The Haenyeo’s Son

★Full-length novel based on the award-winning piece of the 17th Golden Pen Award of the 2023 Korean Mystery Literature Award★
★Jeju crime series centered around the beautiful nature of Jeju Island and a island-native detective★

Highest violent crime rate in the country. Highest divorce rate in the country. Second highest suicide rate in the country. Just another normal day in Jeju Island, the so-called island of dreams. The Haenyeo’s Son is a full-length novel that explores the dark side of the island of dreams and the island of nightmares.

Detective Seung-ju Jwa, the head of Investigation Team 1 and a native of Jeju Island, enjoys exploring the island’s nature, so much so that he’s often mistaken for a geologist. Readers join detective Seung-ju Jwa, whose personal history led to became a detective rather than a scholar, as he investigates and uncovers the evils of Korean society through the murder investigations on Jeju Island. As the cautious and reasonable detective solves the case with resourcefulness and determination, Seung-ju Jwa evokes hope for the judgment of the law, rather than taking matters into one’s own hands, as well as for people, society and justice. The island’s four seasons and rich folklore serve as vibrant backdrops, making them secondary protagonists in this story. The novel captures the sad history of Jeju, dealing with events throughout the changing seasons of summer, autumn, winter and spring. The detective’s knowledge of local culture, geography, and nature plays an important role in solving the case.

[Plot]
Seung-ju Jwa, a highly intelligent and physically imposing detective in his late 30s, surprised everyone by entering the Korean National Police University. Even more contrary to expectations, he chose to work in his hometown of Jeju after graduating at the top of his class. As the head of Investigation Team 1 at Seogwipo Police Station, Seung-ju Jwa switches between the Jeju dialect and standard Korean with ease, and enjoys bird-watching in the quiet of the deep forest in his downtime. Always near him is detective Joo-hyuk Yang, a pleasant, friendly junior detective and partner. Led by the reasonable and rational Seung-ju Jwa, Investigation Team 1 detectives boast solid teamwork as they tackle violent crimes amidst the beautiful scenery of Jeju. Unbeknownst to Seung-ju, the team also has a hidden mission: to bring him closer to Yi-seo Hong, the woman he met during an investigation. The detective may know everything there is to know about Jeju, but he’s oblivious when it comes to romance.
The novel begins in the summer heat, with a locked-room murder case in the nature of Gotjawal. A VIP member of a high-end gym is killed, and Seung-ju Jwa faces the twisted desires of “land folks” living together at an English-education city. Following close behind is the disappearance of a family on a one-month stay in Jeju Island, leaving behind a sad story in the wake of a typhoon in autumn. The next incident occurs amidst a fierce snowstorm in January, where Yi-seo Hong becomes a crucial witness in finding the hidden culprit of a complex jewelry theft. And then warm spring arrives, and with it, the news of the accidental death of Seung-ju’s uncle, who helped raise him as his mother dived harvesting seafood. This leads to the truth of the incident that has plagued Seung-ju all his life, and the revelation that it is connected to the tragic Jeju April 3rd Incident forces the detective to face long-hidden family secrets.