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Interview by author Koo Hyo-seo

I was prone to stomachache when young and the priestess forced me to drink a potion made with my hair, fingernails and what not. That’s why I had disliked and feared her. I can still vividly recall her eyes and the chants streaming out of her mouth. 

 

The main protagonist of “Relics” is a shaman priestess and the narrator is a 170-year-old Oriental oak tree. It has stood over the village protectively for 150 years alive and the remaining 20 years dead.

The priestess buried her three children near my base. They were all less than ten days old. The first child’s body was buried under the root that shot out to the south and the remaining two were each laid to rest under the roots to the north and to the east.

명두집은 내 밑동에다 세 아이를 묻었다

모두 생후 열흘도 채 안된 아이들이었다.

첫 아이의 시신은 남쪽으로 난 뿌리 밑에,

나머지 두 아이는 각각 북쪽과 동쪽 뿌리 아래 묻혔다. 

Since then, the priestess changed completely. Her face started to glow and she began helping the poor and the sick. 

 

Interview by author Koo Hyo-seo

The villagers and I thought that was just a cry without any meaning, but later I found out it was the term “bulmang,” which meant “Don’t forget.” We are reminded of the life’s preciousness through someone else’s death and vow to live a life without greed. The more we think about death, the more our lives gain meaning. I think that’s what “bulmang” means. 

If you want to live, you should not fear death. Your fear of death is what caused the illness. You have to realize that your children really die the moment you die. 

You have to know how death saves a person. Your dead children saved you. Don’t make their deaths futile by dying. Don’t forget. Bulmang!

죽지 않으려면 죽는 걸 겁내선 안 돼.

죽는 걸 겁내니까 지랄 염병 속병이 생기지.

니가 죽는 순간 애도 진짜로 죽어버린다는 걸 알아야 돼.

죽음이 사람을 살리는 이치를 알아야 해.

죽은 애들이 너를 살렸듯이

니가 살아야 걔들 죽음이 헛되지 않게 되는 거잖아.

잊지 말라니까. 

불망!“ 

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Koo Hyo-seo (Born on Sep. 25, 1958, in Incheon)

: 1987 Debuted on JoongAng Daily with “Madi”

2014 Won the 45th Dongin Literature Award

2005 Published “Relics” and won the Hwang Sun-won Literature Award the following year