Draft:A Mirror for The Blind : Reflections of a Digital Seoul

  • Comment: Note that Kirkus Indie is not a jury and does not count as a reliable source (it is paid coverage). asilvering (talk) 23:59, 10 January 2024 (UTC)
A Mirror for The Blind : Reflections of a Digital Seoul
AuthorJeong Mu
TranslatorMark Allen Brazeal
CountryRepublic of Korea
LanguageEnglish
GenreLiterary Fiction Contemporary Fiction
Published2023
PublisherMETRIC
Publication date
May 26, 2023
Published in English
September 7, 2023
ISBN979-1-19820-023-5

"A Mirror for The Blind: Reflections of a Digital Seoul" is a novel by Jeongmu, first published in South Korea on May 25, 2023.[1] The work was translated into English and published through Amazon in September of the same year, gaining attention for receiving a "GET IT" verdict from the jury at KIRKUS REVIEWS.[2][3]

Subsequently, in November, it was reissued in South Korea as a revised and expanded edition. In December, it was selected as an IndieReaderApproved book and was also named one of the best independent publications of 2023 by KIRKUS REVIEWS.[4][5]

"1. Looks, 2. Personality, 3. Educational background, 4. Job, 5. Assets, 6. Parents' occupation... Am I marriage material with these perfect hexagon?" "I'd like an evaluation of the specifications of a person I'm considering marrying. At this level, who is more of a loss?"

Plot Summary

The story begins with Youngbaek Kim, a five-year associate at a major domestic manufacturing company, squeezing into the last spot of an elevator. The protagonist, Youngbaek, feels a peculiar sense of pleasure as he watches the person who called the elevator from afar retreat in disappointment, unable to get on. Starting with this ordinary yet thematically significant opening scene, the story unfolds through the perspectives of the characters surrounding him, exchanging feelings of relief and deprivation.

It depicts the repetition of the imposition of uniformity and the obsession with normality from teenage years to the entire lifespan. In this process, the novel sharply criticizes societal pressures that encourage conformity, the influence of social media, and influencers, while tenderly unraveling the narratives of the characters within.

Main Characters

  • Youngbaek Kim: A five-year associate at P Company, the second-largest company in South Korea by market capitalization.
  • Inyoung Choi: A public servant in South Korea.
  • Dongju Lee: A program developer at M Company, the largest company in South Korea by market capitalization.
  • Jiyoung Kim: Youngbaek Kim's colleague, a manager at P Company.
  • Val-You (Poverty Therapist): A content creator who left P Company after serving as a manager.

Reference List

  1. ^ Jeong, Ui-Jun (2023-05-27). "METRIC, newly released novel 'A Mirror for The Blind' officially published". Seoul Economic Network TV. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  2. ^ "A Mirror for The Blind : Reflections of a Digital Seoul - A moving and meditative account of the crushing demands of Korean careerism". KIRKUS REVIEWS. 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  3. ^ Seo, M.U. (2023-11-14). "[A sip of a book] "Please evaluate the specs of the person I'm marrying."". The Asia Business Daily. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  4. ^ "At once foreign and familiar, Jeong Mu's A MIRROR FOR THE BLIND provides keen insight into both the traditional and technological forces weighing on young adults in modern South Korea". IndieReader. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  5. ^ "December 15, 2023: Volume XCI, No. 24, p. 153". KIRKUS REVIEWS. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
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