Part 1

No Human's Land
Hidden Mission
A city of the past
house made of sand
proviso
A night where you can't see an inch ahead
A moment of confusion
Unspeakable
Revealed identity
dead end
Lost and gained
Strange and unfamiliar
Following the stars

Part 2

Questions faced
The only answer
Coming events
Need to get it back
Hidden Story
puzzle
some enlightenment
cornered
The flowers will bloom anyway
Things that must be done
Should be, should not be
It's not over yet

Part 3

Beyond the border
Time remaining
Last choice
Breathtakingly
Moonlit night
Explosion, and after that

Epilogue
Author's Note

Seoul, a place where no one lives
An adventure beyond imagination unfolds there

Seoul is a city where nearly ten million people live together today.
What would happen if all the people in Seoul disappeared? "No Human Land" takes readers into a unique, never-before-seen worldview where Seoul becomes a "land where no one lives."

In 2044, an unprecedented climate disaster strikes the world.
Heat waves, heavy snow, droughts, cold waves, earthquakes, and tsunamis occur in major cities around the world, causing a sharp decline in food production and leading to a great famine.
And in 2050, another massive climate disaster strikes.
The United Nations, recognizing the severity of the climate problem, designates parts of the world as "no human lands."
Korea has become a no-man's land, and all the people have left.

The story begins in 2070, with the protagonist Mia arriving in Seoul, South Korea, where no one is around.
Mia infiltrates the No Human Land Investigation Team under the name 'Si-eun' at someone's secret request.
Mia's mission is to report anything suspicious.
The investigation team consisting of Parker, Hannah, Chris, Adrian, and Mia set up base camp in Yongsan Park, and Mia carefully observes the desolate appearance of Seoul.
The sights Mia sees—the ruined Yongsan Park, the broken Han River Bridge, and abandoned cars on the road—are unfamiliar yet leave a strong impression on us.
What will Mia and her friends encounter in Seoul, a city filled with a lonely and eerie atmosphere?

Powerful narrative, incredible immersion, and unforgettable twists
A new trend in Korean climate novels

Mia goes to Namsan with Hannah and Parker to conduct an ecological survey.
As Mia and her group leave Yongsan Park and enter the Namsan hiking trail, the walkie-talkie suddenly rings and Chris's urgent voice, who had remained at base camp, is heard.

“Oh, it’s Chris.
Adrian… … disappeared.”
“What does that mean?”
Parker takes a breath and answers nervously.
“It disappeared.
“Suddenly… …it disappeared.” (Page 25)

Suddenly, when they hear that one of their members has disappeared, Mia and her group return to base camp and begin searching for Adrian.
And then, as Hannah and Mia were looking for Adrian, a strange object appeared before their eyes.
It was a sand castle that looked like it had just been built.
Mia's mind races at the thought that there might be someone in Seoul, a place she thought was deserted.

Suddenly Hannah stops.
His gaze is fixed somewhere and he is trembling anxiously.
Follow that gaze.
At the end of your gaze, there is something familiar, yet unnatural, something that shouldn't be there.
From the look in our eyes, Hannah and I share the same thought.
There's someone here besides us.
(Page 37)

Another shocking incident unfolds before Mia, who is confused by the disappearance of her unit member.
In this way, 『No Human's Land』 presents a surprising sense of immersion from the very beginning, with incident after incident.
As the YA judges commented, “Countless foreshadowing keeps you turning the pages,” this is a page-turner novel that will have you reading without realizing how much time has passed.

Meanwhile, the widespread climate disaster depicted in the novel makes us reflect on the climate crisis, an urgent issue facing us today.
Global heat waves and cold spells, droughts and floods, hurricanes and wildfires are no longer things of the distant future.
In recent climate crisis issues, 'climate inequality' has emerged as an important topic.
The novel's world, divided into a prosperous "city of the past" and a destitute "climate refugee camp," highlights the issue of climate justice.
"No Human's Land" is a work that will lead the new trend of Korean climate novels that has recently begun to appear actively.

What is the right way to save humanity and the planet?
A surprising question that shakes conventional wisdom about good and evil, destruction and salvation.

"No Human's Land" presents a unique charm that cannot be found in existing science fiction or English adult novels.
Although it is a Korean novel, it has a unique feel with its multinational characters, and it creates a fresh atmosphere as it is a post-apocalyptic novel set in Korea.
In addition, the protagonist, who has a calm personality but sometimes acts boldly and proactively solves cases, remains in the memory for a long time.


The 'English Adult Novel Award', jointly hosted by Changbi and Kakao Page, has expanded the scope of Korean English adult novels by selecting award-winning works that are recognized for both popularity and literary quality, such as 'Snowball' and 'The Night the Storm Chases'.
The three-time grand prize winner, "No Human Land," also stands out for its "visual urgency, reminiscent of a science fiction adventure film" (Dahye Lee's recommendation), while also movingly and persuasively depicting the teenage protagonist Mia overcoming adversity with those around her in the midst of a climate disaster.
Mia, who has learned a particularly shocking secret, questions whether it is right to manipulate and transform humans, even if it is for the sake of a better world, and the process resonates deeply, shaking our common sense of good and evil.
It's time to listen to the message of a young protagonist, a stakeholder in the climate crisis, who confronts the problem and seeks new hope, standing up to adults who try to cover up and hush up the problem.

Recommendation

"No Human's Land" depicts the adventures of a climate refugee youth who is sent to a devastated Korea as part of a research team.
It excels at creating an elaborate world that could happen in the near future, and its setting in Korea sets it apart from other post-apocalyptic works.
Another advantage was that each character, including the protagonist, had a clear purpose and that it was intertwined with structural conflict.
The smooth development makes it easy to immerse yourself in the story, and the fact that it reads as a story with suspense is also a major strength.
-Judges: Cheon Seon-ran, Lee Da-hye, Lee Su-hyeon, Kakao Page, Changbi

The narrative tension that comes from the onslaught of events is intense.
Countless foreshadowings keep you turning the pages.
-YA Jury

Character introduction

"We have arrived in Seoul, South Korea, in No Human Land." - Mia
An eighteen-year-old climate refugee born in the midst of a disaster.
At someone's secret request
He infiltrated the No Human Land investigation team under the name 'Si-eun'.

“Let’s go back to base camp first.” — Parker
Geologist.
No Human Land Investigation Team Leader.
Even though he is the leader, he rarely makes eye contact with the members and walks around alone.

"I heard your next posting is Singapore. Should I apply?" - Hanna
Meteorologist.
Member of the No Human's Land Investigation Team.
He has extensive experience in dispatching to No Human Land and is skilled in investigation team activities.

“Who else is here besides us?” - Chris
Student intern.
Member of the No Human Land Investigation Team.
Mia is the only one who knows that Si-eun is not her.

"Sieun, is my pronunciation strange?" - Adrian
Animal behaviorist.
Member of the No Human Land Investigation Team.
Although he joined the investigation team late, he quickly adapted thanks to his outstanding sociability.