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この世界からは出ていくけれど [Kono Sekai kara wa Dete Ikukeredo]
人より何十倍も遅い時間の中で生きる姉への苛立ちを抑えられない妹の葛藤を描く「キャビン方程式」、幻肢に悩まされ三本目の腕の移植を望む恋人を理解したい男の旅路を追う「ローラ」――社会の多数派とそうなれない者とが、理解と共存を試みる人生の選択7篇
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
296 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2021
5 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Kim Cho-yeop
5 books48 followersKim Choyeop (b. 1993) holds a BA in chemistry and an MA in biochemistry from Pohang University of Science and Technology. She launched her literary career in 2017 when two of her stories, “Irretrievable” (excerpted in this issue) and “If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light,” won the grand and runner-up prizes respectively at the 2017 Korean SF Awards. She then went on to win the Today’s Writer Award in 2019. Her debut short story collection, If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light (Hubble, 2019), was a record-breaking bestseller in South Korea, and a Japanese translation is set to be released by Hayakawa Publishing. One of the stories from the book, “Symbiosis Theory,” was also published in Clarkesworld magazine.
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December 20, 2025
☑ The Book in 3 Sentences
この世界からは出ていくけれど is a collection of science fiction short stories by Kim Cho-yeop, a well-known writer in the genre. The book explores how those who belong to the social majority and those who do not attempt to understand one another and coexist, focusing on the life choices that arise from these differences. Through quiet yet powerful storytelling, it offers insight into what it feels like to live on the margins of society and leaves the reader with lasting questions about humanity.
☑ Impressions
- How Did I Discover It?
I was browsing the shelves at a nearby bookstore, something I do regularly. I noticed this book displayed next to If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light, another work by the same author that I had read the previous month. Recognizing the author’s name caught my attention and led me to pick it up.
- Who Should Read It?
This book is especially suited for:
1. Readers who enjoy science fiction short stories that focus more on ideas and emotions than on technology.
2. Those who like to reflect on humanity, particularly on themes of coexistence between social majorities and minorities.
3. Anyone who wants to better understand the emotional and psychological experiences of people living in the minority within society.
☑ How the Book Changed Me
I felt that I could not fully enjoy the worldview of this book unless I had enough mental space. Each short story gradually expands its world through careful, detailed descriptions, and at times I found it difficult to keep up with that pace. I came to feel that this difficulty did not come from the writing itself, but from my own state of mind when I was reading.
What stayed with me most was the way the book portrayed people who continue to move forward by holding onto a sense of purpose. Fear and anxiety existed, but they did not dominate the characters’ choices. Instead, the stories focused on the decision to step beyond familiar boundaries and to test the possibilities of life, rather than remaining within a safe but confined world.
The book also left a strong impression through its depictions of people living in circumstances different from my own. The way their inner worlds were described made it easier for me to imagine their perspectives and the logic that shaped their lives. It led me to think about what defines me as myself, and how I am distinguished from others.
As I read, I found myself thinking more deeply about coexistence. The stories acknowledged that people cannot fully understand one another, and that relationships change as each person moves through a different world and time. Even so, they gently suggested that imagining another person’s world—and allowing them to live within it—has its own quiet importance.
☑ My Top 3 Quotes
1. 強い目的意識を前にすれば、不安や恐怖などちっぽけな障害物にすぎない。(When faced with a powerful sense of purpose, anxiety and fear shrink into nothing more than trivial obstacles.)
2. 彼らはこの狭苦しい居住区に閉じ込められたままわかり切った生と死をくり返すのではなく、外へ出て、自分たちが手に入れた生の可能性を試したがった。(Rather than remaining trapped in this cramped living quarter, repeating a life and death whose outcome was already known, they longed to step outside and test the possibilities of the life they had been given.)
3. わたしたちを救うのは、知ることではなく、無知なのです。(What saves us is not knowledge, but ignorance.)
