문학과 지성사

“No one chooses the route for you.
There’s a different route for everyone.”

Ma Hwarang, the legendary jockey with the inimitable two thousand wins, has twin daughters, Saena and Luna. The twins’ mom is also a jockey whose love for horses and races is second to none, although she has won more fair play awards than the Grand Prix. What’s more, their grandfather is an equine veterinarian. Having grown up around horses, Saena feels attached to them as someone who dreams of becoming a jockey. Luna, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with horses and focuses on school. When two foals, Athena and Ares, were born on the ranch, the family and staff put their best effort into training them as competitive racehorses. While Athena grows up to meet the family’s expectations by winning game after game, Ares doesn’t even get chosen at the horse fair and is about to board the slaughterhouse-bound truck. Watching Athena’s winning streak eventually collapse due to people’s greed, and Ares being the much-needed support as mom loses the ability to walk, Saena realizes that happiness is not about achieving the best, but about living at one’s own pace.