Winners of the 1st Korea Picture Book Publishers Association Picture Book Contest
I hated it, then I hated it, then I was excited, then I liked it
An emotional journey to discover someone's specialness

The story of "It's Strange Anyway" begins with the main character's earnest prayer to find a partner he really likes.
But alas! The friend who became my partner happened to be the most strange and peculiar child in our class, Kim Da-bit.
I can't believe I'm sitting with that kid who keeps doing other things during class, blowing the recorder through his nose, and other incomprehensible things.
The protagonist continues to look at Dabit with disapproving eyes and only repeats the thought, 'Anyway, this is strange.'
Then, during one gym class, Dabit hits the dodgeball instead of the main character.
From that moment on, the protagonist's heart begins to be filled with warm emotions.

"It's Strange Anyway," which received high praise and was selected as a winner in the first Korea Picture Book Publishers Association Picture Book Contest, is not a simple story of friendship or first love.
The line, "It's strange anyway," is repeated every time you turn the page, but the main character's appearance continues to change.
It humorously and delicately depicts the changing relationships and emotions that arise when you become partners with a friend you once disliked, and delivers a profound message that even awkward emotions experienced for the first time can lead to growth.
If you are a reader who is in a position to educate children, I encourage you to use this book when teaching about emotions.
It can naturally remind you that the emotions you're experiencing now aren't permanent and can change at any time, and that it's crucial to nurture those emotions in a positive direction.
Furthermore, the message of this work can be applied to all everyday relationships, beyond friendships, helping us understand and accept the unfamiliar and complex emotions of others and relationships.

Hyun Dan, who wrote and illustrated “It’s Strange Anyway,” is a new writer who is quickly gaining attention in the picture book industry.
Following the picture book contest, he also won the 31st MBC Creative Fairy Tale Award (Picture Book Category), and his skills have been further recognized through his continued achievements.
We look forward to seeing what kind of colors the stories that writer Hyun Dan will create in the future will color our hearts.
"It's Strange Anyway" is a picture book that feels even fresher when combined with a refreshing painting style full of its own personality and humorous expressiveness, and a storytelling that depicts the mind of a girl. If you want to relive those innocent emotions, this is an unmissable one.