この世界からは出ていくけれど is a collection of science fiction short stories by Kim Cho-yeop, a well-known writer in the genre. The book explores how those who belong to the social majority and those who do not attempt to understand one another and coexist, focusing on the life choices that arise from these differences. Through quiet yet powerful storytelling, it offers insight into what it feels like to live on the margins of society and leaves the reader with lasting questions about humanity.
☑ Impressions
- How Did I Discover It?
I was browsing the shelves at a nearby bookstore, something I do regularly. I noticed this book displayed next to If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light, another work by the same author that I had read the previous month. Recognizing the author’s name caught my attention and led me to pick it up.
- Who Should Read It?
This book is especially suited for:
1. Readers who enjoy science fiction short stories that focus more on ideas and emotions than on technology.
2. Those who like to reflect on humanity, particularly on themes of coexistence between social majorities and minorities.
3. Anyone who wants to better understand the emotional and psychological experiences of people living in the minority within society.
☑ How the Book Changed Me
I felt that I could not fully enjoy the worldview of this book unless I had enough mental space. Each short story gradually expands its world through careful, detailed descriptions, and at times I found it difficult to keep up with that pace. I came to feel that this difficulty did not come from the writing itself, but from my own state of mind when I was reading.
What stayed with me most was the way the book portrayed people who continue to move forward by holding onto a sense of purpose. Fear and anxiety existed, but they did not dominate the characters’ choices. Instead, the stories focused on the decision to step beyond familiar boundaries and to test the possibilities of life, rather than remaining within a safe but confined world.
