Vicious Spirits - Kat Cho Page 0,124

seen dressed in a billowing black robe and a gat, a black hat worn during the Joseon Dynasty (see Notes)

jjigae (찌개) stew

kimbap or gimbap (김밥) Korean dish made with rice, seaweed, and fillings such as meat and vegetables; the rice and fillings are rolled into the seaweed and sliced into small discs for ease of eating

kimchi (김치) fermented vegetables, most commonly napa cabbage or radishes, served as a side dish in Korean cuisine

kkeojyeo (꺼져) fuck off

maehwa (매화나무) Asian flowering plum tree, also called a maesil (매실나무) when emphasizing the fruit

michin nom (미친놈) crazy bastard

miyeokguk (미역국) seaweed soup, often served on a person’s birthday or to someone recovering from an illness

mul gwishin (물귀신) water ghost

ramyeon (라면) instant noodles

saekki (새끼) or saekkiya (새끼야) literally “baby animal,” it’s often used as slang to mean “bastard” or “asshole,” though parents can use it as a term of endearment for their child as well (depending on context)

sansin (산신) mountain god

seolleongtang (설렁탕) beef bone soup

Shin ramyeon (신라면) a brand of spicy ramyeon

soju (소주) clear distilled alcohol usually made from rice, wheat, or barley

suneung (수능) nickname for the College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT, given to third-years (seniors) in high school in Korea every November; on the test day, the stock markets open late and bus and subway service is increased to avoid traffic jams that could prevent students from getting to testing (see Notes)

tteok-bokki (떡볶이) hot, spicy rice cake

yeowu guseul (여우구슬) fox bead

NOTES

In South Korea, the school year is divided into two terms. The first term usually runs from March 2, unless it is a Friday or the weekend, to mid-July, with the summer vacation from mid-July to late August (elementary and secondary schools) or from mid-June to late August (higher education institutions). The second term usually runs until mid-February. Third-year high school students (equivalent to high school seniors in Western countries) all take the College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT (대학수학능력시험), often called the suneung exam, in November.

When women in Korea marry, they do not take their husband’s surnames, thus the different surname for Somin’s mother (Moon, not Lee).

In Korea, a person is one year old when they are born, and everyone turns a year older at the new year. Therefore, though Jihoon, Miyoung, and Somin think of themselves as nineteen years old, they are actually eighteen years old chronologically.

Bujeoks contain letters or patterns that are believed to carry the power to chase away evil ghosts and prevent calamities. In Korean folk religion, amulet sheets are generally made by painting letters or pictures in red on a sheet of yellow paper. Nowadays, they are made with disassembled and combined letters written as abstract forms on a piece of paper. Bujeoks are often sought out before a big test or interview.

In Korean mythology, jeoseung saja are reapers dispatched by King Yeomra, ruler of the underworld, to collect spirits of the recently deceased and lead them down Hwangcheon Road to the afterlife. In some myths, jeoseung saja were originally humans. The hero Gangrim Doryeong was ordered to capture King Yeomra, but instead became the first jeoseung saja.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to everyone who helped me bring this duology to life!

First, I’d like to thank my amazing and talented editor, Stacey Barney. She helped me sift through the muck of ideas that I’d originally cobbled together to try to make this book. She helped me make sense of my ramblings and create a story that I could be proud of!

To my awesome agent, Beth Phelan. I could not have survived debuting and entering this industry without you. You’re more than just my agent, you’re my friend and my confidante, and I value you so much!

To Vanessa DeJesús, thank you for all the work you put into getting my books out there and making some of my bucket-list author dreams come true!

To Felicity and Shannon and all of the Penguin Teen crew! I love all the amazingly creative work you’re doing and look forward to every email from Felicity that starts with “So, I’m emailing because you’re willing to do weird stuff for social media . . .” (Also, sorry that I spend so long playing with the coffee machine every time I come by.)

To everyone else at Penguin Random House, Keri, Caitlin, thank you so much for your support of Wicked Fox and Vicious Spirits; it has meant the world to me!

To my friends Rebecca Kuss, Deeba Zargarpur, Emily Berge, and Alexa Wejko. You literally helped me survive some of the most harrowing professional years of my life. It’s so hard to step into a new role, and you all made it so much better! I’d do it all again just so I could meet you and become friends!

To my Chicago crew: Rena Baron, Ronni Davis, Samira Ahmed, Gloria Chao, Anna Waggener, Lizzie Cooke. Thank you for your constant support and friendship!

To my friends Karuna Riazi and Nafiza Azad, you inspire me every day with your beautiful talent!

To my NYC writing friends, Swati Teerdhala and Liz Lim, I’m always so happy when we get to catch up and talk books and writing! You are such wonderful WOC talents!

To my writer cult: Janella Angeles, Erin Bay, Ashley Burdin, Alex Castellanos, Maddy Colis, Mara Fitzgerald, Amanda Foody, Christine Lynn Herman, Meg Kohlmann, Katy Rose Pool, Akshaya Raman, Tara Sim, Melody Simpson. We are legion, but it’s because we all truly adore and respect each other and that is such a precious thing! I can’t think of a group of writers I’d rather embark on this publishing journey with! You’re all destined for amazing things and I am excited I get a front-row seat!

To my best friend and writer partner in crime, Claribel Ortega. I was so lucky to have you by my side as I debuted, and I feel honored I was able to see you debut this year as well! A good friend is someone who you can have fun with. A great friend is someone who supports you when you’re down. And family is someone who pushes you to be better even when you think you’ve reached the end of your tether. And you are all three of those things to me!

To my cousin and fave author, Axie Oh. Thank you for always supporting me and my writing. Thank you for being a sounding board and for always wanting to make sure that we can be both great CPs and great cousins to each other! I love you!

To my family, Halmeoni, Emo Helen, Uncle Doosang, Emo Sara, Uncle Warren, Uncle John, Aunt Heejong, Emo Mary, Uncle Barry. Thank you for always supporting me and being there for me!

To my cousins, Adam, Alex, Saqi, Sara Kyoung, Wyatt, Jason, Christine, Kevin, Bryan, Josh, Scott, Camille, you’re the best family I could ever ask for, and I love you all so much!

To Jim and Lucy, I love you!

To my sister and my person, Jennifer Magiera. You are my favorite person in the world (well, tied with Lucy at this point). I could not have survived the last decade without you. You are so talented and smart and good, and I am so lucky to have a role model like you in my life. You will forever be my person. And I love you very much!

To Mom and Dad. I love you. 보고싶어요.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kat Cho used to hide books under the bathroom sink and then sneak in there to read after bedtime. Her parents pretended not to know. This helped when she decided to write a dinosaur time-travel novel at the tender age of nine. Sadly, that book was not published. She currently lives and works in NYC and spends her free time trying to figure out what kind of puppy to adopt.

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