“Do you think your parents are here?” the voice asked.
It was the man who had given her the jelly. He had come out of nowhere. She was standing face to face with him, but she couldn't discern the features of his face. Yuji rubbed her eyes. It was no use. His face was still shrouded in darkness, his voice was as shady and damp as a cave, and his features were blurred.

“? ??? ??? ?? ?? ? ???”
??? ?? ?????. ?? ?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????. ?? ??? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???. ??? ? ?? ???. ??????. ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??, ???? ???? ????? ????? ??? ??.

New Seoul Park Jelly Massacre is Yewon Jung's translation of ????? ???? ??? by ??? (Cho Yeeun). The translation was published in the US by Safehouse in 2022 (under the Jelly Vendor Massacre) and in the UK in 2024 by Honford Star.
Honford Star is committed to bridging literary worlds, celebrating the richness of East Asian literature. Our goal is to respect the authenticity and diversity of these narratives, bringing them to a global audience through collaborative partnerships with skilled translators, artists, and designers.

And this version includes another example of the stunning cover art for which they are known, this time by Jee-ook Choi.



This is a very weird story - schlock horror with underlying social commentary. Set in the New Seoul Park theme park - remiscent of Lotte World or Everland - on a hot summer's day, when tempers are rising along with the temperatures, a mysterious figure, dressed as a park employee but with no visible face, hands out free-samples of jelly, particularly to squabbling families and couples, telling them “? ?? ??? ??? ? ????.” - "you'll never split up if you share this jelly". But then those who've sampled his wares find they literally melt into jellies themselves, fusing into one shapeless pink form.

The narrative style is somewhat strange - several of the chapters seem more variations on a theme, retelling the events of the day from slightly difference perspective but a lot of overlap - e.g. that of Dream Teddy the park mascot, or rather the person wearing his costume that day; Dream Kitty, another mascot but this time a literal cat who lives in the park; even one young girl who melts into a jelly, but un the others still remains sentient and mobile. From of the US edition, which contained an afterword, the format may result from this originally being a short-story. Others do propel the story forward, with the suggestion that the figure handing out the jelly is Him, the object of devotion of an anonymous online community of worshippers of a devil- figure.

Bizarre2024 sub-honford-2024-515 s Willow Heath231 1,136 Read

Told from multiple perspectives, The New Seoul Park Jelly Massacre provides the reader with what it says on the tin: a massacre about jelly at a theme park in Seoul. We begin with a young girl whose parents don't get along. She so wishes they did, and when she gets lost in the crowd, the girl meets a man whose face is out of focus, and is offering visitors to the park a jelly sweet that will keep those who eat them bonded forever.

This turns out to be unsettlingly literal, as the jelly sweet causes its consumers to melt into jelly, and their forms begin to melt into one amorphous thing. We then see this gradual massacre play out from different angles: that of a girl in a difficult romance, that of a fed-up employee who wears a mascot uniform, and even that of a successful CEO who is secretly part of a satanic cult.

Thematically, these people represent dissatisfaction, exhaustion, and frustration—in work, love, and life—and the theme park is their place to escape; the place where dreams come true. But things are never that simple, are they?

My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/korean-novels...11 s Carolyn 135 116

3.5/3.75? Nie by?am przekonana, co do wszystkich rozwi?za? fabularnych i mimo ?e w?tek satanistycznego kultu by? dla mnie najciekawszy (duuuh) to jednak zabrak?o mi wypo?rodkowania mi?dzy innymi historiami, które dostawa?y tylko po 15-20 stron. However, bardzo lubi? ksi??ki ze zmieniaj?cym si? POV z tych samych wydarze? i szanuj? sam proces powstawania tego tytu?u 8 s Kim1,388 132

Absolutely amazing surrealist horror. a fever dream set in a theme park. At first I was unsure of the format with the little stories stuck together but it worked really well. The writing indices just enough creepiness and dread to give the reader a sickening feeling. Unsettling. 7 s Rachel Louise Atkin1,125 265

3.5 stars. A strange and surreal theme park nightmare with a lot of jelly. This book is less a novel and more a collection of stories and vignettes of people who are at a theme park one day when a strange man starts handing out free jelly, only for this to end in the most weird apocalyptic saga of murderous jelly and people going absolutely crazy.

I think if this was more of a cohesive novel that went from a to b I would have d it a lot more. However I do think the structure worked really well and I d how a lot of the characters were explored in multiple stories and there was an attempt to really tie up all the loose ends.