The book also left a strong impression through its depictions of people living in circumstances different from my own. The way their inner worlds were described made it easier for me to imagine their perspectives and the logic that shaped their lives. It led me to think about what defines me as myself, and how I am distinguished from others.
As I read, I found myself thinking more deeply about coexistence. The stories acknowledged that people cannot fully understand one another, and that relationships change as each person moves through a different world and time. Even so, they gently suggested that imagining another person’s world—and allowing them to live within it—has its own quiet importance.
☑ My Top 3 Quotes
1. 強い目的意識を前にすれば、不安や恐怖などちっぽけな障害物にすぎない。(When faced with a powerful sense of purpose, anxiety and fear shrink into nothing more than trivial obstacles.)
2. 彼らはこの狭苦しい居住区に閉じ込められたままわかり切った生と死をくり返すのではなく、外へ出て、自分たちが手に入れた生の可能性を試したがった。(Rather than remaining trapped in this cramped living quarter, repeating a life and death whose outcome was already known, they longed to step outside and test the possibilities of the life they had been given.)
3. わたしたちを救うのは、知ることではなく、無知なのです。(What saves us is not knowledge, but ignorance.)
July 29, 2025
这是一个关于“缺陷”的故事集，关于人们如何看待缺陷、在缺陷中我们依旧会产生相似的感情，以及我们如何跨越缺陷互相理解。那么，“理解”到底可以到什么层面呢？是珍对萝拉、素萝对玛丽“我不理解但我觉得你有这样的权利，我依旧爱你、尊重你的决定”；还是端喜对乔安、“我”对姐姐的“我不愿意，但我知道这对你好，知道你过得好就好”？这样的理解，在这孤独的世界里，是足够用来相爱的吗？也许，爱与理解本就不会是完美的，这也正是我们需要学习的。见长评。
--
她人不是地狱，我们都在学着跨越缺陷与不理解相爱
这次金草叶也没让我失望。
这是一个关于“缺陷”的故事集，关于人们如何看待缺陷、在缺陷中我们依旧会产生何种感情，以及我们如何跨越缺陷互相理解。
这七个故事里有许多现实的投射，《玛丽之舞》中的玛丽，所有人都感受一下失明，多么像包括女权运动在内的所有激进运动，另大多数人无法接受，却开启了一个让大众了解的口子；《认知空间》里人脑可以连接认知空间，却失去了储藏自己独有记忆的机会，多像中文互联网和集权国家所创造的共同记忆；《长久的协定》里对宗教与迷信的讨论，趟过一个谜团又来到更深一层，无知者究竟是善良还是愚蠢？
《萝拉》中，珍说，“我想我会永远爱她”，即使珍依旧无法理解萝拉的行为；《息影》中，连最基础的对话都要通过翻译器，端喜和乔安依旧互相支持，即使最后也没有再见到，只要见到属于对方的痕迹，就知道这份爱和珍惜一直都在。《最后的莱伊欧妮》里，“理解”跨越物种、跨越时间，甚至跨越过彼此肉身本体；《座舱方程式》里，跨越时间、跨越“为对方好”、跨越对“完全互相理解”的执念。
其实，“理解”到底可以到什么层面呢？是珍对萝拉、素萝对玛丽“我不理解但我觉得你有这样的权利，我依旧爱你、尊重你的决定”；还是端喜对乔安、“我”对姐姐的“我不愿意，但我知道这对你好，知道你过得好就好”？这样的理解，在这孤独的世界里，是足够用来相爱的吗？
也许，爱与理解本就不会是完美的，这也正是我们需要学习的。
---
（以下是一边看一边记录的，没有再多作修改，有剧透）
