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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

21 reviews

pagesfromhome's review

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow, this book really dropped into my lap right at the time that I needed it. Beyond that, it was a perfect start to my 2025 reading year.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a book that feels like a cup of tea. It warms you. In the author's note, Bo-Reum wrote that she wanted her book to feel like, "A space to snuggle comfortably for the day," and she did exactly that.

The book follows Yeongju and the cast of characters that surround her life in the bookshop that she has built. It's simple slice-of-life stories, nothing majorly dramatic or overwhelming, but every moment feels worth being on the page. I wanted to follow each character, even beyond the page, but Bo-Reum does a fantastic job of showing just enough to make us fall in love and also let the characters live their lives as they will.

I'd recommend this if you're going through a chance in your life (or are questioning if you should) or if you just need a moment of comfort in a hard time. This would be a great pick for fans of character-driven novels and stories that you can feel comfortable picking up and putting down/taking your time reading.

I will note that, as with lots of translations, the dialogue can feel stilted at points, but it's not enough to frustrate and the narrative doesn't hold that same discomfort, but worth noting if you are new to translated works.

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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Cute and cozy story, although I think this is one I would have enjoyed more with my eyes rather than listening to the audiobook (which is what was currently available to me). I just didn’t connect with the main character, although I loved the setting. 

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angeldevoursliterature's review against another edition

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hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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renpuspita's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Buku yang buat gue bimbang dalam kasih rating. Di satu sisi gue suka sama pendekatan authornya terkait seluk beluk toko buku dan segala macamnya. Di sisi lain, gue merasa kurang terkoneksi dengan Yeong-ju dan orang - orang di sekitarnya. Apa ini karena gue baca terjemahan versi Indonya? Apa kalau baca yg versi terjemahan bahasa Inggris, gue akan merasakan hal yang berbeda?

Welcome to Hyunam-dong Bookshop atau Selamat Datang di Toko Buku Hyunam-dong adalah K-Lit ketiga yang gue baca. Selama ini belum ada K-Lit yang gue rate lebih dari 3,5 dan apa ini artinya gue lebih cocok sama J-lit? Baca Hyunam-dong Bookshop sedikit banyak mengingatkan gue pada School Nurse Ahn-Eunyong tapi lebih pada timeline yang non linear. Eniwei, timeline non linear buku ini cuma awal - awal saja karena selanjutnya timelinenya mulai rapi. Meski tokoh utamanya adalah Yeong-ju (yang typo di blurb bukunya jadi Young Joo, tapi Hyunam-dong Bookshop ga cuma menceritakan tentang dia saja. Ada Min-joon, barista dengan krisis aktualisasi diri terkait pekerjaan, Min-cheol, si anak SMA yang galau mau lanjut kuliah atau ngga dan ibunya yang akhirnya tahu juga siapa namanya selain Ibu Min-Cheol yaitu Hee-Ju. Ada juga Jimmy, pemilik Goat Bean yang juga kawan Yeong-ju dan bermasalah dengan suaminya. Jung-seo, seorang wanita muda yang hobi bermeditasi sambil merajut untuk mengatur emosi dan amarahnya. Kemudian ada penulis Hyun Seung-woo yang ahli dalam membuat kalimat baik yang nantinya perlahan akan dekat juga sama Yeong-ju.

Gue paham kenapa buku ini bisa jadi comfort book bagi beberapa orang, tapi terus terang gue ga merasakan hal itu. Beberapa hal yang dibahas di buku ini cukup menggelitik utamanya terkait dengan burn out akibat pekerjaan atau bagaimana menghadapi orang serta lingkungan yang toxic. Kekurangannya menurut gue karena ada beberapa bab yang jadi kurang fokus dan terlalu filosofis untuk gue. Bab - bab favorit gue tentunya tentang bagaiman Yeong-ju menjalankan bisnis toko bukunya. Banyak hal - hal menarik yang bisa gue amati dan bisa dijadikan masukan terkait dengan kelancaran dalam berbisnis toko buku tanpa terlalu banyak bahasa bisnis. Gue merasa Yeong-ju juga cukup idealis seperti keputusannya untuk tidak menjual buku best seller dengan harapan buku yang ada di toko bukunya lebih bervariasi. Tidak cuma dari segi buku, karena Hyunam-dong Bookshop ini juga sekalian cafe, maka ada beberapa bahasan tentang kopi dan jenis - jenisnya. Buku dan kopi, emang kombinasi yang ga pernah salah meski gue aslinya ga suka minum kopi, hehehe. Acara - acara yang dilakukan Yeong-ju di toko buku juga menarik, misalkan ada acara klub buku atau bedah buku bersama penulisnya. Yeong-ju juga aktif dalam sosial media, suatu hal yang gue rasa cukup unik mengingat semua sosmed dia handle sendiri. Suatu hal yang luar biasa dan gue salut dengan kerajinan Yeong-ju dalam menjalankan bisnis bukunya. Gue juga suka sama personal developmentnya Yeong-ju, dimana awalnya dia kelihatan kayak baik - baik saja tapi ternyata masa lalunya cukup pelik sampai jadi pemantik dia punya toko buku.

