1.
A job that is neither happy nor unhappy
2.
Living as myself
3.
Still life
4.
irreversible
5.
Dog-like days
6.
Spring Day
7.
Ginkgo House
8.
wall
9.
Blind corner

100 million won prize, 2012 World Literature Award winner

A "human story" with an understanding of humanity and emotion.
A well-made novel with a sense of volume that lingers for a long time.

In 2012, the 8th World Literature Award winner, “The Man Who Walks the Dog,” was published.
"The Man Who Walked His Dog" is about a man who lost his job as a successful consultant due to a momentary mistake, but dreams of turning his life around when he starts walking his luxury pet dog, "Lama."


The judges (Park Beom-shin, Bang Hyeon-seok, Seo Yeong-chae, Eun Hee-kyung, Kim Hyeong-kyung, Kim Mi-hyeon, and Kim Byeol-ah) commented on this work, saying, “It is a human novel that warmly depicts the healing scenes that wounded beings create even in defeat,” and “It is a novel that has understanding and emotions about humanity, and the characters’ constant challenges and defeats work as pathos and move people.”
Additionally, methodologically, it was evaluated as a 'well-made' novel as it developed the story economically without wasting language or plot.


The winner, Jeon Min-sik, worked as a day laborer and ghostwriter while writing novels in his spare time. He was rejected nine times in the final round of various literary awards before finally being selected for the award.


The author said that the idea for this work came to him after seeing a photograph in the New York Times showing a man being dragged by five dogs in the middle of a city.
The experiences of a society where the basic necessities of life, such as the four major insurances, were not guaranteed at all served as the foundation for creating a moving story that resonates deeply with the heart through imagination rooted in reality.


A life with no exit, is this how it ends?
“I wanted to ask about the 99% breakthrough, not the 1%.”

'Im Do-rang' was once a promising top employee at a successful consulting firm.
He is living a life worse than a dog after being fired from his company for leaking information to his girlfriend, who was an industrial spy.
He works part-time as a grill cleaner for 25,000 won a day, and on weekends, he works as a surrogate, helping someone live a fake life.
The opportunity finally comes to him.
I was given the job of walking the world's most expensive dog, a llama, whose price is equivalent to the price of a luxury apartment in Gangnam.
The part-time job pay is comparable to a large company salary, and the single owner of the dog is secretly staring at him.
If only I could connect with her… … .


In this way, this work portrays the vain desires of modern people who struggle to escape the shackles of reality that cannot be escaped with just honesty and sincerity, which are considered modern virtues.
And on the other side of the sandcastle of desire, the shadow depicts the scene of wounded people silently enduring the violence of life and comforting each other, showing us what we truly need to protect in life.

The author said of this work, “It’s a story about the 99%, not the 1%,” and wanted to ask, “Is it okay for the lives of 99% of people to flow like this? What is the breakthrough?”


Recently, novels that deal with the chaos of life and daily life, featuring social losers as protagonists, are common.
The reason this work stands out among them is not simply because it reflects the harsh realities of the times, but because the heartwarming resistance of a man who has fallen into the abyss succeeds in eliciting human empathy and heartwarming emotions.


"Are there truly losers in our society? It seems that 99% of people, excluding the 1%, are losers due to structural problems in society.
However, I wrote the novel because I believed that there would be a way for most people to live with dignity and respect without compromising with reality.”
- During an interview with the author

What wounded beings create in defeat
A heartbreaking healing landscape

The virtue of this work lies, above all, in its warm portrayal of the lives of the underprivileged, hidden in the shadows of the city's skyscrapers, not only as frustrating but also as a true scene of healing.

Days with no exit.
Even in those days when you don't know how far you will fall, love and friendship are born.
And they are all wounded people.
This work depicts the healing landscape created by such wounded beings without being overly dramatic.

Mihyang, who supports her grandmother and younger sibling while working in restaurants, bars, and as a cashier, is tempted by many men, but she never sells out her love.
Samson, who lost his wife and two children, runs a suicide prevention club (though it is often mistaken for a suicide club due to the high number of suicides) based on his fourth-dimensional belief that all dimensions are connected.
Eun-ju, who dreamed of an ideal marriage by creating a fake family, eventually chooses suicide, and her younger brother, who turned away from reality and ran away to India, attempts to cross the Sahara Desert on foot alone.

In this way, this work lovingly reflects on the joys and sorrows of human beings who bravely endure the life that lies before them with their own 'fortress' even in the midst of a difficult and bitter reality, and realistically and honestly depicts the extremely human, mean, and fatal inner wanderings of one man, piercing to the very core.

The judges' evaluation that it is a "human-smelling novel" is because it allows us to look into the truth of life by giving each different life its own meaning, and also asks about the meaning of "living" by capturing the dark corners of human history with a compassionate gaze.


“Where are you going?”
"you?"
“I am beautiful.
“There are many places to come.”
Mihyang smiled.
The morning glow seeped over her lips, making them glow red.
It was the first time I didn't feel sad about losing my job and my place to sleep.
But where to go?
- From the text

The moment I thought it was all over,
Life begins again

It is no coincidence that the Tibetan lion dog 'Lama', who is most loyal to his owner, appears in this work.
The Tibetan Lion Dog is a dog that 'reads human impure intentions' and a dog that 'reads human feelings'.
Even when the 'ditch' is at the bottom, he takes care of the dogs with all his heart and sincerity, and when he cleans the grill, the picky dog ​​opens its heart to him and follows him willingly.
And when 'Dorang' harbors ill will towards the dog's mistress and becomes disillusioned with his vain dreams, the dog runs away as if it had been waiting for him.


At the end of selfish love, a dizzying fall awaits, and at the end of vain desire, a collapse like a sand castle awaits, but at the end of that abyss of life, hope like a wildflower grows again.
The moment you think it's all over, life begins again.


In this way, this work rhythmically transforms the worldview that “life is a continuation of light and darkness” through the flight and fall, desire and frustration of a capable young man who worked as a consultant, and hints at a new beginning through the love that blooms even in despair.
And a breakthrough based on excessive desire can easily collapse, and the real breakthrough may be to be faithful to the present life, and gradually realize that the person you must love to death is not outside, but inside.


This work is far removed from the techniques of modern literature that provide a kind of shock therapy through cynical jokes or groundbreaking descriptions.
Like a city walker, the slow but uncluttered, calm yet honest and dignified description stands out quietly as a rare rarity.

It leaves an indelible afterimage, like classical literature that lingers long after the book is closed.


“Don’t you want to go home? You’re going to get rained on?”
“Mihyang has also decided to leave our office for the time being.
I'm getting quite a few calls asking if the flyers are effective.
I think I'm going to be a bit busy.
I'm also thinking about starting a dog walking business like I mentioned before.
Get on quickly.
“It’s raining so hard that the roads are blocked.”
I walked towards the passenger seat.
Mihyang fell backwards.
As soon as I got into the passenger seat, Samson turned the car around.
I found Mihyang's hand and held it.

- From the text