“My skin is blue, and my mom is Vietnamese. I don’t know which is more of a problem.”

The misery of the world faced upon discrimination and contempt – nonetheless, the boy grows up.

Melanin is a coming-of-age story about a blue-skinned Korean-Vietnamese boy who experiences diasporic situations when he immigrates to the United States. His story of being treated as the lowest caste in society because of his skin color and race, and being routinely discriminated against and despised by his schoolmates, teachers, and neighbors, is closely interwoven with historical events such as the September-11 attacks, mass shootings, and the impeachment of the South Korean president. The novel highlights a boy's struggle to maintain his dignity and love despite the loss of those who protected and cared for him, as they pass away or move.

“This skin color drags me down to the lowest end of the social ladder.”

A sharp, critical mindset, unique characters, and a narrative that interweaves reality and fantasy……

An outsider's coming-of-age story realistically illustrated through a history of inequality

Melanin is a novel about a boy with the rarest appearance in the world who, despite the cruelty of his circumstances, remains good-hearted and makes his way toward love. Jae-il “finally becomes an adult as he endures the times” that are rather cruel and harsh (Novelist Park Seo-ryeon). In the process, Jae-il reveals a unique charm and vitality that cannot be easily schematized. He goes from cowering in the face of one-sided beatings and ridicule to taking action to prevent hatred from destroying his soul.