written and illustrated by Choi Gyu Seok

This book deals with ordinary difficulties for main characters, who are poor
but keep dreams of becoming a cartoonist, to experience while studying cartoon art. It
is autobiographical novel of the author himself who had taught cartoon art to high
school students in his 20s and 30s. The story is about depressed reality of teenagers
who are eager to enter college. The main characters are followings; Gang, Won Bin,
the poor and not good-looking loser, Ryoo, Eun Soo, the boy who had to wait one more
year even with high scores on entrance exam because he could not afford college, and
Jeong, Tae Seob, the sarcastic but warm-hearted teacher who treats losers with
affection. The tiredness and difficulty in their daily life described with self-torturing
sarcasm and jokes make us feel fun at first, but it also leaves us bittersweet
emptiness of our reality. We cannot help but realize harsh reality and sympathize with
the main character, Won Bin, who had to admit “Money is talent,” seeing his rich
friend enter college by paying the teacher to create his portfolio.
The author bluntly criticize individual and social irregularities such as the hypocritical
educated owner of used book store, the private cram school teachers who only care
about money in this book. The author once thought he can change the world when he
grows up, but he was disappointed because, in fact, the grown-ups had no such power
to change the world, and they just became adults as time went by. However, he also
emphasizes the guilty feelings and responsibility as an adult toward teenagers.