An Ordinary Day in the Life of Migrant Worker Tao
A dark and intense workplace and a suddenly sparkling daily life

As you turn the cover, which depicts a peaceful rural landscape of Vietnam like a postcard, a landscape of densely packed factories unfolds before you.
This is an industrial complex in Korea where Mr. Thao from Vietnam works.
Mr. Tao, who heads to work at the auto parts factory today, greets the boss and coworkers cheerfully in the morning, but soon becomes tense and has to move quickly.
In a dark and dangerous factory, if you're not alert, you could easily get hurt or make a mistake, which could cost you your job.

Gray walls, blue roof, gray factory, blue overalls.
Mr. Tao's workplace is shabby and full of cold colors.
Work is work, but whenever I eat, I feel a strong longing for my hometown.
Whenever he thinks of his hometown and family, Tao's heart fills with warmth and bright colors.
In Korea, where the food, environment, language, and even the weather are unfamiliar, Tao diligently lives each day.
That's why my daughter, who goes to school, and my family back home are willing to endure it.
Is there anything that can give her daughter, who was born in Korea, the hope of living a bright life in this land that is a foreign country to her?

Discrimination and duality entrenched in everyday life

Tao's story began with an article about a female migrant worker.
A desperate story of someone who has become an undocumented alien, is at risk of industrial accidents, is uninsured and unable to receive health insurance, and is forced to raise their children alone in the same undocumented situation, not knowing when they will be deported.
It's just one person's story, but it's the reality of migrant workers prevalent in our society.
Their lives in Korea are vividly captured in Tao's daily life.

Author Jang Jae-eun personally covered the Daegu Seongseo Industrial Complex and depicted the workplace in detail.
Inside a factory littered with complex machines and sharp parts, a deserted market during a crackdown on undocumented foreigners.
The vivid descriptions and the sensitive direction of the flow of the scene capture the characters' emotions.
Long, arduous work hours and the occasional feeling of being ignored and left out by seemingly nice Korean colleagues.
But even within it, we see gazes that find laughter, consideration, and gratitude.

A documentary picture book filled with truth and sincerity

To truly understand another person's life, we must let go of our confident assumptions and look at it anew.
The author discarded his preconceived notions and delved deep into the field to create this picture book, conveying a genuine message.
By bringing readers who are a step removed from reality closer to reality, we lead them to consider the human rights of migrant workers.

Mr. Tao's daily life will not stop here.
As your daughter grows and ages, she may find herself more exposed to the harsh realities of society.
Today, we will spend a happy evening together, and the story of Tao will warmly illuminate the well-being of our neighbors who live in the same land and time.

Four Seasons Publishing House × Memorial Foundation for the Democratization Movement
The Democracy and Human Rights Picture Book Series has been published!

'Democracy and Human Rights Picture Book' is a non-fiction picture book series (8 volumes in total) published in collaboration between Sageseoul Publishing and the Memorial Foundation for the Democratization Movement.
We closely examine the modern society we live in, identify various social issues, and present them in picture books.
The meaning of democracy and human rights, including discrimination, inequality, migrant labor, gender roles, and sensitivity to violence, are captured in picture books so that children and adults can easily understand and relate to them in their daily lives.
The series features many authors who are currently actively creating picture books based on their own unique world of works.
We have gathered together authors who have won the Bologna Ragazzi Award, BIB, and the Korea Picture Book Award, as well as unique picture book authors with a large fan base.
Thirteen domestic and international picture book authors, including Jeong Jin-ho, Kwon Jeong-min, Seo Hyeon, Lee Myeong-ae, Jo Won-hee, So Bok-i, and Osori, agreed with the planning intent of the Democracy and Human Rights Picture Book and actively participated.


This series was born from an exhibition content project at the Memorial Hall for Democracy Movement, which opens in the second half of this year.
The Memorial Foundation for Democracy Movement, which is in charge of planning and authoring support, is transforming the Namyeong-dong anti-communist division, a site of past state violence, into a memorial hall for the democracy movement, a space to commemorate the history of the democracy movement and democracy.
The goal is to preserve the Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office, which oppressed and tortured countless people throughout the history of Korean democracy, and to create exhibition and educational facilities to remember this painful history and create a space that opens up a new future.


Launched in early 2022, the "Democracy and Human Rights Picture Book Project" took its first steps with the goal of establishing picture books as exhibition content for meaningful moments in modern Korean history.
This project, which was launched with the hope of conveying the values ​​of democracy and human rights to future generations through the high artistry and communicative power of picture books, has now come to fruition and been published as a picture book.


Collaborative work with 13 picture book authors from Korea and abroad over two years
Drawing a colorful perspective on democracy and human rights

A nonfiction picture book filled with 'strong and kind hope'

The eight-volume series, which will be published sequentially from May to October of this year, is the result of the 'Democracy and Human Rights Picture Book Project' that was conducted over two years from 2022 to 2024.
Kwon Yun-deok, author of “Flower Grandmother,” a picture book that has dealt with major events in modern Korean history, including the issue of victims of Japanese military comfort women, served as the project’s general director.
The project team, led by author Kwon Yun-deok and comprised of picture book researchers and experts, brought together creators and created picture books through several seminars and discussions.
In particular, the participating artists had time to deeply understand the intention of this project through a field trip to the Namyeong-dong public security office.


The catchphrase of the picture book project is 'A picture book filled with strong and kind hope.'
Director Kwon Yun-deok explained the reason for the project, saying, “We want to confront historical and realistic issues head-on, communicate them in a friendly way with the public through picture books, and capture hope for the future within the picture books.”


This series, a public project that supports the creation of picture books with national budget, has encouraged creators to experiment and make diverse attempts in all aspects, including subject matter, material, form, and expression, in the current reality where picture books that address social issues are scarce.
The creators brought the themes of 'democracy' and 'human rights' into everyday life and, after much thought and research, incorporated them into picture books.
This nonfiction picture book explores the issues our society must face today with a variety of voices and in-depth perspectives.