abuse.

★ A reader rating of 9.2, generating broad social resonance: Passages from the book strike straight at the heart: "The seniors sometimes say the world has gotten much better. But that change wasn't brought about by adults. It was bought with the lives of dead children. It always takes a child dying for the world to change, little by little." "For some children, home is a grave." The author writes in the preface: "May the most fragile lives be protected… May the children's waiting not be too long."

"May the most fragile lives be protected. Cruel news always breaks the heart, but there are still people in their own corners offering small kindnesses that keep us going. If everyone looked at what is around them, would the world get better? Many children are still waiting for rescue. May the children's waiting not be too long." — From the Author

Following her near-future novel set against the backdrop of the legalisation of euthanasia, which posed the heavy question of "what is a truly comfortable life" through the story of those forced to choose death, this is Jo Su-kyung's second full-length novel. The work sharply criticises Korean society: child abuse cases erupt one after another, yet legal revisions lag behind, and an effective prevention mechanism has yet to be established.

Inspired by the Pyeongtaek child murder and secret burial case, the novel asks: When a child suffers abuse, loses their life, and disappears from the world—what is the task left for us? The adults in the book only acquire full names once they begin to take action for the children. This reminds everyone: In the face of a departed child's life, no one can remain at ease. We bear the responsibility and obligation to build a better society.

The book is divided into two parts. Part One tells the stories of children trapped in the blind spots of the system, waiting for rescue. Part Two depicts the adults surrounding the abused children.

The story focuses on Yu-na, Yu-mi, and Ji-yu, who live in the same neighbourhood. Yu-na loses her older sister Han-na to their parents' violence, is locked in a storage room, survives on tap water, and cannot attend school. Yu-mi, used as a money-making tool by her YouTube-blogger father in early childhood, is completely abandoned after starting school. Ji-yu, only sixteen months old, gradually loses the ability to express her needs under her mother's neglect. In a society where the child protection system reacts sluggishly, they receive help from another child who has escaped from an illegal infant adoption and human trafficking operation, and they support one another.

Most of the adults in the book have no full names: Mr. Kim, the neighbour who notices something wrong but does not want trouble and pretends not to know; Ms. Jung, the kindergarten teacher who has contact with an abused child for three months but dares not call the police; Mr. Choi, the witness who walks past a homeless child with indifference. They are us—ordinary people who, consciously or unconsciously, look away from the problem of child abuse.

Young-jun, who works part-time at a convenience store while preparing for the civil service exam, quietly watches over the homeless children who come into the store—he is the central figure who saves Yu-na, Yu-mi, Ji-yu, and the others. Su-yeon, a former victim of child abuse, decides to search for her sister's remains while setting out to rescue the children who are still alive. The two join forces to track down where the children are hiding, proving that small indifference can lead to tragedy, and that small acts of attention, gathered together, can also stop it.

Passages from the book: "The seniors sometimes say the world has gotten much better. But that change wasn't brought about by adults. It was bought with the lives of dead children. It always takes a child dying for the world to change, little by little." "For some children, home is a grave."

Jo Su-kyung

Novelist and freediving enthusiast. Made her literary debut in 2013 through the Seoul Shinmun New Year Literary Contest.

Short story collection: Everything Has Broken
Novels: Whenever I See the Morning, I Think of You, After They Disappeared, A Night in Málaga

Personal wishes: to travel to Africa to participate in wildlife conservation and live out her life in nature; realistically, she hopes to become an old woman who faithfully volunteers at a community animal rescue centre. Most importantly, she hopes to keep writing until the very last moment of her life.

The Incident

Part One
The Girl
The Infant
The Child
Yu-na

Part Two
No. 301, Mr. Kim
Kindergarten Teacher Jung
Team Leader Ryu, Child Protection Agency
YouTuber K
Part-Timer Oh
Witness Choi
Unwed Mother Kang
Expectant Mother Shin