WELCOME TO THE HYUNAM-DONG BOOKSHOP
The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.
Yeongju is burned out. She did everything she was supposed to: go to school, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. In a leap of faith, she abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream: opening a bookshop. In a quaint neighborhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge.
The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.
Yeongju is burned out. She did everything she was supposed to: go to school, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. In a leap of faith, she abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream: opening a bookshop. In a quaint neighborhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster—and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju—they all have disappointments in their past, but The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.
A heartwarming story about finding acceptance in your life and the healing power of books, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a gentle reminder that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start again.
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Hardcover
- February 2024
- 320 Pages
- 9781639732425
Buy the Book
$28.99
About Hwang Bo-reum & Shanna Tan
Hwang Bo-reum is the author of several essay collections, and Welcome to Hyunam-dong Bookshop is her first novel. The novel was initially published after winning a contest held by the Korean platform Brunch. She lives in Seoul.
Shanna Tan is a Singaporean translator working from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese into English. She was selected for two emerging translator mentorships in 2022. Her translations have appeared in the Southern Review, the Common, Azalea, and others. She lives in Singapore.
Praise
A Debutiful Most Anticipated Book of 2024
“A real love letter to reading . . . wonderful.” –Good Housekeeping
“This buoyant, charming novel celebrates books as a source of growth and connection, and as a gentle antidote to the pressures of modern life. Hwang Bo-reum has created a quirky comfort read that invites readers into the heart of this sweet bookstore . . . a delightful place to be!” —Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“Graceful, meditative . . . A meditation on bookstores and the communities they foster, as well as an aspirational story of finding purpose when you think you might be ready to give up.” —Shelf Awareness
“Already a bestseller in Korea, this quiet debut novel poses big questions about what it means to be successful and lead a fulfilling life. A worthy entry into the ever-growing constellation of fiction about the power of books, reading, and community.” —Booklist
“A snapshot of life in a quiet corner of Seoul examines how reading can help give voice to emotions, worries, and dreams.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Pleasantly evokes the feeling of spending an afternoon in a favorite bookstore.” —Publishers Weekly
Discussion Questions
- In the first scene, Yeongju sees a man in a business suit loitering outside her bookshop before opening time. Why do you think the author chose to begin the story with this interaction? What might his character represent for Yeongju?
- In the early days of the bookshop, Yeongju finds comfort in reading and rekindles her relationship with books, feeling that they “welcomed her back with open arms without judging the person she’d become, and accepted her for who she was.” Who or what does she fear she’s become? Why?
- At the end of the chapter “Please Recommend Me a Good Book,” Yeongju comes up with a definition of what makes a good book. What does her description reflect about what books mean to her? What would your definition look like?
- It occurs to Minjun that everything he’s done has been only for the purpose of getting a job. How does this realization affect him and the choices he makes later?
- When Mincheol calls Jungsuh “imo,” she brings up the “absurd importance” Koreans place on blood ties. Many of the characters in the novel are separated from their families. How does the theme of family inform the story?
- Minjun explains that the documentary Seymour: An Introduction made him think about moments of harmony and dissonance in life. Do you notice moments of harmony and/or dissonance throughout the novel? Do you notice them in your own life?
- The bookshop’s book club discusses The Refusal of Work and the idea of being a “downshifter.” Which characters in this novel could be considered downshifters? What does the novel seem to be saying about downshifting?
- Yeongju strives to recommend books for her customers that could help them navigate their way in life. Which books have helped you navigate your own life?
- Seungwoo believes that “life is too complicated and expansive to be judged solely by the career we have.” Which characters do you think agree with him? Which don’t?
- We don’t find out details of the life Yeongju left behind until late in the novel. Why do you think the author chose to withhold this information? Did the reveal change how you viewed Yeongju?
- Minjun helps Jimi see that her marriage is unhealthy and realizes that “being able to end things that don’t work is a way of living well.” How does this idea show up in other ways throughout the novel?
- Many of the characters make significant life changes throughout the novel. What role did the bookshop make in their decision-making?
- At the end of the novel, Yeongju thinks: A day well spent is a life well lived. Do you agree? What is a day well spent, for her? What is a day well spent, for you?