Description
Issued on February 10, 2021
Number of pages, weight, size 248 pages | 286g | 120*188*13mm
In this vast world, every individual carries a tale of their own. It’s a universal truth, every one of us has endured pain. The intensity, however, differs from one to the next.
An 18-year-old girl, brimming with dreams, made the harrowing decision to defect to North Korea after receiving news about her mother. This is a testament to the resilience that one can harbor in the face of adversity.
The records kept by a North Korean defector over the past 10 years serve as a tangible testament to their journey. A journey that has been difficult and has brought forth a sense of loneliness but has not been deprived of happiness.
Loneliness, a companion that was constant, but it did not usher in unhappiness. It was a loneliness that was comforting in its way because it was filled with memories of loved ones who were always remembered, never forgotten.
Despite the uncertainty of reunification, there’s a dream I hold close to my heart. A dream to return to my hometown, to savor the comfort of the local cuisine, to reconnect with childhood friends. Time may age us to the point of unrecognition, and there’s a possibility that I may never step foot in my hometown again in this lifetime. However, I refuse to let go of this thin thread of hope.
Living without hope would be a miserable and sorrowful existence. So, I carry on, nourishing the hope of one day reuniting with my family.
The hope we harbor and the dreams we dream are what propel us forward, making us the architects of our Dream Factory. We strive, persevere, and continue to hope because without it, what would we be?
This essay is dedicated to all those who harbor dreams and continue to foster hope, no matter how grim the circumstances.
It serves as a reminder that although our pain may differ in depth, we are all unified in the shared experience of longing, dreaming, and hoping.
Sowon Lee
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Lila Yamada from Kyoto, Japan –
Okay, so hear me out—this book had my heart doing flips! It’s all about this brave girl who’s stuck in a world that’s heavy with shadows. The way she opens up about her defection to North Korea really makes you feel the weight of every single choice she’s made. Like, it’s not just gloom and doom; there’s little sparks of joy tucked in between those lonely days that keep you hanging on till the end. Honestly, it’s refreshing how authentic her voice feels through these pages—the kind of stuff that hits home and sticks around long after you’ve closed the cover.
Maliha Tshuma from Harare, Zimbabwe –
Amidst the silence of abandonment, a pulse remains in every solitary heart. Here lies the tapestry woven from desperation and dreams — an evocative narrative led by a courageous 18-year-old girl yearning to reclaim her fractured family ties across unforgiving borders. This memoir unveils nuanced emotions that often escape conventional portrayal; loneliness appears not merely as despair but becomes an unexpected companion providing clarity on life’s intricate palette of happiness alongside sorrow. The author’s articulate brush strokes render vivid images through ten years’ worth of struggle in isolation yet underscore vital insights: sometimes solace finds us when least expected amidst life’s complexities.