Tetris Couple
Summary
1. Tagline
Stocks, crypto, YouTube... Something’s got to take off for us to survive an extreme couple’s struggle for survival.
2. Logline
With an overdraft account looming and childbirth nowhere in sight, a couple’s reality spirals into a comically extreme tug-of-war.
3. Synopsis
Jiwoong and Minseo agreed early in their marriage to live as a DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) couple. Jiwoong had once believed, like many men, that becoming a father was a given. But once they moved into a cramped 10-pyeong officetel (roughly 33), he quickly changed his mind. With just the two of them, space m2 already felt tight adding a child seemed unimaginable. So when Minseo proposed they each tell their families they were infertile, Jiwoong agreed without much thought. It was their clever way of cutting off the tiresome “Then why get married if you’re not having kids?” routine. Thus began their pursuit of a perfect marriage.
But the problem wasn’t just kids. Minseo was the type who had to try everything others were doing. Her obsessions rotated constantly she’d throw herself into something, only to drop it when the thrill wore off. Before marriage, this wasn’t an issue. Jiwoong had even found her intense passion admirable. But married life was a different beast. Jiwoong became exhausted by her ever-shifting pursuits. Minseo needed to be the protagonist of her own life not just in front of others, but —especially within the relationship. Even her own future child, she thought, shouldn’t overshadow her.
Their financial habits clashed as well. Jiwoong was a disciplined saver, funneling earnings into savings accounts. Minseo, on the other hand, treated her overdraft like an asset. She splurged on luxury bags, five-star hotel stays, weekly omakase dinners and to sustain it all, one of her side hustles (stocks, crypto, YouTube) — had to hit it big.
The tipping point came with a urology test. The lie they’d told their parents to dodge pressure about having children had become, to their shock, truth. Jiwoong, who never intended to have children, was still devastated. The diagnosis made him question his worth and existence. Then he snapped. He decided to stop enduring and suppressing. His rebellion began with a surprise purchase: a maxed-out credit line and a 10 million won bicycle without a word to Minseo. Minseo was furious. Jiwoong had always been the guy who ate what she wantedto eat, went where she wanted to go, and ran every decision by her. He didn’t have wants of his own or if he did, he always deferred to her. Watching him drift beyond her control lit a fire inside her.
4. Concept & Strengths
This novel explores how individual desire and independence collide within the institution of marriage. In a brutal society where housing prices soar and childbirth rates plummet, Jiwoong and Minseo’s struggle to survive without kids or a home is not just absurd it’s painfully relatable. Strengths for International Publishing Universal relatability of modern marriage dynamics Popular themes: stocks, crypto, YouTube Tackles major social issues like real estate and declining birthrates Strengths for Screen Adaptation Strong potential as a romantic comedy Lead roles are young adults ideal for casting well-known actors. Everyday locations like homes and offices make for cost-effective production
5. Author Introduction
Kwon Jehoon
Kwon Jehoon began his writing career in 2017 after winning the Chosun Ilbo New Writer’s Prize. In 2020, he was selected for the ARKO Young Artist Support Program by the Korea Arts Council. In 2022, he received the Nexus Award for Excellence in Genre Fiction for his novel Welcome to Q University Admissions Office. That novel is currently under film adaptation, with the author participating directly in screenplay development.
Stocks, crypto, YouTube... Something’s got to take off for us to survive an extreme couple’s struggle for survival.
2. Logline
With an overdraft account looming and childbirth nowhere in sight, a couple’s reality spirals into a comically extreme tug-of-war.
3. Synopsis
Jiwoong and Minseo agreed early in their marriage to live as a DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) couple. Jiwoong had once believed, like many men, that becoming a father was a given. But once they moved into a cramped 10-pyeong officetel (roughly 33), he quickly changed his mind. With just the two of them, space m2 already felt tight adding a child seemed unimaginable. So when Minseo proposed they each tell their families they were infertile, Jiwoong agreed without much thought. It was their clever way of cutting off the tiresome “Then why get married if you’re not having kids?” routine. Thus began their pursuit of a perfect marriage.
But the problem wasn’t just kids. Minseo was the type who had to try everything others were doing. Her obsessions rotated constantly she’d throw herself into something, only to drop it when the thrill wore off. Before marriage, this wasn’t an issue. Jiwoong had even found her intense passion admirable. But married life was a different beast. Jiwoong became exhausted by her ever-shifting pursuits. Minseo needed to be the protagonist of her own life not just in front of others, but —especially within the relationship. Even her own future child, she thought, shouldn’t overshadow her.
