A new work by Lee Kkot, author of "I'll Cross the World to You"
A story of shattered truth and broken faith

Author Lee Kkot-nim, who has received enthusiastic responses from readers since publishing “I’ll Cross the World to You” in 2018, has returned with a powerful new work with a completely different resolution from her previous works.
Although it still deals with the harsh reality faced by teenagers today and their lonely and anxious inner lives, the method the author has chosen this time is not tender comfort, but a cold warning.

"The Child I Want to Kill" is a work that contains an unusual story surrounding the death of a high school girl.
The author confesses that this novel is 'a story about truth and faith'.


This novel is a story about truth and faith.
I often think about the truth.
Is the truth what it is, or is it something people make up to fit their own needs?
This is where the story began.

_From the author's note

A 17-year-old girl is the prime suspect.
A surprisingly engaging story with an unpredictable ending

The novel's central characters, Juyeon and Seo-eun, have been best friends since middle school.
One day, after a huge fight between the two, Seo-eun is found dead in an empty lot behind the school building, and Joo-yeon is arrested as the prime suspect.
But for some reason, Jooyeon doesn't remember anything about that day.

Seventeen-Year-Old Girl Dies at School
This incident, which became known through a reporter's report, sparked public outrage, and broadcasting stations began to compete with each other to schedule special programs, interviewing people around the incident and reporting sensational stories.
As time passes, the testimonies of those around him increasingly point to the protagonist as the culprit.
Did Joo-yeon really kill Seo-eun? The novel unfolds in a unique way, interweaving interviews with seventeen people who testify about Joo-yeon and Seo-eun with the stories of those around Joo-yeon, the suspect.
As the interview progresses, the story of what kind of children Jooyeon and Seo-eun were and what their relationship was like changes from moment to moment.
The author seems to satisfy the readers' curiosity, but cleverly avoids it.
As the interviews continue, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell what kind of child the protagonist is.
This unpredictable plot twist, which throws readers into confusion with twist after twist, provides readers with a thrilling tension that keeps their hearts pounding throughout the book and an incredible sense of immersion that keeps them from putting it down until the very end.


“Facts don’t matter.
“It’s more important what people believe.”
A world where truth is arbitrarily edited and consumed

This novel takes the form of a psychological mystery novel.
As we watch the hidden face of the protagonist, who was the subject of envy and jealousy from those around him, being revealed one by one through the testimonies of those around him, impatient readers may find relief in recalling the old adage, "The truth will eventually come out."
But if you look closely, the author doesn't seem very interested in revealing who the culprit is or what the truth is about the case.
Rather, it focuses more on the various human figures and their respective desires that are revealed in the process of tracing the clues to the incident.
This is clearly revealed through the appearances of the protagonist's parents and lawyer.

The protagonist's parents only see the protagonist as an object onto which they project their desires, and have no interest in what the protagonist actually wants.
The lawyer is also only concerned with his own career and does not listen to the protagonist's screaming appeal.
The lawyer says this in a businesslike voice to Joo-yeon, who is screaming that he did not kill Seo-eun.

“If people believe it, it becomes true.
“Facts don’t matter.”
There is an undeniable power in the words of a lawyer who has never lost a case in court.
Because anyone who knows anything knows that this isn't just a story in a novel.

In the world we live in, the media is no longer truth and public opinion is no longer justice.
Fake news, rumors, and malicious rumours spread like wildfire through networks, and the comment terrorism, doxing, and witch hunts that prey on the misfortunes of others show no signs of stopping.
All kinds of predictions and speculations flow like a river, but no one seems to have any intention of stopping them.
They just enjoy it as a joke and spend it lightly, just because it's not their job.
The Internet, a playground for teenagers, is the perfect place for witch hunts.
In a world that is like a broken mirror where even adults are helplessly dragged along, teenagers are more easily swayed and hurt.

"The Child I Want to Kill" shows this stark reality without any exaggeration.
It vividly shows readers how barbaric a world is, filled with people who only see what they see, only hear what they want to hear, and only believe what they want to believe.
It also serves as a chilling warning that no one can be at peace in a world where fragments of truth are arbitrarily edited and consumed.


“You need me just like I need you!”
Ultimately, what sustains this brutal narrative is our love for each other.

"The Child Who Wants to Kill" shows how the values ​​we once believed in crumble through tragic events.
In the midst of the distorted law of karma, misguided maternal love, distorted family relationships, and fragmented truths, what readers clearly realize is that the suspect, Joo-yeon, was a very lonely child, and ironically, the only person who knew and understood Joo-yeon's heart the best was Seo-eun.
Jooyeon, a lonely child with nowhere to put his heart, goes berserk when he feels that Seo-eun, the only one who has given him her heart, has turned her back on him.
His affection for Seo-eun turned into an excessive obsession.
For the lead actor, who was awkward in relationships, Seo-eun's sudden transformation must have felt like an unbearable fear.
Although she couldn't compare to Jooyeon, Seo-eun was also clumsy in relationships.
Although she had financial difficulties, Seo-eun grew up in a warm and emotionally healthy environment, unlike Joo-yeon, and was a child who was understanding and caring towards others.
However, Seo-eun was just an anxious teenage girl who couldn't bear the endless whining and arrogance of the protagonist.
For teenagers, friends are a very real and sensitive issue.
Having just one friend with whom you can confide your feelings can ease anxiety and make hardships more bearable.
The relationship between Jooyeon and Seo-eun was like that at first.
However, the friendships of children who are not good at forming relationships are easily shaken and broken by even the smallest cracks.

Everyone experiences breakups in their lives.
Especially during adolescence, when one's identity is being formed, the separation will come as a heartbreaking loss.
The protagonist's outburst is typical of those who have not adequately mourned their loss.
Only those who have had enough time to grieve and mourn their loss can begin their journey again and eventually become adults after a long journey.
But today's society doesn't allow young people that kind of time.

"The Child I Want to Kill" is a work that effectively addresses the fundamental problems of our society through its powerful narrative and unique novel structure, while also making us realize once again that the problems faced by today's youth are not just theirs alone.