Eco-friendly waterproof paper spaceship 05
Cup ramen should never be blown up 29
Ant Man and Angel 49
If we were titmouses, 69
Like a Hummingbird 87
Spotted Umbrella Ghost 107
Author's Note 126
Review 128

“Speak quickly.
“Whose body do you want to enter?”
“I don’t want to go in.
“Who are you, sir?”

The title piece, "Cup Ramen Should Never Blow Up," is a uniquely styled work that densely covers a mere five-minute incident that takes place at a convenience store in front of an academy.
The protagonist, Osulgi, is about to take a level test, so she carefully chooses today's ramen more than ever before and stands in front of the microwave.
I use the microwave every day, but something feels different, and at that moment, a man wearing a fishing hat pulled down low and slurping down a chewy rice cake speaks.
“Just 3 minutes!” This man, who offers to let you live as someone else for the three minutes it takes for the microwave to run, is said to be a fairy who randomly visits children who have used the same microwave more than a thousand times.
But unfortunately, Osulgi doesn't really have any desire to enter anyone's body.
For some reason, the breathless argument between the desperate microwave fairy and the twelve-year-old Osulgi, who, no matter how hard she tries, finds the place she's currently in the most adorable place, is hilarious.
Osulgi, a child with a realistic yet warm attitude toward herself and others, can truly be considered the image of a new generation of children.
Critic Song Su-yeon says this about author Kim Ji-wan's perspective in bringing these characters into the story.

“Writer Kim Ji-wan’s stories do not overlook the fact that our current reality has ‘crushed and flattened’ children’s voices, but they move forward without being held back by that fact.
Because that's how our kids always go about it.
“Those who have put aside their own knowledge and observed children for a long time cannot help but discover the love they radiate for themselves, their infinite possibilities, and the sparkle of moments.”

“There is nothing wrong with that.”
A low voice appeared, holding a large umbrella with a spotted pattern on a light yellow background.

Another work worth noting is “The Spotted Umbrella Ghost” included at the end.
One day, when it was raining heavily, Jeong So-jeong meets the 'spotted umbrella ghost' that her friend Yoon Bo-ri had told her about.
It is a ghost that hides among adults holding a spotted umbrella, makes a child confess one of his or her mistakes, and then swallows the child whole.
However, the voice of the spotted umbrella ghost that I actually encountered was strangely calm.
Jeong So-jeong walks in the rain under a large umbrella, asking questions one by one that have been on her mind.
The story finally reaches the funeral of her mother, which had been etched in Jeong So-jeong's mind, and the spotted umbrella ghost speaks in a firm voice.
“Whatever Jeong So-jeong says, it cannot be wrong.
“It is not wrong for children to try to be happy or to do their best not to be sad.” Critic Song Su-yeon pointed out that this sentence contains a sufficient answer to the question of what a fairy tale is and what fairy tales of our time should say to children.


The vibrant and beautiful colors and compositions of the paintings that accurately express the emotions of the characters expressed by artist Kim Ji-hyung are the perfect body for “Cup Ramen Should Never Blow Up.”
There are scenes that are pleasing to the eye with a light and refreshing touch, such as the mysterious friendship between Jiyu and Niningchi in "Eco-Friendly Waterproof Paper Spaceship," and the expression of Kiminhoon in "Antman and Angel" who is suddenly overcome by tremors one day. There are also pictures that deeply stir our hearts, such as the small lights of Woojoo and Yang Eunseok standing in the VR experience room, and the kind eyes of the robot bird Titi.

Full Moon Library 100: A Literary Magnitude Centered on Children
100th cheer for countless newborns

"Cup Ramen Should Never Blow Up" is also the 100th book in the Munhakdongne upper grades fairy tale series "Full Moon Library," which began in 2002.
The Full Moon Library houses works that have become important landmarks of Korean children's literature, such as Kim Ryeo-ryeong's "A Seahorse Lives in My Heart," Lee Yeong-seo's "A House Playing with Books," Han Yun-seop's "Harriet," Song Mi-gyeong's "The Stone-Eating Child," Eun So-hol's "Lane 5," and Ruri's "The Long Night."
With the publication of “Cup Ramen Should Never Blow Up,” author Ji-Wan Kim sent a letter to readers, a message from the author.
This wish is not limited to this book, but can be said to be the wish of children's literature itself.

“If you put this book on your bookshelf, the letters in the book will come together every night to create a new spell.
So that sad children are less sad, lonely children are less lonely, angry children are honest
So that it can be done.
Sarasara siri siri sorosoro motja motja aeri ri ni ja ja ja ja… … I hope that the countless new letters that are being born can cheer on the countless new children that are being born.”_Kim Ji-wan

Short story introduction

Eco-friendly waterproof paper spaceship
Who knew you could make a round cat house like this using origami?
Before Jiyu's surprise could even fade, Niningchi's even more surprising confession followed.
"I come from a distant planet called Mukhasanskar."
One orange afternoon, two children recognized the stones in each other's hearts.


"Cup ramen should never be blown up."
Knock! The wooden chopsticks split exactly in half.

It was a lucky day.

“It’s strange how I crave sweet and salty noodles during exam periods.”

Ant Man and Angel
Do people die just because they were bitten by an ant? They die.
Because ants are my allergen.
"mom.
"Does anyone feel good because they feel sorry for him?"
The thrilling 5th-dimensional purple wave that followed the dizzying experience

"If we were titmouses"
It seemed like Yang Seok had decided to hate me now.
Is it weird that I like Yang Eun-seok?
Is it inevitable that everyone in the world will break up someday?
My good and smart bird always gives me the right answer.

Like a Hummingbird
Kang Min-jun, the smallest kid in the class, enrolled in Kickers!
Will Kang Min-jun's height surpass Oh Tae-yang's during summer vacation?
Ugh! Suddenly, a strong sandstorm blows into the playground.
“Did my brother call me?”

The Spotted Umbrella Ghost
If that ghost comes to get me on a rainy day... ...I'll have to say something.
At that moment, a large umbrella is placed over Jeong So-jeong's head.
A yellow background with spotted patterns like Dalmatian often featured.
“Let’s share an umbrella and go together.”

Judges' comments

"It's not wrong for a child to try to be happy, or to do his best not to be sad." What more could be said about this sentence?
Any living frog must jump at any moment.
Aren't the eyes and hearts of a fairy tale like that?
Instead of nagging the jumping frog, asking why he jumped, if now was the time, how could he be so immature, the eyes that recognize that it is the result of the child doing his best to avoid falling into an inescapable sadness.
So, the heart that tells you that your efforts to be happy are your best.
The power to hear the voices of children that adults have unknowingly ignored.
And the strong will to tell you that it is okay to let go of that crushed heart.