This had a nice pace and I liked how the characters tied in to each other. Some parts were a little far fetched and too convenient, but it was a chill read.
Loved the laundromat vibe and the community vibe there.

"The laundromat’s empty. Time to refill the washing machines with milky fabric softener. Vacuum the dust filter in the dryers, wipe the round windows clean. Fill the coffee machine with fresh beans so that everyone can enjoy a cup of warmth. Last but not least, replenish the stock of dryer sheets in the self-service kiosk. The warm calming scent – amber lavender and cotton – fills the air, extending an unspoken invitation. “All is in place. It’s time to welcome a fresh batch of laundry.""

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat is Shanna Tan's well executed translation of 연남동 빙굴빙굴 빨래방 by 김지윤 (Kim Ji Yoon).

Unfortunately, this one was not for me.

As I mentioned on my recent review of Marigold Mind Laundry, I try to read every fiction novel or story collection translated each year from Korean into English. This includes the brilliant 한강 (Han Kang), the innovative literary fiction of 황정은 (Hwang Jung-eun) and 배수아 (Bae Suah), the political polemic of writers like 황석영 (Hwang Sok-yong), and a growing amount of science-fiction, a particularly Korean take on the genre.

But a trend over the last 18 months or so has been increasing volumes of translations, one which started I think with the from-the-Japanese, which are aiming for whimsical charm or a self-help . The titles alone of recent translations tell their own story - DallerGut Dream Department Store; Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop; The Healing Season of Pottery; Marigold Mind Laundry; and this Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat.

This novel is set in 연남동 (Yeonnam-Dong district), originally a quiet area, but increasingly full of cafes and restaurants, remodelled from existing houses, due to its proximity to the trendy 홍대 (Hongdae).

An oasis in the middle of this busy area is provided by the Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat (quite who owns or runs it is never made clear). This when one character, Old Jang, who lives in the one of the few surviving houses in the area - his son-in-law keeps presenting him with architect's plans to convert it to another commercial premises - comes across the Laundromat while walking his dog:

"'Yeonnam-Dong Smiley Laundromat'

The name had been painted with care. Above the sign, yellow lights lit up the letters in a warm glow. A large window stretched from the ceiling to waist height, allowing a clear view of the interior, and the ivory-coloured bricks down to the pavement gave the shop a cosy, inviting look. Sunlight filtered in through the glass, touching the industrial washing machines inside. Next to the window, there was a wooden table with a coffee machine, and by the wall stood a small but well-stocked bookshelf.

“Looks like a library or a café. What a lovely place. What do you think, Jindol?”

'연남동 빙굴빙굴 빨래방'

깔끔하면서도 정감 가는 글씨체가 박힌 간판이었다. 그 위에 노란 할로겐 등이 한 글자 한 글자를 아늑하게 비추고 있었다. 상가 앞면은 위에서부터 성인 허리 높이쯤까지 통유리로 되어 있어 안이 잘 보였는데 아래쪽은 상아색과 회색이 옅게 섞인 벽돌들로 촘촘히 이루어져 있어 편안하면서도 단정한 느낌을 주었다. 봄 햇살이 대형 세탁기가 돌고 있는 안쪽까지 깊숙이 내리쬐고 있었다. 창가 쪽에 놓인 나무 테이블에는 커피 머신이 올려져 있고 벽 한쪽에 위치한 낮은 책장에는 책들이 꽂혀 있었다.

“빨래방이 무슨 도서관 같기도 하고 카페 같기도 하다. 세상 참 좋아졌네. 그렇지, 진돌아?”"

The laundromat's secret ingredient - alongside it's ultra-calming amber lavender and cotton dryer sheets - is a diary that has been left in the cafe at one point, and which the customers use to write and respond to anonymous messages, sharing their woes.

"Old Jang’s gaze landed on the olive-green diary on the table. Had someone accidentally left it behind? He was about to place it on the bookshelf when he noticed how well-thumbed it was. Curious, he flipped it open.

In the corner of the first page was a neatly written line: Towards a world where we can sleep without worry. The letters were indented on the paper as if the person had pressed down with great conviction. It didn’t seem like a regular diary.
[...]
It had turned into a shared space for people to jot down their thoughts and worries.
I don’t want to live anymore. Why is life so hard?
Old Jang’s eyes paused on one of the entries. No-one had responded to it. Was it because people shy away from commenting on the lives of others? Or did they just not care? He pondered for a moment before picking up the pen on the table. He wrote slowly, pouring his heart into each stroke and letter."

"장 영감이 창밖을 보다가 테이블 위에 있던 연두색 다이어리로 시선을 돌렸다. 누가 놓고 간 건가 싶어 한쪽 구석으로 치워놓으려고 했는데, 얼핏 보니 여러 사람의 손때가 탄 듯했다. 장 영감이 호기심에 다이어리를 펼쳤다.

첫 장 구석에는 “모두가 발 뻗고 편히 잘 수 있는 세상”이라고 또박또박 적혀 있었다. 뒷장까지 펜촉에 긁힌 걸로 보아 굉장히 힘을 주고 쓴 것 같았다. 연두색 표지로 된 그것은 시시콜콜한 일상이 담겨 있는 여느 다이어리와는 달랐다.
[...]
다이어리에는 여러 사람의 크고 작은 고민이 적혀 있었다.
살기 싫다. 사는 게 왜 이렇게 힘드냐.
사람들의 답글이 달린 글들도 많았지만 문득 이 글에서 손이 멈췄다. 이 글 밑에는 아무도 글을 적어주지 않았다. 누군가의 삶과 죽음에 함부로 한마디 거들거나 관여하고 싶지 않은 것일까. 장 영감은 고심 끝에 테이블 위에 있던 펜을 들었다. 그리고 한 글자 한 글자 정성스럽게 썼다."

At first the messages and plot are at a rather sappy level, although things do crank up a notch when first one of the laundry-users finds her boyfriend has been sharing sexually explicit messages about her and then when another attempts to crack a spear phishing gang who caused his brother to die by suicide.

2.5 stars.

This was so wholesome! Whereas I couldn't connect with all the characters, these interconnected stories were so nice to read. The dtories were so relatable and realistic. Lovely to see how everyone was connected somehow thanks to a diary left at a laundromat!

Told through a series of interconnected short stories, Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat provides a haven for locals to connect, sharing their stories and struggles with one another. And it did not disappoint! I will be thinking about this book for SO long, PLUS it has such a beautiful cover which I always love!!

The first story involves old man and his dog who connect with a family through the laundromat notebook. We then continue to follow stories of romance, heartbreak, grief, revenge, & insecurity.

While I didn’t completely connect with all of the stories, they were all extremely heartwarming and emotional! Each character has such realistic and relatable struggles, which while difficult to read at times, was continuously enjoyable.

Overall this was such a cozy, touching read & I loved it so much!!