[A Sip of Books] "Men Have Lived Indifferently to That Bad Custom for Decades"

Entered That Man's House

Some sentences encapsulate the entire content of the book itself, while others instantly resonate with the heart, creating a connection with the book. We introduce such meaningful sentences excerpted from the book. - Editor's note

Jiseong, a successful literary critic and political commentator, spends a night with Minju, a longtime colleague and a poet beloved by the public, and then receives a confession of love from Minju. However, Jiseong rejects those feelings, and later Minju accuses Jiseong of being a MeToo perpetrator and takes her own life. Jiseong, who does not clearly remember what happened that day, experiences a sudden downfall despite his career as a critic, now becoming the subject of criticism himself. The author persistently delves into the hidden realities and invisible human inner worlds, revealing the multi-layered human psyche. Through a story full of twists and turns, the author questions readers about good and evil, right and wrong, and the issue of guilt and innocence.

"Minju does not love me. He leaned one arm on a spear and moved his neck side to side. Minju’s love. Who would believe that? Minju is a species that loves everything visible. Carrying numerous illnesses like depression, borderline personality disorder, and panic disorder, he lunges at the creatures he meets as if to devour them. Jiseong found Minju, who seemed to pour his life onto others, burdensome and ominous. Love? To declare one’s feelings like a noble sitting upright, commanding in front of everyone? What on earth am I supposed to do? I know that if I reach out my hand, he will pull me in, enjoy the moment, and then throw me away like trash. How could I possibly hold that hand?"

“Look closely. The one trapped is you, hyung. You are trapped in scholarship. I am the one truly living. You need to escape that trap. What’s so important about words and writing? The body that breathes, speaks, and moves right now?that’s you, isn’t it? That’s the existence you love so much. This woman who reveals her heart to you so vividly!”

Minju pounded her chest with one hand and raised her voice.

“This woman who dares to overcome shame and pour out her true feelings is more alive!”

"Touching a woman’s body without consent and treating it as one’s own is clearly a crime and violence. It should be classified as violence and punished. Jiseong fully agrees with this. However, regarding past actions, it is not so simple. Men have lived for decades taking such bad customs lightly. If social norms have rapidly changed, shouldn’t there be some opportunity to catch up with that pace of change? Shouldn’t there be a period for recognizing what was not considered a crime before as a crime and for rehabilitation? If the only ways to atone for large and small criminal acts that were once dismissed as toughness or aggression are death or social exile, and if one must live the rest of their life as trash after losing all social status and being stigmatized, who would admit to being a sex offender and try to atone?"

(Written by Jeong Aeun / Munye Publishing)