#Interview by literary critic Jeon So-yeong

To Han Geun-chan, novels were the means to bring back the stories of numerous victims left unwritten in history instead of the publicized parts of war. “The Suffering of Two Generations” is the product of his intention. 

When they arrive at the river, the father worries about how his one-legged son would cross the narrow, single log bridge. 

____

Jin-su, holding his crutches in one hand and the mackerel in the other, slowly got on his father’s back. 

Man-do held his abdomen tight and stood up with a groan. Carefully stepping onto the bridge, Man-do swallowed his thoughts. ‘What a pity for such a young man to be like this. Your lot in life is shitty, having been born into this shitty world.’ Piggy-backing on his father’s back, Jin-su muttered quietly inside his head that his father was dreadfully unlucky for having a crippled son like him and that it would have been better if he had just died.

Dragon Head Hill soaring tall before their eyes quietly looked down on them. 

진수는 지팡이와 고등어를 각각 한 손에 쥐고,

아버지의 등어리로 가서 슬그머니 업혔다.

외나무 다리 위로 조심조심 발을 내디디며 만도는 속으로

이제 새파랗게 젋은 놈이 벌써 이게 무슨 꼴이고,

세상을 잘못 만나서 진수 니 신세도 참 똥이다 똥, 이런 소리를 주워섬겼고,

아버지의 등에 업힌 진수는 곧장 미안스러운 얼굴을 하며

나꺼정 이렇게 되다니 아부지도 참 복도 더럽게 없지.

차라리 내가 죽어 버렸으면 나았을 낀데....

하고 속으로 중얼거렸다.

눈앞에 우뚝 솟은 용머리재가 이 광경을 가만히 내려다 보고 있었다.