[Book Sip] The Ruin of a Family: 'There Were Four'

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

This collection includes 14 short stories filled with extraordinary imagination. Many of them reinterpret hidden issues in contemporary Korean society through the framework of the horror genre. The title story, "Net-i Isseotda" (There Were Four), depicts the destruction of a family trapped in a densely packed apartment complex; "Donghohoe" (The Club) explores the barbaric greed and immorality of the upper class; and "Goemul-ui Anae wa 28cheung-ui Gisa" (The Monster's Wife and the Knight of the 28th Floor) deals with domestic violence and neighborhood disputes.

Net-i Isseotda (There Were Four)

A normal family of four moves into a newly built apartment. However, their middle school son tells a strange story that four men are staring intently at their home from the balcony of the apartment across the way. At first, they try to dismiss it as nothing, but the bizarre appearance of the men staring directly at them makes the head of the family try hard to ignore it. Yet, one of them is coming closer, and the son's sudden fear and the family's strangely twisting dynamics cause the father to feel increasing anxiety.

Sinipsawon (The New Employee)

Seil, who failed 50 job applications before graduating from university, miraculously graduates while working twelve-hour part-time jobs due to his father's sudden death and his mother's illness. His repeated job failures seem inevitable. One day, he is tempted by a job posting he stumbles upon and embarks on his 51st job search. The place he arrives at is a solitary concrete building in a deserted field. Three elderly men are already working there in three shifts, but the nature of their work is extremely suspicious...

Donghohoe (The Club)

Manager Ahn, who works at a large corporation, lives a repetitive and dull life until a traffic accident one evening becomes a turning point. The woman who lightly bumped into his car is shockingly covered in blood and begs for help. Paralyzed by fear, he is advised by a mysterious man who suddenly appears to pretend he saw nothing and let it go as the man snatches the woman away. However, days later, men who witnessed the incident threaten Manager Ahn, saying they will expose everything. Amid his anxiety, he receives a call from the man who took the woman. He makes a certain proposal.

Net-i Isseotda (There Were Four) | Written by Lee Si-woo | Hwanggeumgaji | 380 pages | 13,800 KRW