《萝拉》：不能相互理解还能相爱吗？设定挺巧妙的，但我又觉得对于“装上第三只手”，“不能理解”似乎有点牵强吧，用截肢那边作为主线会不会更好一点。这个故事的嵌套也是金草夜擅长的，挺喜欢的。只有一点点不太喜欢的地方主角“珍”不会真是男的吧？
《息影》：端喜善于解读空气粒子这个设定还可以再丰富一些，气味和粒子最终走向了同一个地方，我居然看落泪了。这篇最大的问题在于文笔，不知道是原文还是翻译，我真的受不了这种小学网文文笔。
《长久的协定》：喜欢这篇，这篇比较像金草叶了。映射现实，关于宗教的意义、关于自然与人类的关系。这篇的写法抽丝剥茧，甚至还多了一丝推理的意味。看似愚昧、迷信行为背后，有怎样难以讲述的故事？如果一定要提点意见，把落点放在“依靠无知来完成协定”让我有点难受，确实在嘲讽人类，可这又是人类（至少是祭司们）选择的结果，让它多了一层牺牲精神的意味，这种嘲讽也不强烈了。
《认知空间》：我们不同的记忆结合起来，才能创造出整个宇宙，最后一段写得好好。这篇也很映射现实，我们对所谓“公知”“共识”的追求，用所谓“知识”“共同记忆”抹掉个体记忆、个人特质，最终整个世界都会变成单一、无法向前。有点像中文互联网呢，之前有人介绍过去的信息已经被新的信息抹去找不到。这样想来这篇挺有政治意味的，幸好在那个世界里有“离开认知空间的权利”。
《最后的莱伊欧妮》：好神奇，如此“老土”的机器人与人类之间的感情也能让我感动。“残缺”似乎是整本书最重要的议题，当我与世界不同、当世界不断教导我我不正常、我是有缺陷的，我是否还能相信自己的感觉，是否还会爱上自己？在这个故事里，“我”从我的原型莱伊欧妮和在这个星球上的经历，感受到了“恐惧”的意义；在上一个故事里，我从伊芙那里获得了跳出认知空间的勇气。
《玛丽之舞》：读到玛丽提到“莫克不是一种缺陷”的时候，我意识到这本书真的都是在讲“缺陷”，让我又想给这本书打五星了。以前有了解过“聋人文化”，从小就是聋人且在聋人环境里长大的人，有些会认同不能说话和使用手语不是一种缺陷，而只是一种特质。ta们不想学习唇语、不想使用助听器。本篇的故事里也有对现实的投射，健全人中心对莫克的忽视、俯视，“占人口的5%，但过往的人生中从未遇到过莫克”，是因为从未关心过、从未散发出让人信任的感觉。健全人把“被迫尝试一下失明”当作恐怖袭击，但这或许和许多激进运动一样，只是许多“莫克运动”中的一个。于是，一些人加入这个团体、一些人理解了ta们，许多人忘却了，还有一些人感到反感。嗯，与女权运动多么相似。而“我”呢？我开始更理解莫克人、认识到了更多莫克，才能感受到这个群体之间的差异。
《座舱方程式》：“姐姐离开之后，我的人生好像也变得特别了。所以姐姐的离开，会不会也是因为我”，但“我”并没有继续深思和追问，愿意这样相信，愿意相信那些让自己更舒适的想法。“我”想，“也许我和姐姐的时间再也不会相遇了”，刘芷妤在跋里解读说，“她们在到达顶端的时刻相遇了”，即使只有短短一刻，即使只能表达一句“谢谢”，也相信那一刻是充分互相理解的。
---
其实刘芷妤的跋里几乎把我想说的都说尽了，甚至连题目都与我起的一样。我也不过是因为喜欢金草叶而想要为这本书写一篇长评。
--
她人不是地狱，我们都在学着跨越缺陷与不理解相爱
这次金草叶也没让我失望。
这是一个关于“缺陷”的故事集，关于人们如何看待缺陷、在缺陷中我们依旧会产生何种感情，以及我们如何跨越缺陷互相理解。
这七个故事里有许多现实的投射，《玛丽之舞》中的玛丽，所有人都感受一下失明，多么像包括女权运动在内的所有激进运动，另大多数人无法接受，却开启了一个让大众了解的口子；《认知空间》里人脑可以连接认知空间，却失去了储藏自己独有记忆的机会，多像中文互联网和集权国家所创造的共同记忆；《长久的协定》里对宗教与迷信的讨论，趟过一个谜团又来到更深一层，无知者究竟是善良还是愚蠢？
《萝拉》中，珍说，“我想我会永远爱她”，即使珍依旧无法理解萝拉的行为；《息影》中，连最基础的对话都要通过翻译器，端喜和乔安依旧互相支持，即使最后也没有再见到，只要见到属于对方的痕迹，就知道这份爱和珍惜一直都在。《最后的莱伊欧妮》里，“理解”跨越物种、跨越时间，甚至跨越过彼此肉身本体；《座舱方程式》里，跨越时间、跨越“为对方好”、跨越对“完全互相理解”的执念。
其实，“理解”到底可以到什么层面呢？是珍对萝拉、素萝对玛丽“我不理解但我觉得你有这样的权利，我依旧爱你、尊重你的决定”；还是端喜对乔安、“我”对姐姐的“我不愿意，但我知道这对你好，知道你过得好就好”？这样的理解，在这孤独的世界里，是足够用来相爱的吗？
也许，爱与理解本就不会是完美的，这也正是我们需要学习的。
---
（以下是一边看一边记录的，没有再多作修改，有剧透）
《萝拉》：不能相互理解还能相爱吗？设定挺巧妙的，但我又觉得对于“装上第三只手”，“不能理解”似乎有点牵强吧，用截肢那边作为主线会不会更好一点。这个故事的嵌套也是金草夜擅长的，挺喜欢的。只有一点点不太喜欢的地方主角“珍”不会真是男的吧？
