I wanted to love this. Bookshop and books? What's not too like? But I found it very slow and I didn't connect with the characters. I think I had high expectations since I really like Korean literature. I liked the diversity in yhe characters, though. Real humans.

You'd think that opening a bookshop would be up a book readers alley but perhaps i'm flat out of stories like this. It was okay but didn't bring anything new.

A slow-burn, heart-warming tale set in a newly established indie bookshop run by a lady called Yeongju.

Yeongju had always loved reading and, after burning out in South Korea’s relentless corporate world, started this bookshop. As the novel progresses, we meet more and more individuals who have been burnt by the corporate work-culture: the glittering promise of a secure permanent job is always dangled in front of contractors but seemingly never, ever realised leading to complete disillusionment. Through the book, these characters all grow, develop and decide on their futures.

As this is a novel where everyone ends up happier, highly recommended as an antidote to whatever today’s headlines are and to restore your faith in humanity (as well as being a ode to stepping out of the corporate rat-race). Note, some occasional swearing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

this was a really nice easy read about running a bookshop, at least on the surface. this book contains many more multitudes, lessons on life, meditations on the human condition and connection, touching on love, loss, confusion about who you are and where you're going and more.

I fell in love with both the cosy setting of the bookshop and the characters. reading this made me want to sit down with a nice coffee (thanks to Minjun) and read, or write. each character has their own struggle and journey to go on, and we see all of this through the calming lens of the bookstore, which seems to ground and centre each of them.

if I could I would live inside this book. I can't wait for the physical copy to be released in stores so lots of people can read and love this book like I did.

A warm, welcoming greeting awaits you at Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

This is a beautiful novel about the power of friendship and of following your passions.

Welcome to Hyunam-dong Bookshop is not a novel with lots of twists and turns, but a comforting and gentle read that will leave the reader a lot to ponder on. This book, with themes of acceptance, self-care and forging friendships left me with realizations that it is important to tell myself that I am enough and to free myself from other's expectations.

I loved this book a lot and highly recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury publishing Plc for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a heartwarming and magical read conveying the importance of books and bookshops. There’s no real drama, it’s just a warm blanket on a winters day sort of read 😊 📚

Well written and translated and a super cute book! I loved the characters and the way everything was described, and this was the perfect autumn afternoon read.

I’ll start this with a thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading the novel as an ARC. When I first approached them with the request, I simply jumped headfirst into this solely based on the cover and author name. I wanted to read something written by a Korean. Something different.

This is not my first Korean novel, but it is by far the best and it quickly became a favorite. What I hope is to actually find a physical copy next and put it on my wooden bookshelf, at the forefront. The writing is so exquisite and simple at the same time, carrying the writer’s emotion throughout. This is definitely a book to be enjoyed slowly, quietly, with a cup of coffee. It’s soothing and heartwarming.

I found myself marveling at the imagery and emotions behind every word and agonizing over not being part of the story myself. The bookshop of Hyunam-dong is such a magical place, truly. There was not a moment I didn’t wish to be able to visit the place and talk to Yeongju, tease Minjun, bash Jimi’s husband and encourage her, or wholeheartedly embrace Jungsu.

Honestly, I’m speechless at it all, at the plot, the characters, the relatedness of the situations. It’s a book I would not hesitate to recommend, ever.

THE PLOT
Yeongju is the first character we meet in the novel. She’s the main character, a fresh librarian, struggling to make sense of life after going through a divorce and burnout due to her previous job. The reader is presented with her journey from the very beginning of the bookstore and until its more recent and bright days.

Once the business takes off, and Yeongju comes up with various ideas to make the store more profitable, we are met with several other characters: Minjun, the barista, Mincheol, a rebellious teenager trying to find his way in life, his mother, then Jimi, the owner of Goat Beans, the place where Jeongju always buys her coffee beans, and who later becomes her best friend, Jungsu, another former corporate worker dealing with her own anger and burnout, and, finally, Seungwoo, a blogger turned writer.

Each of the characters have their own struggles to manage and find comfort in the bookstore, finding themselves gravitating towards its cozy spaces and tasty coffee. They are all mesmerized by our main female character and bond over various aspects of life, while, at the same time, trying to grow.

