The Woman in Moran Market

The writer, Jeong Do-sang, focuses on the lives of the ordinary people who are sunk down by the ruthlessness of capitalism. Two opposite lives are contrasted here; one is that of the lower class bent on making money for daily life and the other is that of the upper class who fully enjoy the benefits of capitalism. For example, the first story is about a woman who butchers dogs for a living in Moran market (“The Dog Butcher Woman”); another is about a housewife who breaks up her home as a result of starting an insurance business (“No More Moonlight”). Examples of upper class people include an executive in a large company who asks others to overlook his absurdities (“I Pray for Safety, Today…”) and a ranking government official who enjoys playing golf as a bribe (“Such a Long Time…”).
The author closely examines our corrupt reality through these people, and he also shows us situations through the tragic victims that resulted from the ideological conflict between North and South Korea. We can see the spirit of the times of the writer and his deep love and warmth of heart through the six stories in this book.