Unnie

On the morning of April 16, 2014, the Sewol ferry tragically capsized while en route from Incheon, near Seoul, to the southern resort island of Jeju in South Korea. Among the 476 passengers and crew members, 304 lost their lives, including 250 students and 11 teachers from Danwon High School who were on a school field trip.

Yun-young's Unnie (the Korean word for 'older sister') is a teacher now missing. As Yun-young embarks on an unfamiliar journey-one she has never undertaken before-she finds herself entangled in a blend of memories and unforeseen revelations, stirring an irresistible yearning. Memories of Unnie accompany her in spirit, guiding her along the way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I'm a high school teacher in Korea. At times, when I observe my students immersed in laughter with their peers, I feel a sudden wave of sadness, reminded of all the young lives taken away too soon. I imagine they, too, would have laughed just like that.

Writing Unnie, my first novel, I was surprised at how easily the words flowed from me. To this day, I can't shake the feeling that the lost students were guiding me as I wrote.