Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)(111)
To my family, I am so lucky to have grown up with such loving people around me. And you have all been there for me. Halmeoni, I love how steady you are as the head of our giant family! Emo Helen, Uncle Doosang, Emo Sara, Uncle Warren, Uncle John, Aunt Heejong, Emo Mary, and Uncle Barry, I couldn’t have asked for more supportive aunts and uncles! Adam, Alex, Saqi, Sara Kyoung, Wyatt, Christine, Kevin, Bryan, Josh, Scott, and Camille, you are the best cousins and I love having adventures with you! I love you forever!
To my cousin and friend Axie Oh. You are my hero. I would not be here if not for you. I am inspired by your talent, your spirit, and your sweet sweet jokes. I never had to feel like I was alone in this industry because I always had you. You’re my favorite author. I love you, cuz.
To my brother(-in-law), Jim Magiera. When you married my sister, you immediately treated me like family. I never had a brother growing up, but I’m so glad that you’re my brother now. You are a fantastic husband to my sister, a great father to Lucy, and a wonderful brother. Thank you for reading fifty pages of my book.
To my niece, Lucy—you can’t read yet, but I hope when you can, you might read this book!
To my sister, Jennifer Magiera, you are my person, forever. You have always been there for me when I’ve had amazing moments, and you’ve been my rock when I’ve been at my lowest points (when we’ve been at our lowest points together). I couldn’t have asked for a better sister, best friend, hero, and role model. And I love you very much!
To my parents, Kello Katie and David Young Cho. Every story I have in me started with you. You sparked a love of reading and writing in me that grew into a flame and then a fire so great that it filled my whole being with light. I learned how to be strong when I saw you struggle. I learned how to be compassionate when I saw you with others. I learned how to love because of all the moments you provided us with as a family. Everything good I have in me, I owe to you. I miss you. I love you.
GLOSSARY
63 Building (63 ???) formerly called Hanwha 63 City, a skyscraper on Yeouido island overlooking the Han River in Seoul; it was built as a landmark for the 1988 Summer Olympics -ah / -ya (-? / -?) informal name-ending implying the speaker is close to the person they are addressing -nim (-?) name-ending used when speaking to someone senior in school or in the workplace (or someone of higher position in general)
-ssi (-?) formal name-ending, often used with peers you are not friendly with; sometimes an elder will use it to refer to a person formally abeoji (???) father aissi (???) irritated/annoyed expression loosely translated to “darn it”
ajeossi (???) middle-aged man ajumma (???) middle-aged woman Apgujeong (???) one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Seoul, located on the southern bank of the Han River
appa (??) dad, daddy babo (??) fool banchan (??) Korean side dishes, like kimchi banmal (??) informal type of speech in the Korean language bindaetteok (???) mung bean pancake binyeo (??) traditional hairpins used to fix women’s buns, called chignons, and also used as ornamentation bugeoguk (???) soup made with dried pollack strips and radish, said to be a great cure for hangovers
bujeok (??) talisman created by a shaman or monk, often used for luck, love, or to ease stress (see Notes) Cheongdamdong (???) area south of the Han River where many entertainment studios are located; a well-known hub for fashion and K-pop chonggak dokkaebi (?????) handsome “bachelor goblin” that is known to attract humans
Chuseok (??) autumn harvest festival; a holiday held on autumn eve where families traditionally gather in their ancestral hometowns to celebrate with food ddaeng (?) variety-show onomatopoeia used to imply a wrong answer doenjang jjigae (????) stew made with fermented soybean paste, vegetables, tofu, seafood, and meat dokkaebi (???) goblin; legendary creatures from Korean mythology that possess extraordinary powers and abilities used to interact with humans, at times playing tricks on them and at times helping them
eo-seo-o-se-yo (?????) common greeting, meaning “welcome,” used by shop owners eomeoni (???) mother eomeonim (???) title to address another person’s mother, usually to reference a mother-in-law eomma (??) mom, mommy
galbi-jjim (???) braised short rib dish geonbae (??) “cheers,” used when drinking alcohol gi (?) human energy, also known as qi, chi, or ji in other East Asian cultures Goguryeo (???) from 37 BCE to 668 CE, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Baekje and Silla; it was located in the northern and central parts of the current Korean Peninsula as well as the southern and central parts of Manchuria
gu (九, ?) nine Gwangjangsijang (????) traditional market in Seoul that was the first permanent market in the city Habaek (??) the Goguryeo god of the Amnok River; sometimes called “the god of the sea”
Haemosu (???) sun god halmeoni (???) grandmother hanja (??) Korean word for Han Chinese characters that were adopted from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation
hanok (??) traditional Korean house made with all-natural materials that do not cause pollution, usually wood, stone, and paper harabeoji (????) grandfather heol (?) slang term to express surprise Hwarang (??) “Flowering Knights,” an elite warrior group of male youth in Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea hyeong (?) older brother; also used for an older male the speaker is close to
janggu (?? / ??) hourglass-shaped drum, sometimes called seyogo (“slim-waist drum”); the two heads produce sounds of different pitch and timbre that, when played together, are believed to represent the harmony of man and woman jangryesikjang (????) the building a funeral is held in, often located close to a hospital japchae (??) sweet potato starch noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat Jeollanam-do (????) province in the south literally meaning “South Jeolla”; the largest city in Jeollanam-do is Gwangju jjajangmyeon (???) Chinese Korean noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang (black bean paste), diced pork, and vegetables jjamppong (??) Korean noodle soup with a spicy seafood-or pork-based broth flavored with gochugaru (red chili paste)