Ramen is cool
Author's Note
Recommendation

“If you’re poor, can’t you love?”
A sweet love story told by author Gong Seon-ok

The bright and cheerful young adult novel 『Ramen is Cool』 by mid-career novelist Gong Seon-ok has been published as the first book in the 'First Encounter with Novels' series.
The story of Minsu, who works part-time at a convenience store to buy his girlfriend a birthday present, unfolds in an interesting way.
The main characters' efforts to live bravely without despairing or giving up despite difficult family circumstances convey a healthy energy.
This work stands out for its unique personality and sense of humor, as seen in Gong Seon-ok's novels, which actively embrace life and never lose a positive attitude, no matter what the circumstances.
Kim Jeong-yoon's illustrations are witty, like scenes from an animation, and are colored in retro colors, adding to their charm.



Even if you only eat ramen, if you have sincerity for each other
Love is awesome!

"Ramen is Cool" depicts the protagonist Minsu's romantic feelings and his love for his family with a clear and unadorned perspective.
Minsu's lies to hide his poverty are natural and heartbreaking, and his concern for his family members who work hard to survive each day is truly admirable and admirable.


As I was looking at the back of the old car, a buzzer rang twice from under my left rib.
It's convenient to say, 'My chest is buzzing,' so you don't have to say that your chest hurts.
It would be nice if I could earn money and buy my dad a new car, ting ting.
I barely managed to silence the continuously ringing buzzer and ran in the opposite direction from my father to meet the performance.
The 'ringing heart' instantly changed into excitement.
―Pages 52-53

The author cleverly leads the story, arousing the reader's curiosity as to whether Minsu's lies will be exposed in the end.
An unexpected twist awaits at the end.
Whether you're dating or family, even if you only eat ramen, if you have sincerity for each other, love is wonderful.
The author captures this unchanging value in a lively and cheerful narrative.



A stepping stone from fairy tale to novel
A welcome reading for friends who have grown distant from books, a first encounter with a novel.
'First Encounter with a Novel' is a new novel reading series that adds rich illustrations to literary masterpieces.
With engaging stories, short volumes of less than 100 pages, and captivating illustrations, even readers unfamiliar with reading can easily approach excellent contemporary works.
In particular, in a situation where the polarization of reading ability among teenagers is getting worse day by day, it received favorable reviews from teachers and parents at schools, saying, “We have been waiting for a book like this.”
It will provide a chance for those who have given up on reading to get closer to books and fall in love with literature once again, and for children who have stopped reading after fairy tales, it will serve as a stepping stone to novels.
To pump water from a deep well, you must pour a bucket of water from above.
The "First Encounter with a Novel" series will serve as a welcome aid to those who have become increasingly distant from literature, helping them reconnect with books and inject fresh vitality into our reading culture.


The first meeting is always exciting.
We hope that you will experience the joy of reading to the fullest through the 'First Encounter with Novels' series, which introduces short stories with illustrations.
- An Chan-su (poet, executive director of the Book Reading Society Cultural Foundation)
Children who used to nag their parents to read the same book over and over again when they were young now say they don't want to read books as they enter adolescence.
The 'First Encounter with a Novel' series delivers the fun and joy of being drawn into a story again without even realizing it.
- Choi Eun-young (Korean language teacher at Unjung Middle School in Gyeonggi Province)
For the past few years, after reading a novel at school, people have been saying that it is the first time they have read such a long piece of work.
I hope that 'First Encounter with a Novel' will serve as a bridge from fairy tales to novels.
- Seo Deok-hee (Korean language teacher at Gwanggyo High School in Gyeonggi Province)
I believe that literature is a treasure that offers comfort in times of hardship and exhaustion, imparts wisdom on how to live, and awakens us to the diverse values ​​of life.
I am excited to see our students enjoying reading books.
- Shin Byeong-jun (Korean language teacher at Samgoe Middle School in Gyeonggi Province)