The princess is kidnapped and the entire nation is thrown into shock. What the kidnappers want is an answer to one question: “Why was Empress Myeongseong’s funeral processed over an empty coffin?” Kim Jin-myung’s “The Princess Kidnapping” is a novel that tells the real story behind the Japanese assassination of Empress Myeongseong through a strong and thrilling narrative. Through the novel, the author addresses the issue of Japan’s historical distortion and their refusal to acknowledge past wrongdoings by placing readers in the shoes of victims so that they, too, can face real history. The Eulmi Incident, also known as the Assassination of Empress Myeongseong, occurred on October 8, 1895 (August 20 on the lunar calendar), when Japanese military forces led an attack on Gyeongbokgung Palace and brutally killed Empress Myeongseong. Even to this day, Japan persistently denies its involvement in the assassination. The story of “The Princess Kidnapping” begins when the crown princess of Japan is kidnapped despite strong security. Danaka, a competent detective assigned to this unprecedented case, finds that two kidnappers are involved in the case. While investigating the crime, he discovers that the kidnappers are Koreans who seem to have a specific motive in mind. The kidnapping incident plunges Japan into chaos. The people of Japan then come to learn about the existence of a secret document called “Document No. 435,” and from there on, the novel begins to uncover another side of the story. At the crowd’s demand, “Document No. 435” is made public, and it is revealed that it is a record that carries the horrifying details of what actually happened at the assassination scene of Empress Myeongseong, showing evidence that Japan is accountable for the brutalities that occurred in the past. The kidnapping wasn’t just a casual incident—it was the Korean kidnappers’ revenge for the death of Empress Myeongseong. “The Princess Kidnapping” brings the ongoing historical distortion made by the Japanese to the forefront; at the same time, it points out the indifference and carelessness of the Korean people regarding their own history. Similarly, to prevent any further historical distortion, we must fully understand what happened in our own country’s history. The novel not only inspires patriotism in the hearts of the readers but also encourages us to establish the direction of the future to come based on the realities that we ought to confront.