《息影》：端喜善于解读空气粒子这个设定还可以再丰富一些，气味和粒子最终走向了同一个地方，我居然看落泪了。这篇最大的问题在于文笔，不知道是原文还是翻译，我真的受不了这种小学网文文笔。
《长久的协定》：喜欢这篇，这篇比较像金草叶了。映射现实，关于宗教的意义、关于自然与人类的关系。这篇的写法抽丝剥茧，甚至还多了一丝推理的意味。看似愚昧、迷信行为背后，有怎样难以讲述的故事？如果一定要提点意见，把落点放在“依靠无知来完成协定”让我有点难受，确实在嘲讽人类，可这又是人类（至少是祭司们）选择的结果，让它多了一层牺牲精神的意味，这种嘲讽也不强烈了。
《认知空间》：我们不同的记忆结合起来，才能创造出整个宇宙，最后一段写得好好。这篇也很映射现实，我们对所谓“公知”“共识”的追求，用所谓“知识”“共同记忆”抹掉个体记忆、个人特质，最终整个世界都会变成单一、无法向前。有点像中文互联网呢，之前有人介绍过去的信息已经被新的信息抹去找不到。这样想来这篇挺有政治意味的，幸好在那个世界里有“离开认知空间的权利”。
《最后的莱伊欧妮》：好神奇，如此“老土”的机器人与人类之间的感情也能让我感动。“残缺”似乎是整本书最重要的议题，当我与世界不同、当世界不断教导我我不正常、我是有缺陷的，我是否还能相信自己的感觉，是否还会爱上自己？在这个故事里，“我”从我的原型莱伊欧妮和在这个星球上的经历，感受到了“恐惧”的意义；在上一个故事里，我从伊芙那里获得了跳出认知空间的勇气。
《玛丽之舞》：读到玛丽提到“莫克不是一种缺陷”的时候，我意识到这本书真的都是在讲“缺陷”，让我又想给这本书打五星了。以前有了解过“聋人文化”，从小就是聋人且在聋人环境里长大的人，有些会认同不能说话和使用手语不是一种缺陷，而只是一种特质。ta们不想学习唇语、不想使用助听器。本篇的故事里也有对现实的投射，健全人中心对莫克的忽视、俯视，“占人口的5%，但过往的人生中从未遇到过莫克”，是因为从未关心过、从未散发出让人信任的感觉。健全人把“被迫尝试一下失明”当作恐怖袭击，但这或许和许多激进运动一样，只是许多“莫克运动”中的一个。于是，一些人加入这个团体、一些人理解了ta们，许多人忘却了，还有一些人感到反感。嗯，与女权运动多么相似。而“我”呢？我开始更理解莫克人、认识到了更多莫克，才能感受到这个群体之间的差异。
《座舱方程式》：“姐姐离开之后，我的人生好像也变得特别了。所以姐姐的离开，会不会也是因为我”，但“我”并没有继续深思和追问，愿意这样相信，愿意相信那些让自己更舒适的想法。“我”想，“也许我和姐姐的时间再也不会相遇了”，刘芷妤在跋里解读说，“她们在到达顶端的时刻相遇了”，即使只有短短一刻，即使只能表达一句“谢谢”，也相信那一刻是充分互相理解的。
---
其实刘芷妤的跋里几乎把我想说的都说尽了，甚至连题目都与我起的一样。我也不过是因为喜欢金草叶而想要为这本书写一篇长评。
September 26, 2022
A very beautifully written sci-fi novel, which I hardly expected from a Korean female writer. Brilliant!
우리는 다르게 보고 듣고 인식하는 것뿐만 아니라 정말로 각자 다른 인지적 세계를 살고 있다. 그 다른 세계들이 어떻게 잠시나마 겹칠 수 있을까, 그 세계 사이에 어떻게 접촉면 - 혹은 선이나 점, 공유되는 공간 - 이 생겨날 수 있을까 하는 것이 지난 몇 년간 소설을 쓰면 내가 고심해온 주제였다. 그 세계들은 결코 완전히 포개어질 수 없고 공유될 수도 없다. 우리는 광막한 우주 속을 영원토록 홀로 떠돈다.
하지만 안녕, 하고 여기서 손을 흔들 때 저쪽에서 안녕, 인사가 되돌아오는 몇 안되는 순간들. 그럼으로써 한 사람을 변화시키고 되돌아보게 하고 때로는 살아가게 하는 교차점들.
그 짧은 접촉의 순간들을 그려내는 일이, 나에게는 그토록 중요한 일이었다는 생각이 든다.
February 21, 2024
"로라는 말했다. 사랑과 이해는 같지 않다고."
김초엽은 서사를 치밀하게 짜고 문장의 완성도를 극한으로 밀어붙이는 스타일의 작가는 아니다. 미스터리는 사건보다는 인물과 인물 간의 혹은 세계와 인물 간의 필연적인 차이에서 비롯된다. 이해를 포기하고 관심을 끊으면 맥빠지게 해소되버릴 긴장이기에 야심찬 다른 SF에 비해 좀 시시하게 느껴질지도 모르지만, 불가해한 세계와 타인에 대한 끈을 놓지 않겠다는 작가의 다짐 혹은 당부가 와닿는 순간들은 김초엽이 도달한 만만치 않은 깊이를 보여준다. 김초엽이 주는 건 절정으로 만개한 꽃이 아니라 섬세하게 심겨진 씨앗이고, 그것을 싹 틔우는 것은 결국 독자의 몫이다.