Kekurangannya, mungkin seperti yang gue utarakan di awal, apa karena terjemahannya? Beberapa transisi antara dialog dan narasi kurang mulus. Pun karena diceritakan dari sudut pandang orang ketiga serba tahu, kurang terasa emosi beberapa tokohnya, kecuali untuk Yeong-ju atau Min-joon. Gue juga kurang paham sama penamaan orang Korea sehingga sering salah kira gender tokohnya, dimana gue kira Jimmy itu awalnya cowok tapi ternyata aslinya tuh cewek! Beberapa bagian buku ini emang kayak berasa buku motivasi untuk kehidupan sampai gue merasa ini apa buku self-development tapi dalam bentuk fiksi, lel. Meski begitu, bagian yang gue suka saat interview Yeong-ju dengan salah satu penulis dimana wajar saja kalau tidak mengingat buku yang kita baca tapi setidaknya isi buku itu merasuk ke tubuh jadi diingat oleh tubuh. Nah, intinya ga usah galau kalau habis baca buku ga ingat apa - apa gaes, itu wajar aja. 

Bukan buku yang akan gue baca dua kali, tapi menurut gue kalau kamu suka buku tentang toko buku yang juga bahas dinamika tokoh - tokohnya maka Welcome to Hyunam-dong Bookshop bisa dicoba. Apalagi kalau butuh self-healing utamanya yang ada hubungannya sama burn out entah itu karena pekerjaan atau malah hubungan yang kurang mulus dengan sesama manusia misalnya. 

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theliteraryteapot's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

This is a slow-paced cosy book that reflects on burn-out, on our relationship to work culture, on capitalism, on finding happiness in the little (simpler) things in life. And of course, it's a love letter to books, to literature, and to coffee. The slow pace itself is inviting the reader to slow down and take the time. The author criticises the neverending demand of our capitalist society to go fast, to be productive, and to lose ourselves in the process.
It's a universal topic but it's worth remembering the context: in which the book is written by a South Korean woman author, making it much more important in regards to the work culture in her country.

I took my time with this one, and enjoyed it. My only issue was the constant switch between past tense and present tense. Maybe it's a translation issue (I read a French translation) but it confused me at times. Apart from my love for literature, my experience in the book industry, and my hope to one day open my own little bookshop, I think the book sums up 2024 quite well for me. I learned to slow down. To appreciate the little things. To take the time to appreciate them. To take the time for myself, to relfect, to let my body and mind rest. To breathe.

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sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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pacific_blue4's review

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0


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amberinpieces's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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clavishorti's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Let me tell you about a book that’s both heartwarming and thought-provoking: Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum. Translated with grace by Shanna Tan, this novel offers a calming yet invigorating glimpse into the everyday magic of a small bookshop. 
 
At its heart, the story follows Lee Yeongju, who decides to open a bookshop in Hyunam-dong, a charming neighborhood full of character and warmth. But this isn’t just any bookshop; it becomes an unexpected nexus of life-changing stories and encounters. Each page reveals the bookshop as a connecting thread between diverse individuals. It’s more than a place for buying and selling; it’s a stage for serendipitous meetings and profound connections. Through these interactions, characters both influence and inspire one another, creating a vibrant web of relationships that enrich their lives. The bookshop becomes a gravitational pull, drawing together intertwined narratives and emotions in a beautifully orchestrated way. 
 
What’s truly captivating about this book is its serene, warmly engaging storytelling. The leisurely pace of the narrative unfolds in a refreshingly positive way. The characters and their world exude a relaxed, peaceful vibe, as if every detail is designed to offer moments of reflection and peace. In the midst of our fast-paced lives, this book provides a space to pause, appreciate life, and absorb deep insights about human connections and the power of bookshops. 
 
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum is the ideal pick if you’re craving a light yet deeply meaningful read about life in a bookshop. It’s not just a treat for those curious about the impact of books and bookshops on our lives but also a source of valuable wisdom about living and connecting. If you’re seeking an escape from the daily grind and a new perspective on how a bookshop can bridge people together, then Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop is a must-read. 

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