Because you are here… 5
Just as you are… 17
When the road is not visible… 31
Take courage… 43
Days shared together… 55
In your own way of life… 65

I was comforted by this book
Vivid reviews from Japanese readers

"A heartwarming story of friendship between a cat and a penguin! I think it's a book that will appeal to a wide range of ages."
- ****9

“I was turning the page without thinking and tears came to my eyes without me knowing it.
I gave it as a gift to someone special.
“It’s a book I want to read again and again.”
- ****ト

“This piece was a comfort to me when I was feeling very tired and stressed.
“The cute pictures and content are engraved in my heart.”
- ****ん

(Source: Japanese online bookstore)

To you who wants to love yourself
Midsummer, a penguin with a warm heart
A gentle letter from the ever-changing cat, Midwinter

The last penguin left on a certain star, 'Midsummer', looked at the world with warm eyes, as his name suggests, without changing.
The stars made friends for Midsummer, who was left alone, so that she wouldn't be lonely.
That was the ever-changing being, 'Han Gyul-wool', born from the warmest heart in the world.
The two become the most precious of friends, watching over each other affectionately and embracing each other warmly, and live together.
This book is a record of the words, feelings, and time shared between penguin Midsummer and cat Midwinter, as well as letters they send to each other.
This letter is full of encouragement and support to love yourself and live true to yourself without being swayed by the world's standards.
Whenever you feel insignificant, when you can't see the way forward, when you feel alone in the world, open this book.
This picture book, full of affection, honesty, warmth, and delicacy, will bring you back to life.

A picture book like a gift that gently supports your slumped shoulders.

We live our lives wearing several masks several times a day.
So I spend each day without knowing who I really am or how difficult it is for me.
As time goes by, anxiety builds up in your mind, and you don't even have time to look back on yourself.
Late at night, when I come home tired and lie down in bed, this thought suddenly comes to me.
“Am I okay like this?”

"Because You Are Here" is a book that tells those who are going through such moments that "it's okay even if it's not okay."
A Japanese reader's review, "This book was a comfort to me when I was feeling very tired and stressed," clearly demonstrates the way this book reaches its readers.
This book doesn't force anything.
I just quietly approach and gently support your drooping shoulders as you lose energy.
Just knowing that such a warm support exists gives me peace of mind.

There are times in life when it feels like nothing goes as planned.
At times like that, I feel like I'm left alone in the world.
The author of Midsummer and Midwinter speaks to those who are going through such times.
“Okay, go home and rest for a bit, then come back.”

If you feel like you've lost yourself while worrying about what others think, if each day feels like it's just passing by in a dull, boring way, take a walk in the warm sunlight and then read this book at your favorite cafe.
A heartfelt letter from a friend, along with delicate and emotional drawings, will bring back many things you thought you had lost.


A loving gaze that caught the attention of 100,000 followers
The delicate and emotional world depicted by the authors Han Yeoreum and Han Gyeo-ul

The author of 'A Midsummer and a Midwinter', which first gained attention in Japan, is actually Korean.
After majoring in pure art in college, I became more active overseas.
As of May of this year, the original version of this book, “Because You Are Here,” has sold over 50,000 copies in Japan.
It is thanks to the delicate and warm watercolor-based illustrations that the readers' hearts were touched.
The cute appearances of the warm-hearted penguin 'Midsummer' and the ever-changing cat 'Midwinter', as well as the unique world view centered around them, also contributed to their popularity.

This book contains countless emotions that we feel as we live.
The joy of meeting someone precious, the fear of losing self-affirmation and confidence, the anxiety of having to stand alone, the despair of not being able to see the future, the happiness of the moment when our worlds meet each other…
All these moments were captured with the author's characteristically warm sensibility.
Life is often compared to a journey.
Perhaps that is why the artist's midsummer and midwinter paintings are filled with the anxiety and excitement of those leaving for somewhere.
No one knows where Penguin Midsummer and Cat Midwinter are going or why.
But they look at life in their own way and move forward slowly.


Hold the hand of your most precious friend tightly.
The days we share together are all possible because of the precious “you.”
I hope that readers of this book will find a moment of comfort in the author's warm world in midsummer and midwinter.