Author's Note

The Albatross story was inspired by singer Lee Eun-mi's song "Albatross."
In "The Albatross's Dream," when the albatross, wandering between dreams and reality but never giving up, finally took flight, I thought that a wonderful dreamland would soon unfold.
But what I realized at the end of that road was that every step I took along the way was happiness and a dreamland.
In "It's Okay, Albatross," I want to tell you this:
“You who are dreaming now, may already be flying.”

★ Singer Lee Eun-mi recommends, "A work that reminds us that each day we walk toward our dreams is the brightest day."
★ Bologna Amazing Bookshelf, German White Ravens selected author
★ Comfort for all those who are frustrated between dreams and reality
★ A picture book where you can enjoy piano pieces composed and performed by the author.

“I couldn’t fly today, but that’s okay.”
A book that reminds us of the preciousness of days that pass by without incident.

The albatross, a bird with wings so large that it has never been able to fly, tells you that it's okay if you can't fly 'yet'.
And then, today, too, I walk silently, dreaming of the day when I will fly.
When passing over the mountain peaks surrounded by layers of layers, when seeing flowers blooming in the morning sun, when greeting the warm sunlight on a hill, when quietly gazing at the reflection of one's face in a clear pond containing the blue sky, when listening to the chirping of mountain birds and the rustling of leaves, the albatross finds happiness and comfort in all the small and beautiful things it encounters along its path.
Then, at the end of the road, the vast sea is encountered, and in front of it, the albatross looks back on the day.
I couldn't fly today either, but I console myself that it's okay.
At this very moment, the pine breeze brushing my cheek feels so cool, and the salty smell of the sea and the sound of the waves brushing my ears bring peace to my mind.
That's why the albatross tries to find strength in itself, thinking that it can walk again tomorrow.
Yesterday and today are days that flow by in the same way, but our lives do not stop for even a moment.
This book reminds us that we are moving forward little by little without even realizing it, and that the big and small moments we encounter along the way sustain our lives.

“You who are dreaming now may already be flying.”
Comfort for all those who live day by day

The Albatross Story is a story inspired by the song “Albatross” by singer Lee Eun-mi.
The previous works, "Albatross's Dream" and "It's Okay, Albatross" are similar yet different stories.
The author thought that the path walked by the flightless bird, the albatross, resembled our lives.
Just as an albatross endures each day for the day it can spread its wings and soar, we too live without losing courage, even when faced with setbacks, in the hopes of one day achieving our dreams.
In the previous work, the author's desperate feelings about the path he took to achieve his dream are projected onto the albatross.
In the final scene of "The Albatross's Dream," the moment the albatross takes flight, a dreamland unfolds.
Readers might have thought everything was accomplished in that scene.
But the final destination of Albatross's journey toward his dream was not a dreamland.

This work, "It's Okay, Albatross," contains the backstory that the author really wanted to tell, which was not fully revealed in the previous work.
People who have suddenly experienced the end of their lives say in one voice that today, the day they are alive and breathing, is the most precious day.
The Dream Garden did not unfold miraculously the moment the dream came true.
In "It's Okay, Albatross," author Shin Yu-mi tells the story of how the happiness of the "present" and all the moments we have walked toward our dreams were like a dreamland.
Because we have run to achieve our dreams with more desperation than anyone else, the comfort that author Shin Yu-mi offers resonates even more deeply with us.

A picture book enriched with text, pictures, and music.

In his previous work, “Albatross’ Dream,” he reinterpreted An Gyeon’s “Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land” as a modern abstract painting, leaving a deep impression with his powerful and heavy ink painting.
Thanks to this, Albatross was able to overcome his handicap and maximize his dream.
On the other hand, in this work, the artist draws the work simply, stripping away all technique and force, as if he had reached enlightenment after overcoming a difficult time in life.
When we see an albatross resting against a cloud or walking quietly against a sky tinged with dusk, it seems to show us that the beautiful pieces of life exist in the quiet, permeating everyday life.

Author Shin Yu-mi has been consistently meeting readers by turning the books she wrote and illustrated into music and performing them on the piano.
Thanks to this, I was invited to give many lectures and was able to establish myself as a ‘singing picture book author.’
In this work, I wrote and performed a piano piece that matches the content of the book, so that you can enjoy it along with the picture book.
The music can be enjoyed through the QR code inserted in the book, and if you read the picture book to the rhythm of turning the pages, you can feel the emotions that come from each scene more delicately.
Children will be able to develop their senses richly by looking at picture books that combine text, pictures, and music.

Recommendation

This is the second 'Albatross' story from author Shin Yu-mi, who made us 'dream of the day we will finally fly' in her previous work, 'Albatross's Dream'.
The author talks about 'dreams' again.
The dream the albatross so desperately wanted to reach is no longer so far away.
The author says, “Today,” right here on this very spot where we stand.
To those who dream only of that day that they will reach, we convey the joy of discovering the happiness contained in today.