A historical novel for children set in the Japanese colonial era whose depth and soundness are noteworthy, Myeong-hye recounts the story of a young girl who, full of passion for learning and thoughts about life, pursues her dream of becoming a doctor in the face of the traditional mindset of older generations. The recipient of the Grand Prize for Creative Writing in the 11th Good Children’s Book Contest sponsored by Changbi, the judges on the panel acclaimed this work as a “problematic work that offers a wealth of food for thought” and for its “vivid depiction of the woman question, which exists on a level different from that of the problem of ethnicity, through specific incidents.” Drawn only with a ballpoint pen, the sensitive and profound illustrations harmoniously combine with the text and exude lyrical beauty as well.
Myeong-hye, the protagonist, is a young girl who is full of curiosity about the world. Rejecting contemporary customs and views, she convinces her parents to let her study in Seoul. Now a student at an all-girls high school together with her younger sister Myeong-seon, the heroine there befriends the active and opinionated Nak-gyeong, who progressively opens her eyes to the fact that women can contribute to the nation just as much as men can. Later, Myeong-hye comes to learn about the lives of impoverished women while studying and working at a hospital and gradually matures as an independent woman. Although the plot is not at all complex, this work will leave readers with much to ponder on.