Thảo
Other
- Year of Production
- 2024
Summary
[Genre] Socially-oriented Mystery Novel
[Log Line] “A sprawling mystery thriller in which Detective Chief Oh Ji-young, an uncompromising investigator, unravels a string of serial murders and exposes the structural violence hidden within Korean society.”
[IP Target Strategy]
★Winner of the 2024 Korean Mystery Literature Grand Prize★
★A series following Chief Detective Ji-young Oh’s level-headed investigation and her monotonous life in which her work is her only source of drive★
★A mystery full of social critique told through the sharp gaze of former Daegu MBC Press Secretary★
This novel exposes the reality of Korean society through the plight of foreign immigrants, one of South Korea’s most vulnerable populations. In a society swayed by irrationally divisive rhetoric and hateful incitement, with no solutions to social structure issues in sight, the true nature of these problems often goes unexamined. What violence do disadvantaged individuals face in such a world? The novel is a classic socially-oriented mystery that reveals the chain reaction of deep-rooted issues in Korean society through the death of Thảo, a female Vietnamese student studying in Korea. It follows detective Ji-young Oh as she persistently tracks a serial killer who strikes on days with heavy rainfall. The story provides a sharp critique of cultural clashes between Christianity and Islam, the issue of immigrant workers, and the resulting deep-rooted pessimism and helplessness that grows into violence. It also examines repressed anger among social classes, and the media malpractice of sensationalist reporting that don’t get to the core of the incident. It is a work of art that dives into the societal ills of South Korea while holding on to the entertainment factor of the mystery genre.
[Plot]
Upright posture, emotionless tone, and expressionless face. Chief Detective Ji-young Oh is a stoic woman in her mid-40s who cares for nothing but solving the case. Despite facing discomfort and rudeness from detectives and journalists who are unsettled by having such a young female commander, Ji-young remains detached, uninterested in responding emotionally and showing them who’s boss. If someone wants to enter the scene first, she will oblige, but she never opens up emotionally or gets close to anyone. Yet, beneath her impassive exterior lies a deep empathy for the victims’ pain and an unrelenting drive to solve each case.
At the end of August, on a night of heavy rain, a violent assault occurs in an alley next to a newly built mosque. The victim, a female sociologist, had been a vocal supporter of the mosque, despite opposition from existing churches and residents at the time of its construction. The case, which seemed straight-forward at first, starts to go cold until a month later, when a similar crime occurs on the morning after heavy rain. As the media pounce on Ji-young Oh like sharks circling the water, body is found whenever heavy rain falls. Ji-young digs into the truth of the incident in solitude, battling internal discord within the police organization, the glass ceiling, the sensationalist media, and her own painful past. Finally, the mystery is revealed with the identity of a woman named “Thảo”, meaning “green forest”, at the center of the crimes.
[Log Line] “A sprawling mystery thriller in which Detective Chief Oh Ji-young, an uncompromising investigator, unravels a string of serial murders and exposes the structural violence hidden within Korean society.”
[IP Target Strategy]
★Winner of the 2024 Korean Mystery Literature Grand Prize★
★A series following Chief Detective Ji-young Oh’s level-headed investigation and her monotonous life in which her work is her only source of drive★
★A mystery full of social critique told through the sharp gaze of former Daegu MBC Press Secretary★
This novel exposes the reality of Korean society through the plight of foreign immigrants, one of South Korea’s most vulnerable populations. In a society swayed by irrationally divisive rhetoric and hateful incitement, with no solutions to social structure issues in sight, the true nature of these problems often goes unexamined. What violence do disadvantaged individuals face in such a world? The novel is a classic socially-oriented mystery that reveals the chain reaction of deep-rooted issues in Korean society through the death of Thảo, a female Vietnamese student studying in Korea. It follows detective Ji-young Oh as she persistently tracks a serial killer who strikes on days with heavy rainfall. The story provides a sharp critique of cultural clashes between Christianity and Islam, the issue of immigrant workers, and the resulting deep-rooted pessimism and helplessness that grows into violence. It also examines repressed anger among social classes, and the media malpractice of sensationalist reporting that don’t get to the core of the incident. It is a work of art that dives into the societal ills of South Korea while holding on to the entertainment factor of the mystery genre.
[Plot]
Upright posture, emotionless tone, and expressionless face. Chief Detective Ji-young Oh is a stoic woman in her mid-40s who cares for nothing but solving the case. Despite facing discomfort and rudeness from detectives and journalists who are unsettled by having such a young female commander, Ji-young remains detached, uninterested in responding emotionally and showing them who’s boss. If someone wants to enter the scene first, she will oblige, but she never opens up emotionally or gets close to anyone. Yet, beneath her impassive exterior lies a deep empathy for the victims’ pain and an unrelenting drive to solve each case.
At the end of August, on a night of heavy rain, a violent assault occurs in an alley next to a newly built mosque. The victim, a female sociologist, had been a vocal supporter of the mosque, despite opposition from existing churches and residents at the time of its construction. The case, which seemed straight-forward at first, starts to go cold until a month later, when a similar crime occurs on the morning after heavy rain. As the media pounce on Ji-young Oh like sharks circling the water, body is found whenever heavy rain falls. Ji-young digs into the truth of the incident in solitude, battling internal discord within the police organization, the glass ceiling, the sensationalist media, and her own painful past. Finally, the mystery is revealed with the identity of a woman named “Thảo”, meaning “green forest”, at the center of the crimes.
Company Profile
Other
NABICLUB
"Life is full of mystery"
Nabiclub invites those who wish to investigate the world and see it in a new light to think through the framework of mysteries.
Mysteries are more than just a genre—they’re a way of exploring the world.
Mysteries are an unexpected discovery, a curiosity that drives one to explore the world beyond boundaries and rules, and questions that acknowledge one’s prejudices and expand the mind. Nabiclub goes beyond simply publishing mystery works, and offers readers the experience of thinking in a mystery framework. This allows readers to step beyond their usual line of thought, discover the joys of a new perspective, and explore the world in depth through endless questions.
Nabiclub invites those who wish to investigate the world and see it in a new light to think through the framework of mysteries.
Mysteries are more than just a genre—they’re a way of exploring the world.
Mysteries are an unexpected discovery, a curiosity that drives one to explore the world beyond boundaries and rules, and questions that acknowledge one’s prejudices and expand the mind. Nabiclub goes beyond simply publishing mystery works, and offers readers the experience of thinking in a mystery framework. This allows readers to step beyond their usual line of thought, discover the joys of a new perspective, and explore the world in depth through endless questions.