I can’t say I full understood everything that happened in this book because it’s absolutely wild but I loved some of the imagery in it and I think it’s such a fun and unique idea. The structure is really brilliant and I think it took such a talent to put the book together. I know the entire book is about jelly but I really didn’t expect there to be so much jelly…

Would recommend if you want something quirky, weird and unique. 3 s Kimberly Ouwerkerk118 13

What if the only way to keep things together is a complete meltdown? When you want a situation to last forever so badly that that fact is more important than having feelings afterwards, it suggests a certain purity. Shall we understand it as a way out when all other options have failed, or as an alternative way to achieve what you want?

The end of the first chapter kills any assumption you might have had of reading a regular run-of-the-mill murder mystery. The title of the book suggests weirdness and it is definitely there, although I didn’t expect the book to be so deadly. I know it says massacre, but the more subtle deaths in this book seem harsher than a bloody massacre.

The narrator of the first (main) story, Yuji, is a child of a couple that argues all the time. Her voice is believable, befitting a young child. Each chapter describes the backstories of the characters going to the theme park and shows their role in the events. The stories aren’t long enough to get you invested in the character’s circumstances. With each new chapter I care less about the new narrators. Only the first chapter really piqued my interest, and that was because I was curious about the nature of the jelly vendor massacre. The author takes ample time to tell the story from multiple angles.

I the surreal twists. There is definitely a fun story here, but the book was too long. In the afterword, the publisher and author explain that this book originated from a short story competition. While the story may have been more fleshed out in book form, I think the shorter version might have been more intense.The length of the book diminished the power of the surprising elements and the chapters felt a repetition of the same thing over and over. I do the concept: a jelly massacre embodying your heart’s desire.korea2 s ania | hellishreads199 7

New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre was a very interesting read! It shows the Jelly Massacre at New Seoul Park through the eyes of nine individual characters, allowing for the reader to gather a picture of what happened before, during, and after the Jelly Massacre. Each chapter allows for the reader to see what happened through a new character, making the story feel refreshing as each character was so different from the other. It also felt super creative, as some characters weren’t necessarily human, allowing for a completely different but creative perspective.

After the story ends, there’s a section at the end of the book talking about the process of writing the book, how it doesn’t and shouldn’t belong to just one specific genre, and how the purpose of the book isn’t to answer any plot questions. I thought this was interesting as it does show in the book – there is no answer to why, who, or what really happened. Of course, as a reader, you may make your own assumptions of it all, but I enjoyed the vagueness of it all. Moreover, I agree that this isn’t exactly one genre – I don’t think it’s necessarily horror, maybe it’s a mystery, but it doesn’t define itself within one specific genre. It kept you guessing, creating absurd and different scenarios, leaving you wanting to read more, and I thought that was wonderful (is that speculative fiction?).

While I d the vagueness and lack of answer to what happened, I do think there’s moments where the story should’ve been more explicit. The story of the missing child, which starts and ends the book, felt lacking in content as it didn’t really feel that satisfying – there’s no real context of what happened or why it was that important to include.

Overall, it’s an interesting concept. I always love stories where you have all these different characters that are linked to each other or to an event and the story then becomes a sort of mystery waiting to be solved while reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Safehouse Inc. for the ARC!netgalley review-copies1 Victoria Tang487 16

3.5 really weird and atmospheric. An enjoyable read, but one without much depth. The book equivalent of jelly candy.korea1 Rahel Charikar419 3

"New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre" by Cho Yeeun is a novel that intriguingly sublimates social issues into a fantasy setting, using a mysterious jelly seller at an amusement park near Seoul as the central figure. The book is divided into nine stories, each focusing on different sets of characters whose paths intertwine through the common thread of the jelly seller and the promises made by the magical jellies.

The concept of a mystical jelly seller who can read people's desires and make their wishes come true adds a fantastical element to the narrative. Cho Yeeun skillfully weaves together the stories of neglected children, precariously employed workers, job seekers, and loners, creating a mosaic of characters whose lives are entwined with the promise of never being parted from their loved ones. The structure of the novel, beginning with the characters' pasts and culminating in a sweet, sticky, and grisly massacre, adds a layer of suspense and anticipation.

One of the strengths of the novel is its exploration of social issues within the context of fantasy. The characters represent different facets of society, highlighting issues such as neglect, precarious employment, and the impact of online relationships on real-life connections. The author effectively uses the fantastical elements to allegorically address these social concerns, offering readers a unique perspective on real-world problems.

However, the novel's complexity, with nine interlocking stories, may be a double-edged sword. While it allows for a diverse exploration of social issues, it also poses challenges in maintaining a cohesive and engaging narrative. Some readers may find the multitude of characters and storylines overwhelming, impacting the overall readability of the book.

Additionally, the conclusion involving a sweet, sticky, and grisly massacre may not resonate with all readers. The transition from the fantastical promises of the jelly seller to a tragic event could be jarring for those expecting a more conventional resolution. The balance between fantasy and the darker aspects of the story might not be to everyone's taste.

