문학과 지성사

“Kongchi, enjoy your life with your special talent!”

On Black Cat Island, a kitten called Kongchi is indulging in his comfortable life thanks to his mom, Myeongwol, who feeds him tasty kongchi(saury). Myeongwol, a proud and feisty cat, named the five siblings as soon as they were born: Kongchi, Kongdol, Kongsoon, Kongmi, and Kongcho. Each of these names has a deeper meaning to it, although it may not seem that way at first glance. With his fierce mom and the human family who supply delicious fish for him, Kongchi thinks he has nothing to worry about—until Myeongwol’s hot temper gets the better of her. However, Myeongwol’s pride does not diminish even when she’s out on the street with her five kittens. One day, she brings a mouthful of paper into their worn-out shelter away from humans. In a low whisper, she warns the kittens to never tell anyone the family secret she is about to share. As it happens, Kongchi recognizes the character for their family name, “書(Seo)”, from the pile of papers, and Myeongwol realizes that Kongchi is the heir of this feline family’s secret literacy passed down through generations.