Their financial habits clashed as well. Jiwoong was a disciplined saver, funneling earnings into savings accounts. Minseo, on the other hand, treated her overdraft like an asset. She splurged on luxury bags, five-star hotel stays, weekly omakase dinners and to sustain it all, one of her side hustles (stocks, crypto, YouTube) — had to hit it big.
The tipping point came with a urology test. The lie they’d told their parents to dodge pressure about having children had become, to their shock, truth. Jiwoong, who never intended to have children, was still devastated. The diagnosis made him question his worth and existence. Then he snapped. He decided to stop enduring and suppressing. His rebellion began with a surprise purchase: a maxed-out credit line and a 10 million won bicycle without a word to Minseo. Minseo was furious. Jiwoong had always been the guy who ate what she wantedto eat, went where she wanted to go, and ran every decision by her. He didn’t have wants of his own or if he did, he always deferred to her. Watching him drift beyond her control lit a fire inside her.
4. Concept & Strengths
This novel explores how individual desire and independence collide within the institution of marriage. In a brutal society where housing prices soar and childbirth rates plummet, Jiwoong and Minseo’s struggle to survive without kids or a home is not just absurd it’s painfully relatable. Strengths for International Publishing Universal relatability of modern marriage dynamics Popular themes: stocks, crypto, YouTube Tackles major social issues like real estate and declining birthrates Strengths for Screen Adaptation Strong potential as a romantic comedy Lead roles are young adults ideal for casting well-known actors. Everyday locations like homes and offices make for cost-effective production
5. Author Introduction
Kwon Jehoon
Kwon Jehoon began his writing career in 2017 after winning the Chosun Ilbo New Writer’s Prize. In 2020, he was selected for the ARKO Young Artist Support Program by the Korea Arts Council. In 2022, he received the Nexus Award for Excellence in Genre Fiction for his novel Welcome to Q University Admissions Office. That novel is currently under film adaptation, with the author participating directly in screenplay development.
Company Profile
Other
Jaeum&Moeum Publishing Co., Ltd.
In 1997, Jaeum and Moeum Co., Ltd. was established under the slogan of collecting all the “letters” (Jaeum) and “sounds”(Moeum) of the world. It operates a number of imprint brands, including EZ Book, a children’s/adolescent book brand, and Neo Fiction, a genre literature book brand, and has become a mainstay of the Korean publishing industry by launching over 10,000 volumes.
Jaeum and Moeum have published literary magazines that support Korean literature, novels that have been recognized for their excellence at home and abroad, humanities books that will raise the status of culture to the next level, youth literature and humanities/study books that propel teenagers’ mental development, and practical books that provide useful tips for everyday life.
The books of Jaeum and Moeum are attracting the attention of not only overseas publishing agencies but also external production companies that produce secondary creative works such as movies, dramas, plays, and musicals. Several books, including A Killer’s Shopping List, A Killer’s Shopping Mall, A Christmas Carol, and The Time-Selling Store, have been adapted into new forms, and many other works are ready to be transformed in similar ways.
In addition, we are running a New Literature Award/Youth Literature Award/Short Novel Award/Fairy Tale Contest on a scale that is one of the largest among Korean publishing companies. As many authors who debuted through the Jaeum and Moeum Literary Contest have grown into spotlight writers in the literary world, the Jaeum and Moeum Literary Contest has become the publishing industry’s most notable gateway to new writers. Through this active collaboration between publisher, author, and reader, several series of books were born that have made their mark in the publishing industry.
Jaeum and Moeum have published literary magazines that support Korean literature, novels that have been recognized for their excellence at home and abroad, humanities books that will raise the status of culture to the next level, youth literature and humanities/study books that propel teenagers’ mental development, and practical books that provide useful tips for everyday life.
The books of Jaeum and Moeum are attracting the attention of not only overseas publishing agencies but also external production companies that produce secondary creative works such as movies, dramas, plays, and musicals. Several books, including A Killer’s Shopping List, A Killer’s Shopping Mall, A Christmas Carol, and The Time-Selling Store, have been adapted into new forms, and many other works are ready to be transformed in similar ways.
In addition, we are running a New Literature Award/Youth Literature Award/Short Novel Award/Fairy Tale Contest on a scale that is one of the largest among Korean publishing companies. As many authors who debuted through the Jaeum and Moeum Literary Contest have grown into spotlight writers in the literary world, the Jaeum and Moeum Literary Contest has become the publishing industry’s most notable gateway to new writers. Through this active collaboration between publisher, author, and reader, several series of books were born that have made their mark in the publishing industry.
