I Plead, About All the Things That Killed Me

This book is a collection of the daily diaries of the late actress Kim Soo-mi, who had a particular love for writing. It includes key excerpts from her diaries spanning from 1983, when she was in her 30s, until her death in 2024.

Kim Soo-mi's diaries, written between 1983 and 2024, reflect the changing times from the 1980s and 90s to the present, portraying a woman's tough life, struggles, and emotional turmoil. Despite living a challenging life as an actress, she worked tirelessly to protect her family as the head of the household and passionately pursued life. These long diaries show a side of Kim Soo-mi—both as a person and as an actress—that had never been revealed to the public before, offering a new perspective on her efforts. While she maintained a youthful spirit, she also showed a strong determination to fulfill her responsibilities at home. What message did she want to convey to us now?

Every day, she would open her diary and pick up her pen in the early hours of the morning. To preserve her honest thoughts, the editing was kept to a minimum, and the diary entries were presented in their entirety without any cuts or omissions. In addition to the diaries, the book also includes short columns and essays written by Kim Soo-mi, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from the broadcasting industry that had never been exposed to the media, aiming to capture the true essence of Kim Soo-mi as a person.

1983년부터 2024년까지 써내려간 김수미의 일기는 80년대부터 90년대를 거쳐 요즘의 시대상까지 두루 반영하며 한 여자의 억척스러운 일생과 고민, 고뇌를 보여주고 있다.
쉽지만은 않았던 여배우의 삶을 살면서도 가장으로서 가정과 가족을 지키기 위해 부단히 애쓰며 생을 갈망했던 오랜 일기들은 지금껏 대중에게 보여준 것과는 또 다른 인간 김수미, 여배우 김수미에 대한 새로운 면모와 노력을 잘 보여준다. 소녀 같은 모습을 간직하며 동시에 가정을 책임지기 위해 강한 모습까지 함께 보여주던 그녀는 지금의 우리에게 무엇을 이야기하고 싶었을까?

매일 이른 새벽마다 일기장을 펴고 펜을 들었던 그녀의 솔직한 생각이 모두 표현될 수 있도록 교정은 최소한으로만 진행했고, 일기 속 내용을 덜어내거나 자르지 않고 그대로 엮었다. 또한, 일기 외에도 작가가 작성한 짤막한 칼럼 원고들, 단편글을 해당 연도에 모두 함께 구성하고 미디어에 한번도 노출되지 않았던 방송가 이야기를 그대로 실어 사람 김수미를 책에 담고자 했다.