We Do Not Part

We Do Not Part by Han Kang is a haunting and poetic novel that explores themes of memory, loss, and historical trauma. The story follows Kyungha, a writer from Seoul, who travels to Jeju Island during a fierce snowstorm. She is there to take care of Ama, the pet bird of her close friend Inseon, who has been hospitalized after an accident. However, as she navigates the island, Kyungha becomes entangled in the painful history of the 1948 Jeju Uprising, a violent period of mass killings and political repression.

Through lyrical and introspective prose, Han Kang blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination, weaving together personal grief with the lingering shadows of collective tragedy. The novel reflects on the ways in which past wounds shape human connections and the resilience found in remembrance.