“[It] penetrates the source and meaning of pain.” – Kim Yu-ri, editor of Yes24
“Bora Chung has consistently dealt with the pain and salvation of the real world, or the failure of salvation, through the infinite possibility of speculative fiction. The Pain Chasers is a continuation of the author's work in this reflection and also a proof of the literary quality of speculative fiction.” – Anton Hur, Booker-shortlisted translator of Cursed Bunny
From the author of Cursed Bunny, this speculative fiction shows how human can or cannot live with pain, ironically stirring up the meaning of living
NSTRA-14 was the perfect painkiller. The powerful and safe painkillers without side effects or being addictive, changed the culture of the pain. Bearing any pain is now suspected of being a sign of mental illness. However, as pain disappears, people who seek the pain appear. They have created a cult, which argues that having pain is essential for being human. Their followers believe that the pain is classified as nine stages. The believers gain the sense of accomplishment by overcoming pain arranged by the cult, but this makes them evade from the real problems of their life. For the fanatic, the painkiller means the source of evil and the rejection of God and they attacked the office of the pharmaceutical company.
Twelve years after the terror, the fanatics, who committed it, are found dead one by one. Traces of torture and drugs are found in victims’ bodies with the note: “The dead have been saved.” Now, police follow the traces left on the crime scenes, ruminating on the terror 12 years ago to find the murderer. Along the way, the investigation reveals the real, complex, ugly truth around the painkiller.