“Might there be something that doesn’t change forever in this world?”
The question tying the four unique characters together
A collection of stories noteworthy for the charms of a roman cycle
Loyal Jo Won-ung, fashionable Choe Jin-sang, and gentle Seo Min-gyu are drawn to Jeong Hui-jae, a transfer student, in spite of themselves. After separately spending time with the girl, who shines like a stag beetle, the trio each receives a skull ring from her. However, what Hui-jae has left them is not only skull rings… To her question—“What doesn’t change forever?”—how will Won-ung, Jin-sang, and Min-gyu answer?
Still Merry cheerfully shows the everyday lives of a trio of troublemakers and transfer student Jeong Hui-jae from spring to summer. An established writer, Gim Ok has chosen in this volume the form of a roman cycle, which is effective for looking into the hearts of the characters and closely capturing the growth of each of the children. As a result, readers are allowed a glimpse of the personages’ real intentions, intersection of feelings, and hidden truths, which considerably increase the joy of reading this roman cycle. A crisp sense of humor naturally mingles with the optimistic ambience of the entire work, to which a light touch is given by budding artist Guk Min-ji’s illustrations.
The variegated today as lived by thirteen-year-olds—friendship, unrequited love, hobbies, and family
Yet our own private lives are still merry
This book well reflects moments of innocent happiness that are by no means immature and that only childhood can bestow. Readers will find themselves gently smiling at scenes where the protagonists hold a “Class Reunion Ahead of Time” because they may be dead 20 years later and where one of them gets in trouble after lending his elder brother’s guitar to a girl whom he likes. There is something lovable about the shyness and disingenuousness of these boys on the threshold of adolescence, who feign ignorance even though they remember all past incidents. It will be fascinating also to observe how Won-ung, Jin-sang, and Min-gyu constantly and unexpectedly mention and approach Hui-jae in their respective ways while simultaneously professing to one another a lack of interest in her. Though it is not fulfilled in the way that adult romance is, the boys’ still clumsy puppy love is precious in itself. Still Merry thus respects children’s private lives instead of looking down on them. Dependable is the perspective of the author, who, even without conveying words of consolation in particular, quietly affirms and applauds youngsters as they make memories in their own ways. Even for this alone, this book will be very welcome to readers who are struggling through adolescence.
Storyline
“Guys to Take Care of before Transferring”: The representative troublemaker at Wajang Primary School, the simple and unruly Jo Won-ung must suddenly transfer to Jeju Island due to his parents’ decision. Because of a bombshell declaration of the prospective transfer, the humdrum routines of the boy and his friends take on incomprehensible excitement and strange energy. In particular, the trio of Won-ung, Jin-sang, and Min-gyu, who have been best friends since kindergarten, make plans for a special week before the transfer… What might the precious memories from the final week that these boys have planned be?
“Skull Rings”: Min-gyu secretly has a crush on transfer student Hui-jae. Though he wants to believe that only he is special to the girl, the boy becomes desperate when his best friend Won-ung Jin-sang appears with a skull ring from Hui-jae on his finger. Furthermore, Hui-jae eventually breaks up with Min-gyu due to his clumsy expressions of his feelings… The boy and the girl subsequently bump into each other at a park. What might be the secret that dispels the awkwardness between the two?
“Did You See My Guitar?”: A good dancer and a dandy, Jin-sang monopolizes Hui-jae’s attention by boasting his skill as a guitar player. To win her heart, the boy lends the girl his feared elder brother’s guitar while the latter is away for a week. However, the guitar is broken due to Hui-jae’s mistake, thus putting Jin-sang in danger of being scolded by his temporarily absent sibling. The boy’s loyal friends Won-ung and Min-gyu come together to save him from the crisis. Will their great operation to fix the guitar succeed?
“Peppy Mom and Me”: Living with her mother only, Hui-jae dreams of studying hard and making Mom happy. One day, she visits an amusement park with her friends thanks to tickets given by her mother. Once the children arrive, however, the girl is greatly perturbed because the place reminds her of her last memories with Dad… Will it be possible for Hui-jae and Mom to recover their vivacity?