Why do I like this book so much? It appeals to me because it is straightforward. It depicts the true face of South Korea, and I think that every k-pop fan should read it. Believe me, there is no Oppas who will give you whatever you want. You must put yourself on solid ground and read this book.
Cho Nam - Joo created a story about a woman who, according to others, is "losing it." I'm not a big fan of 'feminist' books, but this one is excellent. It's difficult to be someone you're not when you don't have your own 'voice.' The author demonstrates how parents, men, and teachers (most of whom are men) idolize boys. It is abhorrent to deny girls opportunities at work, in schools, and even in their "own home." South Korea - a patriarchal society.
Here are some excerpts from the book that stuck with me:
Page 36 - i really liked the quote highlighted with brown.
"Number one of the roster was a boy, everything began with the boys, and that welt like the right, natural thing. Boys lined up first, boys led every procession no matter where they were headed, boys gave their presentations first, and boys had their homework checked first while the girls quietly waited their turn, bored, sometimes relieved that they weren't going first, but never thinking this was a strange practice. Just as we never question why men's national registry numbers begin with a '1' and women's begin with a '2'.
Page 39 - quote that every Korean will say
"See this here. This is Seoul. It's just a dot. A dot. We all of us are living in this tiny, cramped dot. You may not get to see all of it, but I want you to know: it's a wide world out there"
Page 51 - when I read this I thought: can they really cure cancer?
"You are right. In a world where doctors can cure cancer and do heart transplants, there isn't a single pill to treat menstrual cramps."
Page 84 - I kinda liked that quote
"What do you want from us? The dumb girls are too dumb, the smart girls are too smart, and the average girls are too unexceptional?"
There's so much more, but I don't wanna be too long.
Thank you so much for reading and I suggest you to read this book as well.
It gets 5 /5 stars from me.
Wish you all happy summer holidays and see you in my next blog post!
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