- In celebration of the publication of the revised edition of “The Grumpy Jaeseok Has Disappeared”

preface
1.
Community service order
2.
The old man in the calligraphy room
3.
Memories of a gangster dad
4.
The Story of Buraqui
5.
Meeting with Bodam
6.
Damian
7.
Fallen Buraqui
8.
The difficulty of breaking the eggshell
9.
Termination of contract
10.
Durian flesh

Korean youth novels
The very book that opened up new horizons!

This is the first story in the "Grumpy Jaeseok" series, which has been attracting attention as the most wanted-to-read novel for teenagers since its publication and created Jaeseok, the most beloved student character among teenagers in Korea.
《The Grumpy Jaeseok Has Disappeared》 is the first youth growth novel by author Go Jeong-wook, who is loved for 《The Boy Who Carries Bags》, and is a work that he put a lot of effort into.
For young people who grew up reading his fairy tales, encountering his coming-of-age novels is a special and meaningful experience.
The significance of "The Grumpy Jaeseok Has Disappeared" lies in the fact that it is the most Korean youth coming-of-age novel.
The main character, Jae-seok, is a seventeen-year-old high school student with a 'grumpy' personality who has experienced family discord and poverty.
Moreover, he is a fighter who can be considered a leader in violent circles.
But one day, because he was at the scene of an assault, he was ordered by the principal to do 'community service', which is not even 'volunteer work' but something that is given to ex-convicts.
The place of service is none other than a senior welfare center.
While volunteering, Jaeseok learns 'persistence and will' to not give up in difficult situations through people with disabilities and the elderly.
Also, the sight of Buraqui, who has prosthetic limbs and arms that are physically disabled, teaching people who are having a hard time and constantly fighting with himself, motivates Jaeseok to change.
Also, by meeting Buraqui's granddaughter, Bodam, he learns to abandon bad habits, have healthy relationships with the opposite sex, and communicate with the world through books, and his dreams grow.
As Jae-seok sees people who are facing greater difficulties than he are trying to change with tremendous will and effort, he gradually changes and grows.

A rough life, reborn with bright hope
This novel unfolds its story through events that could have happened in society and are still happening today, as if penetrating the worries of teenagers who are secretly discriminated against in society, at home, and at school, and the inner turmoil of these teenagers who are constantly shaken within it.
Above all, through the juvenile delinquents Jae-seok and Min-seong, the author emphasizes the importance of ‘habits.’
It contains the hope that teenagers will grow through 'good habits', from small habits like going to bed early and waking up early, to the habit of getting rid of bad habits, the habit of reading books, and the habit of working hard to achieve their dreams.
And that's not all.
There is no issue regarding Korean youth that is not addressed in writer Go Jeong-wook's "The Grumpy Jae-seok Has Disappeared."
Along with parental divorce, there are economic difficulties, the confusion of self-identity that teenagers experience within this, and the problem of violence in schools where teenagers try to compensate for their deficiencies with force and violence, etc.
As parents and leaders, it also teaches us how to guide and lead them.
Additionally, through his girlfriend, Bodam, he conveys the importance of healthy relationships with the opposite sex, and through the books “Demian” and “Zorba the Greek” recommended by Bodam, he also conveys the message of how important reading is in life.