The first short story collection by leading Korean SF author Kim Cho-yeop
Kim Cho-yeop is an up-and-coming author whose works explore the boundaries between the normal and the abnormal, success and failure, and the mainstream and the non-mainstream. She manages to bring imaginary worlds to life and blur the line between reality and fiction. If We Can't Go at the Speed of Light is her first short story collection.
Remarkably insightful and thought-provoking
Kim Cho-yeop's stories offer a realistic portrayal of the world devoid of hasty judgments. In the story "Why Aren't the Pilgrims Coming Back?" the author imagines a near future where so-called “perfect” humans can be created through gene selection, leading to the social exclusion of those who are seen as “imperfect.” Despite being free of discrimination and hate, the seemingly utopian society turns out to be impersonal and loveless, prompting some individuals to embark on a pilgrimage from which some never return. Through this story, the author asks what drives us to live in a world that is filled with contradictions and hate.
Not all heroines are gold medalists
Kim Cho-yeop's works are an exploration of the boundaries between the normal and the abnormal, success and failure, and the mainstream and the non-mainstream. The story "About My Space Hero" features an elderly female astronaut who serves as a hero to a young girl despite facing criticism for a failed space mission. The story prompts readers to reflect on what defines success and failure. Can someone be considered a failure just for failing a space mission even if they managed to inspire a young girl? The story also presents an alternative family structure, composed of women, that presents the possibility of creating a family through friendship and solidarity. In "About My Space Hero," Kim Cho-yeop manages to skillfully weave her concerns and questions together through her dazzling storytelling.
Refusing to be defeated
Kim Cho-yeop's stories do more than merely depict extraordinary worlds through impressive feats of imagination. They challenge us to ponder thought-provoking questions about ourselves and feature characters who refuse to give up in the face of the impossible, demonstrating that life has no clear answers. For example, the story "Spectrum" features a protagonist who doesn’t give up even after being left stranded on a distant planet orbited by five satellites and coming face to face with extraterrestrial beings, and in "Why Aren't the Pilgrims Coming Back," individuals choose to leave the comforts of their utopian planet to explore the worlds that lie beyond. Through her stories, Kim Cho-yeop encourages us to muster the courage to understand ourselves and the world around us, to use love and friendship as a means to become more resilient, and to appreciate the value of persevering through life's challenges.
Reference: Hubble. "If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light", https://hubble.page/%EB%8F%84%EC%84%9C-%EB%AA%A9%EB%A1%9D/view/239877. accessed 24 May 2023.
There are no expectations.