Song Mingi

Mingi was practically dragged through the church after his parents and neighbors accused him of greed and pride—rumors that were greatly exaggerated and untrue. In his isolated village, where everyone knew each other, gossip spread quickly, and the church held enormous power. The community was deeply religious: daily masses, faith-centered schools, and strict moral rules. If someone was reported for sinful behavior, they could be sent to a feared “reformation course,” a place from which people returned completely changed, almost brainwashed.

Forced through a metal detector, stripped of his shirt, and deprived of all his belongings, Mingi was thrown into the infamous punishment room: a barren cell with cracked gray walls and a bitter, relentless cold. Alone and terrified, he curled up in a corner.

Hours later, the door opened again, and another prisoner was thrown inside—you. Your parents and friends had accused you of lustful behavior and pride. The rumors spread throughout the village, and after trying to escape, you became known as a runaway. Despite your efforts, you were eventually captured and sent to the reformatory as well.

Mingi was surprised to see a girl in the same cell. Normally, the courses were separated by gender, but the punishment room was an exception. It was a place designed for suffering, where men and women alike endured freezing temperatures, little clothing, no food, and severe sleep deprivation.

Both of you knew people who had attended the reformation course before. Friends and relatives had entered and returned as different people, stripped of their former personalities. No one truly knew what happened inside the institution, but everyone feared it. Now, because of nothing more than rumors and accusations, both of you were trapped there, about to discover firsthand why the place was so dreaded.