OTHER ASPECTS
I honestly loved how the book dealt with various topics, while also following Yeongju’s journey to making the bookstore standout, exploring her business model and work ethics. There was some sort of anticipation with each word and page, allowing the reader to build their own ideas on the descriptors and think ahead, of how the new relationships would be formed and what they would be based on.

The writing was inviting, and the writer tried to touch upon quite a few themes: the overworking culture in Korea, the hardships of running a business, doing what you like versus doing what you are good at, allowing your passion to grow, getting over your fears while pursuing your passion, and, finally, a little bit of love.

I’ll say this again: the entire book was amazing, and if given the opportunity, I’d jump right through its pages, and live my life alongside these characters.

This was a lovely book that really developed the sense of community in the Hyunam-dong bookshop between all the different characters from the neighbourhood. I loved following their stories and seeing how the bookshop grew and developed with the help of Yeong-ju’s friends as she finally follows her dream and throws her determination and business acumen into making the shop a success. Although we see different elements of the shop, this book is far more about the people, their lives and experiences, and seeing them find their way, or look for their place, in the world. It was warm and interesting, and a book I’d certainly recommend!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

This was an interesting book but it did lack a bit of the emotion I needed. The characters were diverse and quite well fleshed out but I just struggled to engage with them on an emotional level.

This was a cosy read, anyone who loves books and bookshops will enjoy it! There's not much plot itself, but seeing the day to day of the bookshop and the character will warm your heart.

3.5 stars. Is this a fairly slow and gentle book? Yes. And that’s the point - it’s about learning to look at life and what makes you happy. About not necessarily following the conveyor belt that society expects, or using the same yardsticks for determining success that society says we should. It had me questioning whether I was happy and any changes I might want to make. And it’s set in a bookshop, so what’s not to like?

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

I really liked this one. Cute, emotional and a recommended read in all the ways you can think of.

An ode to books and bookshops but also a novel that shows how hard it is to run one.

It left me with a good feeling

Hyunam dong Bookshop

After leaving her unfulfilling desk job, and getting divorced, Yeoung has opened Hyunam dong bookshop. Though it’s slow to get off the ground, over time it becomes a haven for a wide cast of characters who find comfort, stimulation and community. We learn their stories, hear about the books they are reading and, gradually, understand the events that led Yeoung to start her business.

This is a cosy and heartwarming book. The characters are all good people who are trying their best to make the right choices and do what is right, and their efforts are largely rewarded. I was not surprised to learn that the author is an essayist, as there are also some quite lengthy discussions on, amongst other subjects, the meaning of work in our lives, the value of books and finding happiness. This won’t appeal to everyone, and it is a quite unusual book, because there is no peril or jeopardy and minimal conflict but also and side-helpings of musing about coffee or films. As I’ve previously said, I do enjoy a darker story!

A big draw of this book for many people will be that it is from Korea, and it has been a big hit there. The Korean-ness permeates the novel, with some Korean words left untranslated, such as ajumma, eonnie and gim. Although the meaning of these words is sometimes clear because of the context, it’s not always the case. Of course, these words would not stand out to the original Korean audience so a reader of this translation in English actually gets an added layer of cultural colour. In translating, there can be a conflict between making the cultural background visible and faithfully recreating the experience of the book in its original language for the reader. In this book, the translator has leant towards celebrating and foregrounding its Korean context. Some of the sentences are a touch clunky, as if written by a non-native speaker, which heightens this feeling of something that is from elsewhere. If the Korean setting is part of the appeal of this book for you, the you won’t be disappointed (though they might want to google a few things)!

One to recommend to any reader (YA as well as adult) who wants a book with a positive outlook which reinforces the transformative power of books, reading, community and….. coffee. Read it for respite and let yourself be transported to the Hyunam dong bookshop.

A heart warming, easy-reading, fictional story of the creation and evolution of a book store in Seoul, South Korea. This becomes the centre connecting a blossoming little community of characters whose lives are changed for the better as a result. Wonderfully written and beautifully translated. if only this book came prepackaged with the kind of book store it describes! Special thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: A Novel by Hwang Bo-reum, Shanna Tan (Translator)

ARC Rating 4.5/5 ⭐️

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a slice-of-life story based around a Bookshop and its owner, Yeong-ju 📚

The story follows burnt out Yeong-ju, who 'had it all', the University education, the respectable job and suitable husband. But she abandoned it all to follow her dream of owning a Bookshop.

