"The father's revenge begins after losing his daughter to a sexual crime."
「피해자」(The Victim) is a Korean-style crime novel that has received rave reviews from Korean readers. And it's a story about the pain, anger, and despair of victims of violent crimes.
"[Exclusive Report] Serial killings occur throughout Seoul. All victims are identified as male with past sexual offenses. Police are investigating the murders as hate crimes targeting sex offenders."
If such an article were reported today, what kind of reaction would people show? Would they mourn their deaths, or would they mock and rejoice in the notion that those who died got what they deserved? Seeing the praise and support poured out for a YouTuber who recently disclosed the identity of a rape and attempted murder suspect in Korea, it seems that the average person has little interest in the rights of criminals. However, on the other hand, there is a significant number of people who argue that even the rights of these criminals should be protected. But can the scholars and wise men, who argue for the protection of the rights of criminals who have annihilated the rights of their victims, maintain the same argument if they or their family members become victims of violent crimes? Could they still say the same if their own family were murdered, sexually assaulted, or tormented?
In a civilized society based on the rule of law, private sanctions (such as revenge or retaliation) by victims against criminals are treated as criminal acts themselves. In Korea, even a victim pushed to the brink of life-threatening danger and defending themselves with their fists can fail to be recognized as acting in self-defense and instead be punished for mutual assault, which has become a subject of social controversy. Furthermore, if a victim publicly declares, 'I have been victimized by so-and-so, ' they can be prosecuted for defaming the criminal's honor. The Korean judicial system excessively protects the rights of criminals, to the extent that police cannot subdue a knife-wielding criminal with a gun but must plead, 'Please, put down the knife.'
「피해자」(The Victim) is a work that provokes much thought about the rights of victims, the rights of criminals, and private retribution. Starting with the protagonist's monologue, 'Can I really kill people?' the story introduces a subject never before explored in Korean literature-the serial killings of sex offenders. The protagonist loses his only daughter and wife to a sexual crime. Subsequently, he falls into a state of despair and reclusion. He even contemplates suicide. However, he changes his mind and decides to embark on a path of vengeance. He then proceeds to serially kill sex offenders.
「피해자」(The Victim) was written in simple and easy sentences. There are no scenes that stimulate the reader's peripheral nerves, such as suffocating suspense, thrill, and shocking twist, but large and small dramatic elements such as events, conflicts between characters, and inner conflicts appear every chapter. Therefore, I keep turning the page because I am curious about the next content. The artist's storytelling skills, which deal with the speed of storytelling through adjusting the length of sentences, paragraphs, and chapters, are also shown. In addition, careful descriptions of the spatial background, the appearance, behavior, and psychology of the characters add to the literary fun.
