I figured round-ups are not for me, because what if the August ends and I only read one book unlike in July? And so, I decided that individual summaries of my thoughts are much better. With that being said, here’s to my first official read with Kikkie — To The Moon. And, oh boy, it was… quite the ride!
What is it about?
Three friends — Jisong, Eun-sang, and Dahae — enter the corporate world together, clinging to friendship as they navigate low salaries, stalled promotions, and the quiet panic of wondering: is this it?
At first, it seems like an easy workplace read. But underneath the hilarity and absurdity lies a sharp mirror of modern survival.
What I think about it (from the reader’s POV)?
It took me three nights (or maybe four) to finish this because I was playing LADS at the same time and it was becoming more enjoyable simply I do not agree with some of the many things mentioned in this book. But hey, I still made it to the end and here are the lessons (or non-lessons) that stayed with me.
To reach financial freedom as an employee, try cryptocurrency.
The novel shows, almost cynically, that as long as you’re just a salary worker, promotions and raises won’t save you. Nobody gets rich solely by being employed, and I’ve heard this so many times before. Eun-sang had a lot of creative ways to have additional income, as she had always been the use-money-to-make-more-money person. Enter crypto (they called it Ethereum, and they were in 2018). It’s risky and unstable yet the book painted it as the only “escape route” for financial freedom. The irony? They were trading one unstable system for another.
When in doubt, go ask a fortune teller.
Yes, the characters actually consulted one when deciding whether to sell crypto. Now, it may sound ridiculous, but it is also telling. Sometimes, when the world feels too unpredictable, we grasp at anything — even superstition — just to feel like we have control.
Rimowa is not just a luggage. It’s a status.
There’s literally a whole paragraph devoted to this premium brand, and it read like a K-drama product placement moment. But maybe that’s the point: in a world where workers feel small, brands become symbols of success. Rimowa isn’t about carrying clothes. It’s about carrying the illusion that you’ve made it.
Sometimes mean bosses aren’t villains — they’re just stuck.
Dahae’s boss, Team Leader Koh, is portrayed as unpleasant and incompetent. But the more I think about it, the more I realize he’s also a victim of the system. Not everyone is meant to lead, yet circumstances trap people in roles they don’t fit and everyone else suffers for it.
Friendship makes it bearable, but not perfect.
The trio’s bond is the heart of the story. But even friendships aren’t immune to friction. In every group, there’s always that pair that clashes and here, it’s Eun-sang and Jisong, whose bluntness and straightforwardness often stung. It’s frustrating, but it’s real. And friendships, especially the real ones, don’t erase conflict; they survive it.
The book is witty and fast. But it also leaves you with that bitter aftertaste: the reality that salary workers rarely escape the grind, and sometimes all you can do is laugh, cry, or gamble on the next absurd solution.
After the last page…
🌸 Mood match
To The Moon is that book for nights when you want to feel slightly attacked as an employee but still entertained by the absurdity of it all.
☕ Emotional aftertaste
I finished it both amused and exasperated, like talking to a brutally honest friend over coffee.
📚 Shelf space
Not sure I’d recommend it to everyone, but I think some readers would enjoy its mix of sarcasm, realism, and ridiculousness. For me, it’s more of a been-there-done-that read.
See you on the next chapter. 🩷
