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I didn’t know what to read to replace 한국사 이상현상 연구원, so I chose a book I had lying around (I still have some physical books on my TBR pile…): 괴담수잡가 by 전건우.

This one was very sad, pointing at a society that judges women on their appearance alone, and the extreme self-depreciation it triggers in our protagonist.

I did create an entry for 한국사 이상현상 연구원 in the DB, but I might just remove it instead of counting it as DNF, because it’s more a “did not really started” rather than a did not finished case.

I started 한국사 이상현상 연구원, and nevermind, I’m not up to the challenge anymore. The first pages have completely put a damper on my motivation. I did try, but it’s just too overwhelming: too many words to look up and some Joseon-related vocabulary.

BUT, the real reason I give up, is because I don’t think this is a book for me. I thought it’d be more realistic, like some kind of investigation into strange occurrences in Korean history. Even though I do prefer non-supernatural occurrences, I also don’t mind occult or unexplained events. But the thing is that this book looks like it’s going to be fantasy/horror rather than based on more historical facts and investigation (like journalism?) to uncover what happened in the past.

Nothing wrong with that obviously, but it’s not really what I enjoy reading, and I fear that I will do all that work of looking up words, make glossaries, etc. to end up realising the book was never for me to begin with.

At least I didn’t buy this book for me, otherwise, I would have tried harder to read it. As my husband is going to read it anyway, I can ask him later how it goes and decide whether I want to give it another try.

Reverse 1999 published their anniversary recap, it’s so cute! Unfortunately I’m on the Korean server and only have access to the Korean version, and there's a lot of game specific words I don’t know since I don’t play in Korean. It’s a shame we can’t change the language. I’ll have to spend some time reading it.

I found this novel very different from the other ones, much more on a personal level than institutional and structural like the others were. The scale of the plot is also much smaller, and heavily focused on Hsu Chia-wei, who is one of the most interesting characters I’ve followed in a while. I didn’t really care for the case, but Hsu Chia-wei being one of characters of 警察執勤中：正義的代價 immediately pulled me in, and I also liked the way the two novels are linked.

But 警察執勤中：正義的代價 is key I think and really should be read before. 警察迷途中：誰是兇手 shows not just the obvious public, politic and structural repercussions the case had, but how it also completely influenced the life of Hsu Chia-wei, all aspects of it.

I somehow finished it? It’s really very short…
I found the end really depressing, maybe I’ll choose something lighter for my next reads.

I cleared fearless! I had only cleared once before, and it was in September last year, so one year ago already! I’m sure my account could have done fearless during 6.x, but I never tried hard enough.

I’m trying to replenish my collection of dusts and elixirs.

Chimeric Lion:
Lumine is not even built, talents are at 1 and she doesn’t have any relevant set, but I didn’t know who to play otherwise. Anyway, it worked.
Mizuki has the strongest single strike with over 400k?!

Yumemizuki Mizuki

Odette

Lumine

Qiqi

Anemo Operative:
This was the most difficult, I tried Kinich, but it didn’t work. Maybe it could if I reliably did more cannon shots per skill. Lohen also did not work, it takes too long to break the shield… So I ended up trying Zibai, and out of the three stages that’s by far my fastest clear!

Zibai

Illuga

Columbina

Linnea

Knuckle Duckle:
It’s not as strong without Columbina, but still one of the best team on my account.
And I’ll always be playing Kazuha. I don’t care.

Flins

Kaedehara Kazuha

Aino

Ineffa

Ah so beginning of chapter 7 makes the link with 警察執勤中：正義的代價, but it’s also kind of a spoiler? I was so shocked at the end of 警察執勤中：正義的代價, I almost cried when Lu Nai-yu was arrested, I felt so bad for her, it felt so unfair. Overall, the end of the novel was such a shock and chapter 7 goes over what happened, albeit briefly, but still. I don’t understand why these books aren’t marketed as a series with an established order. Or maybe there’s an order and I missed it? I only read e-books and don’t look at the cover that closely, less so the back cover (I never really read it actually) or wrapping band.

It’s decided, 한국사 이상현상 연구원 is going to be my next Korean book! My husband wants to read it anyway and bought the paper version. I prefer reading ebooks, but given that the book is here now, I’ll give it a try.

I’ll start it tomorrow, it’s probably going to be a difficult one with all the vocab related to historical backgrounds, but I’m up for the challenge!

Chapter 7 was quite the reveal! Though I guess a lot of things I found weird make sense now.

Another collection finished, the narration on this one was extremely good, again, such a shame I can’t find the narrator’s name. Especially 手胶卷中的少女 and 失去的世界 had to convey so much information and emotions through the narrator’s voice, and the voice actor’s performance was fantastic. My favourite short story is 小偷抓住的手, I love these brief encounters that deeply influence character’s lives, and the situation in this one was so strange and unique.

Couldn’t sleep last night, so I listened to the last short story. I loved this one very much, but it was really sad and this idea of complete solitude and darkness was both depressing and terrifying. Not the best to try and fall asleep, but it was a really impactful short story, the kind you’ll continue to think about for a long time.

All the short stories of the collection are excellent, but I mainly loved the first 3 ones that are all legal thrillers, or at least have key elements of their plot related to law and prosecution. 법의 체면 and 완전 범즤 in particular were fantastic, they both have a suspenseful plot and expose flaws and weaknesses of the system.
The other three short stories were equally good, but two of them are SF, which is a genre that rarely manages to pull me in, especially in literature.

The last short story was also SF, I found it was very good, I just can’t feel completely involved in this kind of stories.

Reading about bullying always makes me feel bad… but the story took quite a turn.
I knew the novel was short, but I still can’t believe I’m halfway through. I’ll probably finish it this week then.

I really loved 私に触らないで! I loved stories about ordinary people whom life seems settled and confortable who suddenly start to give in to temptation. How ideas who never crossed their mind before turn into obsession, and how ultimately the idea of crime becomes acceptable. I find it fascinating, and this short story was very good. The end also excellent.