North Korean Teenagers' Journey to Self-Awareness of Freedom

The novel 'Children of the Waves' by Jung Soo-yoon offers a compelling narrative of three North Korean teenagers, Seol, Kwangmin, and Yeoreum, as they navigate the perilous journey of escaping their homeland. While many previous works for young readers have depicted the experiences of North Korean defectors, 'Children of the Waves' distinguishes itself by focusing on the teenagers' proactive quest for their own futures and freedom, moving beyond the political and social contexts of their escape.

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I am like zero right now. A state of zero. Nothing to add or subtract, I am moving towards tomorrow on the horizon of zero. Wherever that may be, it must be better than prison.

Seol and Yeoreum begin their escape by crossing the border into China, only to be imprisoned and then flee during forced labor. Kwangmin, a football enthusiast who idolizes Son Heung-min, finds himself alone in China after his mother, a defection broker, is exposed by authorities. The novel interweaves their individual journeys as they travel from North Korea, through China, and towards the 'South Korea Embassy' located in a neutral country in southern China.

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Why are people born, why do they come into the world? I'm trying to survive somehow, but what's the point of it all? I crossed the river seeking freedom, but now I don't even know what that is.

What sets this story apart is its portrayal of the teenagers' escape not just as a flight from political and social conditions, but as an active pursuit of self-determination. This journey encourages young readers to recognize and dream about their own futures. Seol faces her reality with hope, stating, "I am like zero right now. A state of zero. Nothing to add or subtract, I am moving towards tomorrow on the horizon of zero. Wherever that may be, it must be better than prison." Yeoreum grapples with existential questions, reflecting, "Why are people born, why do they come into the world? I'm trying to survive somehow, but what's the point of it all? I crossed the river seeking freedom, but now I don't even know what that is."

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Yes, let's become independent. From mother, from father, from the country. As long as someone other than myself controls my life, whether it's parents or the country, I can never be truly free.

Kwangmin makes a resolute decision: "Yes, let's become independent. From mother, from father, from the country. As long as someone other than myself controls my life, whether it's parents or the country, I can never be truly free." A traveler Kwangmin met in China, who provided him with information about heading to South Korea, tells him, "You are forging your own path with your own feet. Shall we call it the 'Freedom Road'?" The narrative transforms the often-imagined grim and tragic escape into a delicate and beautiful journey of exploration. As they await permission to enter, the teenagers sneak out of the embassy one night and, facing the sea for the first time, declare, "We don't want a world we didn't decide for ourselves. This is our country." The book expands the lives of North Korean defecting youth into the realm of 'diaspora,' inviting readers to embrace the sound of the crashing waves together.

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You are forging your own path with your own feet. Shall we call it the 'Freedom Road'?