Dog Life

Born frail and sickly, a young girl was given the deliberately unappealing name Gae-Ttong, meaning "dog poop." According to old superstitions, bestowing an ugly name upon a vulnerable child would ward off misfortune and ensure a long life. Yet, as she grows older, the protective charm of her name seems to twist into a cruel reality. Instead of shielding her from hardship, she finds herself treated with the very disdain her name implies, enduring constant belittlement from those around her. Her situation is made all the more isolating by the family she was born into. The household is exceptionally wealthy and brimming with brilliant, gifted individuals. Every relative seems to possess extraordinary talent or intellect—everyone except Gae-Ttong. Surrounded by geniuses who effortlessly excel, she stands out as the sole disappointment, struggling to find her place within a lineage that values perfection. Trapped between a demeaning identity and a family that views her as an anomaly, Gae-Ttong faces a daily existence defined by neglect and harsh comparisons. As the weight of their expectations and her own perceived inadequacies press down on her, one lingering question remains: will her circumstances ever change, or is she destined to forever live in the shadow of the name she was given?