In conclusion, "New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre" offers a unique blend of fantasy and social commentary, using a mystical element to address real-world issues. While the novel has its merits in its imaginative approach, the complexity of multiple interwoven stories and the potentially unsettling conclusion may limit its appeal. For readers who enjoy thought-provoking fantasy with a touch of social allegory, this book may be worth exploring, but it might not be everyone's cup of jelly. Chris288 6

I hope the UK edition as published by Honford Star along with the slightly revamped title of this book comes out on GR soon - The New Seoul Park Jelly Massacre. Fantastic title, artwork, and most importantly, book itself!

This is definitely a strange little book, but the writing was easy to follow and engaging to read while retaining a surreal tone and atmosphere for much of it. It feels a bit of a mishmash between the POVs and some elements to the story, but I thought it mostly worked well together. Plenty of (effective) social commentary, great body horror, and some really beautiful and deep passages and lines, mostly from the perspective of the park's resident cat. The third to last chapter absolutely had me crying at the end of it and the very last chapter concluded brilliantly.

I really loved this and am so glad to have found another new favorite Asian horror book. Also, big thanks to Honford Star for shipping this book to me three weeks early as a part of my pre-order, even before its publication date of May 16, 2024.asian favorites horror Stacey BroadbentAuthor 48 books243

This was an interesting read, and one I’m still trying to process. I’ve not read anything quite it before.

The story is told in nine different POVs, all describing the events of, and leading up to, the day of the jelly massacre at New Seoul Park. A mysterious vendor shows up, offering free samples of a brand new jelly, making promises that it will keep you and your loved ones together. Literally.

Each character seems to be in a dire situation. Some make the choice to eat the jelly and face the consequences, while others have it forced upon them. It’s interesting to see how each one handles it and what their choice will be.

Definitely an interesting concept. It makes you think, and forces you to face the varying circumstances of each individual and how they’re involved. Yunjue Casilda118 1 follower

As much as I find this book is interesting, I can’t help feeling it was more of a bedtime story than its intended mystery & thrillers category. Parents who have kids with sugar obsession certainly would benefit out of reading this book and relay the story to their young children just before bed. I can guarantee that this young children would never look at any jelly the same again. Some gruesome scenes/details in this book are kind of creepy though. Eww, jelly anyone?

Check out New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre by Cho Yeeun on 11 Nov 2022 onwards.

I thank #NetGalley for my copy of #NewSeoulParkJellyVendorMassacre Gokce G454 74

What a strange and fun story!

The story takes place-as its title suggests- at New Seoul Park. People are offered some jelly by a mysterious person who seems to be working in the park, and then horror ensues. What expects the characters-whose points of view are reflected in each of their own chapters- is up to you to read and find out.

This was a wild ride. It was very scary to think about, what happens to the characters here, and the reasoning behind people’s actions. Also, I don’t think I’ll be able to look at jelly the same way again, at least for a while.horror Renee DeMoranville341 10

It has been a long time since I have read a book that has left me so captivated. The way the lives of the characters intertwined with each. It’s so out there but the characters are so realistic that it almost makes I plausible. The emotions of the humans, jelly and the cat were so well written it made me feel for them. I wanted to find the cat and give it a home. I am going to have to put Yeeun Cho on my list of authors to follow. I can’t wait for another book! HorrorDoll380 17

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Safehouse Inc. for giving me an eARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review. I love the cover, the bright pink words dripping with red blood, makes me, someone who loves horror, so happy. This book is reminiscent of Black Mirror, where humans darkest instincts and reactions are amplified via technology, except for this book it's jelly. A detailed review to come. authors-of-color earc-review-this-please how-creeptastic ...more Flora Davis2

A very involved read that ties everything in the end. This is a great novel that will leave you questioning: "What did I just read?"
The novel takes place in an amusement park with kids (I was already terrified) and all of the characters, even a cat, are connected. Despite the horrors that melt into the scene, the novel ties everything in the end into a scary, little bow. Sean Bryan30 1 follower

In a theme park in Seoul a horror plays out, from the perspective of many park attendees and those involved in the happenings. The book reads a Stranger Things style Netflix series, with plenty of twists to keep it binge worthy as the mystery unfurls. I read it in one sitting. Creepy, sinister and unusual. intan14

Seru sih i how the characters are linked to each other tp kayak yaudah gitu aja??? Where's the explanation about the man who gives out the jelly? Is he actually the devil that Sodok and Jelly Bean worships? Terus ya alesannya apa dh tiba-tiba muncul terus tiba-tiba tamat aja kayak yaudah gitu aja penyelesaian ceritanya
Autor del comentario:
=================================