Butterfly Wish: A Doomed Interracial Love Affair Set in Post War South Korea

Shane Brennan and Manny Veneto are two young U.S. Airmen from New York who arrive in South Korea in the summer of 1963. However, the mistakes they make while serving there will haunt their souls forever. Falling in love with a local Bar Girl and prostitute, Kim, takes its toll on young Shane Brennan—both emotionally and mentally. He is caught between two cultures and his sense of reasoning is clouded by his fervent love for this sullied young woman. Shane further complicates matters when he turns his attention to a young South Korean waitress. He seduces her to get even with Kim. Circumstance have forced Kim to continue to offer sexual favors to an American officer in order to make enough money to survive. Shane’s jealousy and illicit affair with the waitress brings about another unexpected and unwelcomed problem. Shane’s best friend, Manny, tries to warn him about the risks and futility of falling in love with Kim—but Shane refuses to accept the truth. Manny, a pragmatist, suddenly finds himself in a struggle with morality when he consorts with a Korean prostitute, Peggy. Manny gradually develops feelings for Peggy and complicates his own life. The story- line is edgy and sometimes brutal in its details and audaciousness.