"I'm Broccoli, But I Want to Be Loved", "The Day I Go on a Trip"
Gently comforting the heart that has become very small
The affectionate and solid world of picture book author Seo Young

As we live, there are moments when our hearts become very small.
There's no way to stop feeling miserable when it suddenly starts pouring rain without an umbrella or anyone to pick you up ("How to Get Home Without Getting Rained On"), or when you find out you've been voted the least popular vegetable ("I'm Broccoli, But I Want to Be Loved").


The same goes for the moment when you suddenly discover that your face is full of wrinkles ("It's because of the wrinkles").
When moments that are difficult to show to others become frozen in time, I start to hate myself.


Picture book author Seo Young captures and gently soothes moments of self-loathing that can strike anyone like a sudden downpour.
Empathizing with the current confusion and frustration, let us remind ourselves that we have the strength to get through this moment.
The reason I suddenly feel a pang of emotion while looking into the cute and lovely world the author has created is probably because of his affectionate gaze and meticulous touch.


'Why is my face like this?'
If one day I suddenly start to hate the way I look

The main character of this book, Mr. Cool, lived his life contentedly.
Mr. Nice enjoys dressing up in his favorite clothes and taking a walk along a designated path every morning.
Then one day, Mr. Cool is shocked when he looks in the mirror with his new glasses on.
Because I realized that my face was full of 'wrinkles'.
At this time, the face reflected in the mirror is expressed like a bulldog, which means the gaze of a cool person looking at his own face.
From the moment he notices the wrinkles all over his face, Mr. Cool's daily life changes completely.
Stop by the library, borrow a bunch of books on wrinkles, and try out some wrinkle-removing techniques.
Unfortunately, there is no effect on improving wrinkles, and the concerns only deepen.


If you are desperate to hide the appearance you don't want to show,
I sometimes fall into the 'illusion' that everyone only sees my flaws.

Although there may be differences in degree, everyone has aspects of themselves that they would rather not show to others.
Mr. Rabbit, who appears on the front cover of "It's Because of the Wrinkles," doesn't like his droopy ears, so he takes great care to dress them up every morning.
Mr. Deumseong, who appears on the back cover, is worried about his thin hair.
As such, we all have aspects of ourselves that we want to hide, but in Mr. Cool's case, things are a bit more serious.
Obsessed with hiding his wrinkles, Mr. Nice loses the joys of everyday life that he used to enjoy without a care.
Mr. Nice loses sleep, misses walks, and can't even eat properly.
Even when a pleasant breeze blows, I don't feel cool, and even when I hold my favorite ice cream, I don't know how to eat it and am at a loss.


But is all this really 'because of wrinkles'?

Mr. Nice thinks that if someone talks to him, he will talk about his wrinkles and runs away, but the reader can tell that their conversation is off.
The same goes for the scene where Mr. Nice suffers from the 'illusion' that everyone he meets on the street sees his wrinkles.
Through these scenes, author Seo Young contrasts reality (people in their own situations) with the inner side of Mr. Cool (the tension of everyone only seeing my wrinkles).
It convincingly portrays that the feeling that 'everyone only sees my flaws' is just an illusion, and that you don't have to worry too much about what other people think.


When I accept myself as I am
The small but important happiness that can be enjoyed

Just like the wonderful Mr. Seed of "It's Because of the Wrinkles" suddenly discovers a wrinkled face one day, there are moments when I face aspects of myself that I don't want.
It's natural to feel embarrassed and want to hide it at times like this, but if you're overly conscious of it, you could lose something precious.
It may seem so strange to me, but it may not be noticeable or important to others.


In this book, author Seo Young asks the question, “Aren’t we forgetting the side of ourselves that we like” because we try to hide the side of ourselves that we don’t want to reveal?
The problem may not be the wrinkles, but rather 'my heart that hates wrinkles'.
The inner thoughts of Mr. Cool change from the conviction that everything is 'because of wrinkles' to the question 'Is everything because of wrinkles?' and move forward with the mindset that it doesn't matter if there are wrinkles.
This is the author's kind words of encouragement to those struggling with similar issues.


The scene where the face that looked like a bulldog returns to its original state tells us that Mr. Cool has regained his precious daily life and his love for himself.
The scene where all worries and concerns are 'refreshingly' blown away and the scene where one can enjoy a comfortable nap free from the worries of wrinkles is a strong comfort that the author conveys to all of us.


Curriculum linkage
1st Grade Safe Life 〉 3.
My precious self
1st grade, 1st semester Korean 〉 7.
What is important
2nd Grade Safe Life 〉 3.
Our precious
2nd grade, 1st semester Korean 〉 8.
I can guess your feelings
3rd grade, 2nd semester Korean 〉 9.
Become a character in the work