문학과 지성사

“Those precious bygone days.”
My childhood made me who I am today!

Doksan-dong in the 1980s was far from being fancy or luxurious, but Euni cherishes the warm memories of her neighborhood— now presented in this picture book. Author Yoo Eunsil focuses on delivering love and warmth to those at the margins of society rather than those in high and fancy places.
She revisits her childhood in this book with a loving message about what a child needs in order to grow into a happy adult. In Euni’s neighborhood, there is no clear distinction between the factories where grown-ups work and their homes. It fully embraces the everyday lives of both grown-ups and children; we see factories operating busily, children playing along the alleyways, and grown-ups working hard together.
They form a close-knit community and share their everyday lives. Within that community, the grown-ups raise their children together, and the children grow happily. The children are looked after by everyone, and all grownups can be depended on like mothers and fathers. The noise from the factories and the voices big and small filling every corner come together to create beautiful harmony, ensuring that peaceful days continue despite the weariness they feel. Surrounded by all that, children find safety and comfort in their environment.