여담이지만 김초엽 특유의 명명법은 여전히 뭔가 어색하지만, 묘하게 일관성이 있고 의도된 모호함이 있다. 이름들에 숨겨져 있을지도 모를 작가의 의도를 짐작해보는 것도 또 다른 재미다.
김초엽은 서사를 치밀하게 짜고 문장의 완성도를 극한으로 밀어붙이는 스타일의 작가는 아니다. 미스터리는 사건보다는 인물과 인물 간의 혹은 세계와 인물 간의 필연적인 차이에서 비롯된다. 이해를 포기하고 관심을 끊으면 맥빠지게 해소되버릴 긴장이기에 야심찬 다른 SF에 비해 좀 시시하게 느껴질지도 모르지만, 불가해한 세계와 타인에 대한 끈을 놓지 않겠다는 작가의 다짐 혹은 당부가 와닿는 순간들은 김초엽이 도달한 만만치 않은 깊이를 보여준다. 김초엽이 주는 건 절정으로 만개한 꽃이 아니라 섬세하게 심겨진 씨앗이고, 그것을 싹 틔우는 것은 결국 독자의 몫이다.
여담이지만 김초엽 특유의 명명법은 여전히 뭔가 어색하지만, 묘하게 일관성이 있고 의도된 모호함이 있다. 이름들에 숨겨져 있을지도 모를 작가의 의도를 짐작해보는 것도 또 다른 재미다.
July 14, 2025
3.75/5 ”이곳을 사랑하게 만드는것들이 이곳을 덜 미워하게하지는 않아. 그건 그냥 동시에 존재하는거야. 다른 모든것처럼 “ 숨그림자편에 나오는 조안의 대사이다. 조안은 자신과 다른 인류와 결국 섞이지 못한다. 그리고 자신을 받아주는 단희의 존재고 그 외로움과 미움을 없애진 못한다. 대부분의 소설은 나를 받아주는 한명의 존재가 주는 구원으로 모든 문제가 해결이된다. 하지만 그것이 현실적인 이야기일까? 조안의 말을 보며 그렇지. 좋은것과 싫은것은 양존하는것이라는걸 다시한번 생각하고 김초엽작가는 참 현실적으로 글을 쓴다고 생각을 했다. 솔직히 앞에 단편소설들은 전작들에 비해 다 그저그래서 아 이번책은 잘못골랐구나 싶었는데 이 숨그림자는 꽤 맘에든다.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
#BC2024
497-17170589
497-17170589
April 19, 2024
4.5⭐️/5⭐️
繼《如果我們無法以光速前進》以後讀的第二本金草葉
還是一樣為奇妙的科幻設定著迷
還是一樣被扣人心弦的故事觸動
繼《如果我們無法以光速前進》以後讀的第二本金草葉
還是一樣為奇妙的科幻設定著迷
還是一樣被扣人心弦的故事觸動
December 26, 2023
「這世上存在既感謝又深愛，但卻無法忍受的關係嗎？」
這是一本充滿了對不上的頻率而在過程中有點疲憊又寂寞的故事，金草葉的故事不存在傳統意義上的幸福圓滿 happy ending，但同時卻還是能在想起惦念對象時微微一笑，或許有時候這樣也夠了吧？不過太像現實中的關係了，想想也很惆悵呢
這是一本充滿了對不上的頻率而在過程中有點疲憊又寂寞的故事，金草葉的故事不存在傳統意義上的幸福圓滿 happy ending，但同時卻還是能在想起惦念對象時微微一笑，或許有時候這樣也夠了吧？不過太像現實中的關係了，想想也很惆悵呢
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