문학과 지성사

Sounds of humming that couldn’t become a song
in a world where equality is impossible.

The stories in No Night For Us attract the readers into the plots through the detailed illustration of the internal and external situations of the characters. As we peruse the refined, no-frills sentences along the narrative, what awaits us at the end of the author’s stubborn gaze are human instincts and desires. In Wi’s stories, taste defines and maintains the boundaries among social classes.

Heejin in “No One,” Wonhee in “Evening-only Sunday,” Gyuhee in “Jane’s Humming,” The Lion Queen in “No Night For Us,” and Minhee in “How to Grow Monstera,” who all belong in the upper echelons of society, the so-called “gold” class, enjoy their affluent, comfortable lifestyle. They don’t have to stress over their tastes in things, as they are already respected by others. Although they sometimes fantasize about “other lives,” they can’t ever throw away what they have.

On the other hand, the “silver” class, such as Hanna in “Jane’s Humming,” constantly tries to climb up the ladder by imitating the upper class, yet their attempts are to no avail due to the enormous gap in taste. Lastly, the “dirt” class has to prioritize survival—taste matters little to a couple that breaks up over money, or even aggravates one’s despair by confirming the ugliness of their surroundings.

The ten stories in No Night For Us reflect a world not unlike ours, in which the social classes confine people to the different hell they each live in. Wi Soo Jung’s sharp gaze is peering into our nights in the here and now.