Today's Request: A Secret Only You Know
Author's Note

When you solve someone's request, a 'solution site' opens where they will also solve your request!
A dangerous relay surrounding online communities
The novel begins in an open chat room frequented by local youth.
Here, notices for a "solution site" are occasionally posted, gathering people with vague phrases. At midnight on the appointed day, clients who are looking for someone to take action on their behalf post a "request of the day" on the solution site.

This bulletin board, where both the person making the request and the person trying to resolve the request communicate without knowing each other's identity, is full of stories of people trying to resolve their shameful desires, such as a request to make the child who has been topping the school fail his exam, or a request to reveal the personal information of a female student who they lack the courage to approach.

A request has been posted here asking for the winner of a youth literary contest to be revealed as plagiarized, giving those who successfully complete the request the right to post the next one.
The story gradually approaches the subject, based on the story of a person who gave up on a piece he had worked hard on and submitted a piece he wrote overnight, winning the grand prize, and asking for help in uncovering this suspicious incident.

??Today's Request: A Secret Only You Know?? captures the reader's attention by using an online bulletin board operated like a game and the dark thoughts posted there as its subject matter.
The inner thoughts of the characters, who are troubled by their attraction to the opposite sex, their desire for recognition, and their distorted inferiority complex, are vividly revealed.
Even though I know it's wrong, I faithfully and interestingly expressed the conflict between right and wrong, which exists in the realm of youth fiction, as I try to satisfy my desires by relying on crowd psychology and anonymity.

Even young people are likely fully aware of the dangers of online media.
However, there is a clear difference between ‘knowing’ and ‘perceiving’.
This novel realistically depicts the situations and psychology of teenagers exposed to the dangers of online media.
Through novels that encourage empathy with characters without attempting to indoctrinate, young readers will have a natural opportunity to reflect on the duality of the media they encounter on a regular basis.

The worries of teenagers contained in a bright and kind heart
The growth of today's youth, moving forward independently, together, and wisely.
??Today's Request: A Secret Only You Know?? features four teenagers: Haemin, Dokyung, Jooyoung, and Sojung.
These second-year middle school students struggle with similar issues as their peers, such as grades, career paths, and friends.
The portrayal of teenagers, which is both believable and friendly, is therefore all the more realistic.

Haemin and Dokyung meet when Dokyung moves due to his parents' divorce.
Hae-min, who lives alone with her single mother, becomes curious about Do-kyung, who is in a similar situation, and the two gradually become closer as they go back and forth between the neighborhood and school.
It's admirable to see Hae-min and Do-kyung living their fifteen years bravely without being obsessed with their family history.
The author's skill and consideration in expressing material that could easily feel heavy in a simple way, allowing readers to relate to the characters without feeling burdened, stands out.


Joo-young, who claims to be the school's source of information but is also full of worries about her future, and So-jeong, who is frustrated between her dream of becoming a writer and the expectations of adults, also express both a confident and energetic side and a timid and confused side, allowing us to feel the individuality of each of the youth characters in three dimensions.


Another reason why this work was highly regarded as a youth novel is that the youth are portrayed as characters who actively intervene in and take action on issues.
The children's ability to uncover the truth behind the request to spread the word that Haemin's writing was plagiarized without the hasty intervention of adults, to embrace a friend who made a wrong choice in frustration, and to realize the value of friends and family with whom they can share joys and sorrows proves that young people have the power to grow for the better.

A young adult novel that has all the three elements of interest, fun, and meaning has arrived!
The 4th Changbi Education Coming-of-Age Novel Award Grand Prize Winner
This work is the winner of the 4th Changbi Education Coming-of-Age Novel Award.
The judges (Kim Min-ryeong, Kim Seon-san, Jeong Eun-sook, and Choi Bae-eun) gave this work the award, praising it, saying, “It is a work that makes reading fun with its interesting setting and fast-paced narrative. Another great strength is that the middle school students who jump into problem solving are bright and healthy despite their weaknesses.”

The panel of over 100 readers who participated in the final round also gave overwhelming support, citing the well-organized story, writing that made readers read all the way through, positive portrayals of young people, and timely material.
They showed their insight, no less than that of any other critic, leaving comments such as, “It’s impressive to see young people helping each other and thinking of practical solutions,” and “Some mutual aid is very dangerous.”

Kim Seong-min, who won the award for his first full-length novel, said that the thought, "What is difficult for me could be easy for someone else? In a place where many people operate anonymously, are only harmless wishes traded?" motivated him to write the work, and expressed his feelings that the work reaffirmed his belief in the goodwill of individuals and human solidarity.

Changbi Education's Growth Novel series recognizes growth as a value to be pursued throughout life and explores various forms of growth.
"Today's Request: A Secret Only You Know" shows how teenagers can achieve their own growth through the story of teenagers who reflect more deeply on themselves than anyone else, act with good intentions, and bond with their friends.
By reading this work, young readers will develop a sense of desirable growth, and adult readers will gain a new appreciation for the potential of youth.