Through the story, you meet different people who are going through their own personal challenges. But they are all connected through the books and Bookshop.

I really enjoyed this deep and personal but still heartwarming story. It was very soft, slow, and unwinding. No big drama happened, just looking-glass moments into different characters' lives. With this slice of life theme, the story really got the chance to look at real-life worries and feelings.

Thank you, NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing, Hwang Bo-reum & Shanna Tan, for sending this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

“Good things in books shouldn’t just stay in ink and on paper. I want things happening around me to be good stories that can be shared with others.

책에서 읽은 좋은 이야기들이 책 속에만 머물러 있지 않게 하고 싶어요. 내 삶 주변에서 일어나는 이야기들도 남에게 들려줄 만한 좋은 이야기가 될 수 있으면 좋겠어요.”

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop is Shanna Tan’s 2023 translation of 어서 오세요, 휴남동 서점입니다 by 황보름 (Hwang Bo-reum), originally published in 2022.

This is a gentle love letter to the art of reading and to bookshops, the story of a woman, Yeongju, who quits her work and her marriage to find what really make her happy. I almost wrote “pursue her true passion” there but that would be to misread the novel as part of its ethos is expressed early on:

“In the past, she used to live by mantras like passion and willpower, as if by imprinting the words on her mind, they would somehow breathe meaning into her life. It only felt like she was driving herself into a corner. From then on, she resolved never to let those words dictate her life again. Instead, she learnt to listen to her body, her feelings, and be in happy places. She would ask herself these questions: does this place make me feel positive? Can I be truly whole and uncompromisingly myself? Do I love and treasure myself here? For Yeongju, the bookshop checked all the boxes.”

While Yeongju’s love is novels, one of her early learnings as a bookseller is that some customers are looking for non-fiction not her subjective recommendation of a novel on the same topic, and one of the (real-life) books she introduces to the book shop’s book club is David Frayne, The Refusal of Work: The Theory and Practice of Resistance to Work.

In keeping with this feel positive ethos, this isn’t a novel that permits much conflict. Although the novel is clear that running a bookshop is not terribly profitable, there don’t seem to be any actually financially tough decisions to make. And any romantic tension between the characters never goes past the “I think I like you” stage. The book’s biggest drama is a customer who comes in each day to read a few chapters of the same book without buying it, and even that is resolved smoothly and successfully.

Instead this is about the empathy that reading and novels in particular create and I loved this quote about finding time to read, from an interview with an author:

“AR: We become more compassionate. To read is to see things from someone else's perspective, and that naturally leads you to stop and look out for other people, rather than chase after success in the rat race. If more people read, I think the world will become a better place.

YJ: It's common to hear people say that they have no time to read but I believe you read a lot?

AR: Not really, about one book every two or three days.

YR: I call that reading a lot. (laughs)

AR: Really? (laughs). Being so busy, we're usually left with only small pockets of time to read - perhaps in the morning, during lunch, in the evening after work and before we go to bed. But these pockets of time can add up to become something substantial.”

The novel is very well done for what it is - but really was not my cup of tea (indeed as a tea lover, the novel, and indeed the bookshop itself, was oddly obsessed with coffee) and rather too nice and unchallenging. So 4 stars for what it sets out to do, although 2 for my taste.

This book is perfect for every type of reader, (maybe not the thrilling kind of readers though) However, reading this is like coming home after a long day and taking off your bra and snuggling up on the sofa. This book is pure comfort. Its a breath of fresh air to read about people who are real and who make mistakes and don't have the perfect life thats often portrayed in a book.

Its for booklovers, who wish to live in books. It's home.

HOW I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Although I don’t enjoy books that are preachy (and this book certainly has its advice column moments), I loved how it wasn’t just about people restarting their lives/reigniting passion or purpose. The bookshop grounds all characters where modern life fails them, whether it is studying, working or relationships. It feels natural how working without burning out, refining your craft and taking time to actually listen to people can do wonders for you.

(Maybe it is because I’ve recently started working as a bookseller, I may have romanticised the life of a bookseller a bit too much :) I hope it gets wide recognition and many interviews with the author! Crossing my fingers for a mini TV series too)