Munhakdongne Publishers’ newest collection of short stories, Everything That Could Be is writer Gu Byeong-Mo’s latest addition to her repertoire of novels which awaken our senses to a world realized through fantasy, an abstract biosphere woven through images and thoughts, and the very real place that is this planet which we inhabit and resolutely tread. As demonstrated by past works such as A Single Sentence, Break, Your Neighbor's Dining Table, Through the Ivory Door, and Poetry of Needle and Leather, Gu is perhaps Korea’s most wide-ranging author. Everything That Could Be, as the title suggests, reveals an endless array of potential worlds, with stories that may have once crossed our imaginations, or those beyond our wildest dreams. If someday all the books Gu Byeong-Mo wrote in her lifetime were to be condensed into one, might it not bear this title? Everything That Could Be encapsulates the entire oeuvre of Gu Byeong-Mo’s writing as we know it today."In such a world, isn't anything possible? Isn't that so? The opening story of this book is titled "Ninikorachiwupunta." This story, which has already captivated critics by winning both the Kim Yu-jung Literary Award and the Kim Seung-ok Literary Award, is set in a near-future South Korea where the median age has reached sixty-one, and costs of elderly care is now a social issue. It paints a picture of old people spending their remaining lives in nursing homes. The protagonist, a special effects makeup artist, hears from her mother, who has a severe case of dementia to the point where she can't even recognize her own daughter, that she wishes to meet an alien she encountered in her youth. Does this alien named "Ninikorachiwupunta," a long and peculiar name that mother recalls so clearly, truly exist? Beginning as a mystery, the story gradually unfurls in unforeseen directions. By the end, it does not offer a solemn reflection of the underbelly of our society but also delivers a deeply touching and fantastical tale.The story "Knocker," introduces the reader to mysterious entities known as knockers who cause anyone who sees their face to lose the ability to speak. When Dajeong chases down someone who left without an apology after bumping into her, she completely loses her ability to use language after seeing their face— unable to speak, write, or even use gestures to communicate. As more and more people lose their ability to speak because of these knockers, the foundation of society is on the brink of collapse, and mistrust spreads among its members. This work vividly and rapidly portrays a catastrophic state of affairs. However, it doesn't just fall into disaster clichés but also poses fundamental questions about human communication.“But when has speech ever truly been a tool for communication? Aren't we, throughout our lives, unable to truly understand one another, with words often being the catalyst for misunderstanding rather than comprehension? Words are thrown like stones or used as snares to hang crow fodder. Particularly eloquent words are especially prized by dictators, who use them to control people, manipulating as though a slithering tongue, and then eliminating them the moment they deem their value or interest to be lost.”-from "Knocker"“Everything That Could Be,” the collection’s namesake, is a narrative that explores every possible dimension in which a storyteller might exist. Novelist C, having been commissioned to write a romance novel, dreams one night of a movie with a familiar plot. However, he wakes up before seeing its conclusion, and struggles to determine if the story is something he once saw somewhere or if it's a product of his own imagination. Amidst this uncertainty, he begins to imagine every conceivable ending, which evolves into an ontological investigation of possible worlds.In this manner, Gu Byeong-Mo presents stories that invite readers to introspect through unfamiliar beings, spaces, and worlds. In "How to Save Energy," the narrative reflects on the meaning of family within the patriarchal system through the recollections of a speaker who lived through the rapid growth of the 1980s and into the modern era. "Q's True Spirit" depicts a space where a sent message drifts without reaching its intended recipient, delineated abstractedly. The number '1', indicating its undelivered status, floats as a digital code, wandering the realm of meaning. The quantum world, where meaning and meaninglessness intermingle, is brought to astonishing clarity through Gu's delicate and wondrous play of words."Movement and Stillness" is set in a near-future dystopia where repeated epidemics have devastated the world, and mobility has become a privilege of the elite. 'Eol', a truck driver, notices his colleague 'Shad' has gone missing. While investigating his whereabouts, he learns of spiritualists who believe they can teleport through meditation and are connected to Shad's disappearance. Through Eol's tale, we're prompted to ponder the significance of crossing boundaries and the meaning of movement for humanity."—You just said it... right now. —What? —"In such a world, isn't anything possible? Isn't that so? If anything can happen, there's no reason humans can't move to the other side using their power." From "Movement and Stillness""Nevertheless, somewhere between something that could be and everything that could be, you shall stir, you shall rise, overflow, reverberate, and find your own place."Gu emerged in the literary scene in 2008, capturing hearts with the bestseller "Wizard Bakery" and winning the Changbi Youth Literature Award. With every work, she's refreshed our literary palate, always surprising and evolving. While novels like The Old Woman with the Knife and Your Neighbor's Dining Table have garnered much love, it's in her short stories that Gu's linguistic prowess and layered musings truly come to life. She possesses a unique flair for turning imaginary reveries into riveting tales, best exemplified by her short-story collections. But the allure of Gu's works doesn’t just lie in her creative flights of fancy. These tales, while enthralling, also reflect truths that lie in the margins of our world, much like a clear mirror catching subtle lights. Her keen insight into reality might be her most powerful tool as a writer. In reading Everything That Could Be, we journey through unfamiliar terrains and, unexpectedly, come face-to-face with ourselves. That's the beauty of delving into novels and, more so, into the world of Gu Byeong-Mo.