법의 체면

I finished the third story 완전범죄, it was a really engrossing legal thriller, and it ends with a chilling revelation. Thinking about it is really scary, especially since I could definitely see this happen in real life.

It’s surreal to think that random elements (like an overly zealous prosecutor, and a biased, prejudiced judge) can dramatically shift the course of a trial and lead to drastically different repercussions on the accused.

I’m halfway through the third short story, 완전 범죄. It’s a really engrossing legal thriller, so tense! It shows the difference between accidental negligence and murder by omission, the latter being rare and difficult to prove.

So far the short stories have all been engrossing and educational in a good way. I’m learning a lot about Korean law and judiciary through them. At the same time, the story feel so realistic, I have to remind myself that it’s fiction and not true crime, but it sadly feels like things that could happen irl.

The second short story was so intense! It felt more like reality than fiction, it’s scary to think someone who never harmed anyone can have their life legally destroyed by an unfortunate meeting of bad luck and bad timing. The character got investigated when she had done nothing wrong, but how the law is interpreted, the current public opinion, the police officer she faced, many factors changed a perfectly innocent citizen into a criminal.
It’s also easy to see how the right to file criminal complaints can be abused, it’s really scary.

The first short story was fantastic, it gives its name to the collection and displays a harsh critic of the judicial system in general, showing that sadly, uncovering the truth is not what the court and the judge are aiming at.
The plot was really good too, I found the short story very suspenseful, and the explanations about some aspects of the judiciary really well balanced and integrated into the plot.

I didn’t take much time to read today, so I only just started the first short story. Love the beginning!

I had to read a bit about 음란물 제조죄 in South Korea, the case described in the short story definitely sounds wild for a Western reader. The problem also comes from the formal complaint (고발) system here. What is described is really shocking and scary.
Also read a bit about Ma Kwang-soo, a poet and professor at university who got arrested and convincted under obscenity laws for publishing an erotic novel, 즐거운 사라. It was in the 90s, so not long ago.