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Arahan’s Button

  • Author

    Hong Dan홍단

  • Publisher

    gozknock고즈넉이엔티

  • Year Published

    2023-12

  • Category

    Literary Fiction 순수소설

  • Target User

    Adult 성인

  • Period

    Contemporary 현대

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Description 작품 소개

In the search for those who want revenge, Arahan lures them: 
“Press the button, and I shall bestow upon your cursed one 30 million won’s worth of misfortune!” 

A strange ascetic, and an even stranger button 
Arahan is a long-haired man with a modernized hanbok and hipster headphones. He wanders around, seeking those who are overwhelmed by feelings of anger and revenge. He then hands them a cheap gilt-bronze button, luring them that 30 million won’s worth of misfortune will come to those they despise if they choose to press the button. Eun-hwi, a rookie artist who always comes second, is torn by this suspicious yet attractive offer. She eventually presses the button, hoping to redeem her painful days by beating her rival, Geum-hwi, who always comes out on top, as the “artist of the year” – at that moment, bolero music with a relentlessly repetitive rhythm starts ringing. 

Spiteful hatred, and karma even more spiteful 
The word “KARMA” is faintly engraved on Arahan’s button. Pressing the button brings 30 million won’s worth of misfortune to the person they despise. But it does not stop there – just like karma, that misfortune takes an equal amount of fortune from the one who pressed the button. Arahan goes to Geum-hwi, the one subject to Eun-hwi’s revenge, as his next target. The button eats up this chain of relationships, paying equal visits to both the one hating, and the one being hated. Geum-hwi, an up-and-coming artist who once denied her deep-rooted hatred, is swayed by Arahan’s seduction. 

A cruel choice, and the bridle even more cruel 
Geum-hwi, too, presses the button when she recalls Ju-yeon, a successful young entrepreneur who mocked her poverty. As soon as the button is pressed, the wandering Satans suddenly surround Geum-hwi. Arahan is quick to turn away when he sees with his own eyes that karma is coming for her. It is something perplexing, yet inevitable. It is once again proven that it is impossible to break free from the bridle of misfortune with evil intentions. This pattern of revenge is passed on endlessly from Geum-hwi to Ju-yeon, then from Ju-yeon to Won-woo, and then from Won-woo to Ji-min. 

Foolish humans, and even more foolish beings 
Why is the misfortune brought about by Arahan’s button worth 30 million won? Arahan, too, was once human. He became spiteful when he was killed and decided to remain on this earth, and eventually became “Arahan” when he was given a task by the Buddha. Arahan since then has continued with the task but has failed to let go of the hatred he held when he was alive. It is only when he meets Ji-min, a human who does not succumb to the temptation of the button, that he is no different from the foolish humans. He then goes off to find the killer who took his life – will Arahan be able to finish his final task? 

Reference

Support from Goznock ENT

Author Bio 작가 소개

Hong Dan made her debut with a shocking setup and story – there is no doubt that the next story is expected to be all the more shocking.

Translator`s Expectations 기대평

There are no expectations.

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