For ten years, publishers rejected You Yeong-Gwang's book.
asserted
publishers → reject → book
Yet before it was even printed in South Korea, the once-abandoned manuscript had international publishers flocking to secure translation rights.
asserted
publishers → print → rights
"I'm so grateful that the book has now been published in more than 20 countries.
asserted
book → publish → countries
Even more astonishingly, it also appeared on the Der Spiegel bestseller list in Germany," he told DW while attending the 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair.
asserted
he → appear → Fair
For a debut novel by an unknown author, it was a massive success, securing publication in 15 languages, including English, German, Spanish and traditional Chinese.
asserted
it → secure → English
The Rainfall Market tells the story of a mysterious, hidden shop that only opens when it rains.
asserted
it → tell → shop
In the shop, visitors can exchange their deepest unhappiness for a ticket to a brand-new destiny.
asserted
visitors → exchange → destiny
The plot revolves around Serin, a disheartened young girl who stumbles into the marketplace run by whimsical spirits, finding a warm, comforting space.
asserted
who → revolve → space
"In fact, Serin's story is my story," author You said.
asserted
You → say → fact
"For a long time, I even wondered how wonderful it would be if I could sell my unhappiness and use the money to buy happiness.
uncertain
I → wonder → happiness
While writing the book, he was going through a difficult time himself.
"
asserted
he → write → time
I had to care for my mother, who had been ill for a long time, and I had also been responsible for supporting my family financially for many years.
asserted
I → have → years
Life felt incredibly heavy," he reflected.
asserted
he → feel → ?
"But when I was writing, I could immerse myself in the world of the story and, even if only for a short while, forget about those circumstances.
uncertain
I → write → circumstances
That's why writing made me so happy.
asserted
me → make → ?
I truly enjoyed it.
asserted
I → enjoy → it
On the creation of The Rainfall Market
The idea of rain is inspired by his own life.
asserted
idea → inspire → life
"At that time, my circumstances felt as though it were raining constantly," You said.
asserted
You → feel → time
The story draws heavily on traditional Korean folklore, serving as a quintessential "healing fiction" tale in which its young protagonist must weigh the true cost of seemingly perfect lives.
asserted
protagonist → draw → lives
"When I was writing, I wasn't consciously trying to write healing fiction.
asserted
I → write → fiction
At the time, I didn't even really know that such a label existed."
asserted
label → know → time
He initially planned to publish a book independently and started crowdfunding.
asserted
He → plan → book
But as the funding failed, he used all his savings and printed 200 copies, which bookstores refused to take.
asserted
bookstores → fail → which
In a month, he only sold five copies.
asserted
he → sell → copies
"I thought that's it.
asserted
that → think → ?
I really have to give up now.”
asserted
I → have → ?
"At the time, I had undergone eye surgery and due to complications, I couldn't see, so I started working at a call center, where I could work using my voice."
uncertain
I → undergo → voice
You said.
asserted
You → say → ?
"During the week, I worked at a call center, and on weekends I went to a computer academy.
asserted
I → work → academy
I learned how to make books on my own for a few years."
asserted
I → learn → years
He then taught himself how to use the software needed to create books on his own.
asserted
He → teach → own
While running one of the crowdfunding campaigns, he started working as a food delivery rider.
asserted
he → run → rider
"The round trip between my home and the area where I delivered food took about four hours each day.
asserted
I → deliver → hours
So I wrote on my phone's memo app while traveling on the subway.
asserted
I → write → subway
"Even when I was going through very difficult circumstances, I was able to keep writing because the moments when I was writing were so joyful.
asserted
I → go → circumstances
For a little while, I could forget about the difficult situation I was in," You explained.
uncertain
You → forget → situation
Finally a breakthrough
"I gathered those pieces of writing together and launched what I intended to be my final crowdfunding campaign," he said.
asserted
he → gather → writing
The campaign was intended to fund the publication of The Rainfall Market.
asserted
campaign → intend → Market
"To my amazement, the campaign succeeded, and I was able to publish the book commercially for the first time," he said.
asserted
he → succeed → time
Following the crowdfunding success, the novel was acquired by Clayhouse, a prominent South Korean publishing company.
asserted
novel → follow → Clayhouse
…and 27 more, not listed.
The Aporia
