The Book Report #78
Episode #77
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
By Hwang Bo-Reum
The Book
First published in 2022 in South Korea by Clay House. My copy is a fifth print hardback edition published through Bloomsbury UK in 2023.
The English translation was arranged by Bloomsbury and was translated by Shanna Tan.
The book has 314 pages. This includes the story, the Author’s note, a note on the Author, a note on the translator, and a note on the type.
What Did I Think
Yeongju runs a bookshop. She is on a mission to see how far she can take this bookshop. Like most people who read a lot of books, Yeongju has always wanted to own a bookshop. Unknown to most, an independent bookshop can be a difficult shop to run, as most bookshops don’t last long. So it needs to be updated and renewed constantly.
On her journey, she is joined by others who are there to help in their own way and help with her cause. She has a past and will tell us about it when she is ready.
I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. This is a drama about a bookshop. But not just that, how a bookshop is run. The progress on Yeongju’s entrepreneurial skills to keep her shop relevant. And attracted not just the local but new customers from all around the city and further afield.
We ride along with her as her business grows, and with her many new ideas, her stress and her knowledge grow. The opportunities she places on herself and creates for other people, even if she doesn’t know it at the time, to make sure her shop is a success.
Not just that, but how one person can be a beacon to bring people closer to her and slowly grow a community where everyone can contribute their time and skills to the vision she has for herself. And then later it becomes theirs.
Characters
During the story, we are introduced to various characters, like Minjun, the barista. He, like Yeongju, is on his own journey to work out what his mission in life is when his plan, set up by his family, ends up not being the right one for him. He hits a wall of depression until he finds a job as a barista at the bookshop, a great place to start anew.
We are introduced to Jimi, the Best friend of Yeongju, the owner of the coffee shop that supplies the beans to the bookshop and over time trains Minjun on how to create a cup of coffee.
Heejoo with her son, Mincheol. She leaves her son at the bookshop, she wants him to read and learn new things. Heejoo starts by using the bookshop as a creche. And over time, as he begins to enjoy his time at the bookshop and becomes a regular. He learns from the people about their lives, books, and is also a guinea pig for Minjun’s latest concoction.
Jungsuh is a lady who gave up her job after her mental health took a nosedive. She now comes to shop to spend her time in a relaxing place to knit and crochet.
Others join Yeongju along her journey, and the meetings and experiences they have aren’t all the greatest, but each one is a learning curve she uses to improve herself and the shop.
And yes, Yeongju has an origin story, and it is revealed, but I won’t spoil it for you. You will have to read the book.
Books
While reading, you get quotes from books or titles that have an asterisk at the bottom of the page. These are real book titles. So, if you are interested, this book provides book recommendations.
The ending is a decision to improve and evolve alongside those in the bookshop, paving the way for a continuation of the adventure and seeing where it will take them.
The one question I do have is, who is the lady walking her dog at the end of each chapter? As they have no relevance to the story. Is it the Author?
Would I Recommend
Yes. Simply yes. This is a book about hard work and determination, and the effects on herself and those around her. This was a great read.
Please give this book a go.
Would you like to purchase your very own copy?
You could try these online stores: Amazon UK/USA. Waterstones. AbeBooks UK/USA, Barnes & Noble or eBay UK/USA.
Alternatively, you could try your local bookshop or even your local library.
