The mysterious Yeouiju that came to the timid Kangto
And the 'real courage' that children need

It is natural that each person has a different temperament and personality.
While some people can freely express their opinions and thoughts that are different from those of others, there are also people who are not good at saying no, such as "no" or "I don't like it."
However, it is important to express your wishes clearly for your own protection and self-esteem.
Children's author Won Yu-sun's new work, "The Power of a Ten-Year-Old," is a book that contains a message for children who cannot say "no" or "I don't like it."
To adults, this kind of child's behavior seems frustrating.
What's so difficult about saying no when you can't do it, or saying no when you don't like it?


There are more reasons than you might think why children can't say no.
The main character of this book, Kang-to, was like that too.
Whether they ask you to do their homework for them, take off your new shoes and play shoe soccer, eat food you don't like, or run errands for them, you comply with all their requests, whether they're worried about hurting their feelings, afraid of conflict, or out of fear of being left out.
In this book, author Won Yu-sun carefully examines Kang-to's feelings.
And through a device called 'Yeouiju' that his grandfather gave him as a tenth birthday present, he is helped to gradually express his own opinions.
In particular, the sense of satisfaction you feel when you do something good not because you 'couldn't refuse' but because it comes from your heart is a precious experience that cannot be exchanged for anything else.
Let's spend time together as Kang-to's heart grows at the age of ten.

Dojin looked at Kangto with a look that said, 'And you?'

“Huh? Huh?
“Okay… okay.”
Kangto nodded absentmindedly.
In fact, Kangto really hates spicy food.
When I eat spicy food, my mouth feels numb and blisters form on the roof of my mouth.
But Kangto couldn't say no.
The kids said it was good, and Yang Do-jin even volunteered to shoot it, so I didn't have the courage to say that I couldn't eat spicy food.

--- p.14

'I should have just said I was going home.'
Regret came flooding in.
But I didn't have the confidence to say that I was going to give up shoe football now.
Because if I did that, it was obvious that the kids would start swearing at me.

--- p.23

“You rascal! How dare you disrespect such a precious heirloom?”
Suddenly, an old man with a white beard appeared like a hologram.

“Ugh!”
Kangto was so surprised that he fell on his butt.

“Aren’t you Lee Kang-to, the 10th generation descendant of the Yongcheon Lee clan?”
--- p.48

It felt like there was a riot going on in my pocket.
Kang-to was flustered and quickly took out the Yeouiju.

“Hey you!”
A hologram suddenly appeared inside the Yeouiju, and the grandfather's angry voice resonated.

“Huh! Ha……Grandpa!”
--- p.68

"no."
Kangto flatly refused.
It was the first time in his ten-year life that Kang-to had said, "I don't like it."

--- p.78

“Oh my, I should have said no.”
If there had been a Yeouiju, Kangto would probably have boldly refused Sangwoo's request.

'Hold on.
Kids these days don't ask me to run errands.
Oh! So, the Yeouiju's supernatural powers have disappeared?'
Kangto's heart sank.

--- p.104

The great-grandfather laughed playfully.

“No, why?”
“Now that I have completely preserved the Yeouiju in my heart, I no longer need it.”
“So, does that mean I have the power of a ten-year-old?”
“That’s right.
“The power of ten years old is firmly established in your heart, so don’t lose courage and take the lead in doing what is right.”

--- p.125