The short story is a genre that Korean writers have made their own, reflecting a long literary tradition in which the short is the major form of fiction writing. Written by Korea's leading contemporary writers, the eight stories in this collection provide deeply moving insights into the human condition. Sadness and triumph are unifying themes in this work. Sadness because all the characters have endured unhappy experiences of one kind or another, and triumph because they are all people who transform their sufferings into blessings through their own warm humanity - be they a soldier, a servant or a salaryman. The source of this humanity, as we find in these stories, lies in two things which are characteristic of the Korean people - powerful family bonds that are intricately woven and enduring; and nostalgia for the past even when it was distressing and extremely painful.