『시간을 파는 상점 (The Shop That Sells Time)』 is a 2012 novel by Seon-Yeong Kim that won the previous year's Jaum & Moum Award for Young People's Literature. It follows the journey of a high school girl who, after two distressing part-time jobs, decides to turn the abstract concept of time into a measurable amount of income. She opens an online shop where people can "buy" time. They pay her to do things in their stead, under the condition that the tasks are things she can do, not immoral or illegal, and something that can offer people a bit of consolation. Naturally, the business doesn't go the way she wants, and she finds herself entangled in a series of mysterious errands involving theft, domestic conflicts, and even suicide. It was like reading a detective novel, and I couldn't take my hands off the book!

The most intriguing thing for me was the theme of time as kairos and kronos as the plot unfolded. Kairos, the name of the cold-blooded, ruthless god of time in Greek mythology, denotes the linear, objective, and quantitative time that we all know and symbolizes standardization and our pursuit of material outcomes and productivity. Kronos, on the other hand, is the god of cyclical time and opportunity. It is the subjective, qualitative time imbued with meaning and is in a more dynamic, interwoven relationship with the past and the future. The novel tracks the protagonist's transition from a naive worshipper of kairos (eager to make monetary gains by selling time) into a subtle promoter of kronos (seeking to help people be connected across time, overcoming the fear of the past and the future). The author maintains that while the two concepts are not mutually exclusive, our happiness depends on our choices between material outcomes or the meaning of our actions. I wish the author had developed the theme more fully--I wouldn't have minded if the book were longer! But I can't deny that this seemingly light-hearted detective novel for young people propels readers of all ages to reflect whether we would choose to be chased by kairos or relish every moment of kronos. I began having a lively discussion about the concept of time with my parents, and I can't wait to see where it would lead us--oh, wait, I don’t want to fret too much about an ending!