Written by: John Paul Serraon, an honorary reporter from the Korean Culture and Information Service under the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Tourism.
Hwang Bo-Reum has written the first ever book published, “Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop,” also known in Korean as 어서 오세요, 휴남동 서점입니다. Meanwhile, she authored the essay collections I Read Every Day, I Tried Kickboxing for the First Time, and This Distance Is Perfect.
Before we take on the board, let us reinvent the synopsis of this novel.
In the quiet Seoul neighborhood of Hyunam-dong, a bookstore was founded by a Yeongju, transforming it into a refuge filled with the comforting scent of book paper and the aroma of brewed coffee. Her name is Yeongju, and she promised new adventures within the bookshop. Yeonju established the renowned Hyunam-dong Bookstore, a haven for book lovers, around which she revolves her life. Yeonju built this bookshop as a lifelong dream to escape the pressures of her corporate job and an unfulfilling marriage.
A cast of characters who find solace and connection within the Hyungnam-dong bookstore intertwine with Yeonju’s journey. There is a graduate seeking a fresh start, Min Ju. Admirer, a grammar nazi, blogger, and writer who recognizes Yeonju’s passion for the written word, or customers facing personal challenges who discover comfort in the shared love of literature. There are some characters to uplift the character of Yeongju. Therefore, as Yeonju navigates the challenges of running a bookstore and fosters connections with her customers, she embarks on a path of growth and challenge.
Through the solace of books and the supportive community that forms around the Hyunam-dong Bookstore, Yeonju rediscovers the joy of following her dreams and finds a sense of belonging she never expected.
Here is an excerpt of phrases that reflect on this novel, especially the characters, quotes, and slice of life that I gained from this novel by Hwang Bo Reum.
While I breathe, I hope
The main character faced a major change in her life, from an unfulfilling married life with her husband to a successful one. After she divorced, she determined that she could break the stereotype of a divorce by founding a bookshop. Besides, friends and staff of Yeongju helped her character rise from downfall to rise around her. So, as I reflected on the Latin phrase Dum Spiro, Spero,” while I breathe, I hope that while we lived above the earth, hope still existed for us. Therefore, it is good to hear this context from the book.
Right Circle of Friends
I strongly believe that being surrounded by good people can influence you to become successful. Just like in the story, the other characters influenced the main character. They are good people to advise on what is the right thing for the best opportunity that characters could do in the realm. So, in this sense, we could find the right circle of friends to tell us good and bad things—not just one-sided or pleasing to our ears, but a word that could amplify our personality to grow.
From hardships to the stars
A simple reminder: getting to the highest peak of life is not an easy feat at all. The best advice is to let us fulfill the word of this novel and engrave in our hearts to pursue our happiness and dreams.
So, here are a few excerpted quotes from the novel that you should not miss:
“Every one of us is like an island—alone and lonely. It’s not a bad thing. Solitude sets us free, just as loneliness brings depth to our lives. In the novels I like, the characters are like isolated islands. In the novels I love, the characters used to be like isolated islands, until their fates gradually intertwined—the kind of stories where you whisper, ‘You were here?’ and a voice answers, ‘Yes, always.”
“Every possibility starts with something small, like the apple juice you drink every morning, but it can change everything.” “Reading the book makes me feel like making a living without a job is theoretically possible, but I still find it hard to embrace it—it’s too idealistic. But the book does help me to better understand why I think of work in a certain way: why I think it’s beneficial to humans, why I think skivers are lazy and useless people, and why I spent so much effort finding a good job. Am I the only one who feels empty after reading this? It’s like the book is telling us our present views and perspectives of work were arbitrarily shaped by people in the past, and here we are, accepting it as though it’s a universal truth.”
“If the work becomes too much, you’ll get thoroughly exhausted by it, no matter how interesting it is. If I have to live like this, shuttling between home and the office—even if it’s just for a week—I’ll probably die.” “A life surrounded by good people is a successful life. It might not be success as defined by society, but thanks to the people around you, each day is a successful day.”
The stars encourage us; they do not bind us.
I am just thinking this way: characters from this novel have been intertwined by fate; well, I would ask if people are influenced by destiny, but they are not bound by fate. If this phrase resonates with everyone, it’s not because some individuals disbelieve in the fate of meeting new people; similarly, they opt to believe in a seasonal friend, a belief that may not align with the context of this particular part of the novel.
Ad Meliora. Towards Better Things
Ad Meliora (Towards Better Things) is a Latin phrase that I applied to reflect while reading this novel. I chose to include this phrase because I believe that life’s unknown paths can lead to unexpected opportunities. This is what I absorbed from Yeongju—from a downfall to a rise. I did not imagine how Yeongju faced those circumstances and how amazing she is as a widowed wife, from an unworthy life to the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, I should dedicate this reflection to the women out there who encounter numerous challenges in life.
Resonate the question from the novel.
As I reflect, I have new wisdom to share with the readers. Since this question has been asked indirectly from this novel, what advice would I give to the readers as a fervor of K-Literature?” Well, I cast my advice for the global readers out there who are reading books concurrently.
First, you should be open to loving reading any type of literature that depends on the click of preferably reading. Hence, it instills a sense of hope and liberty through different genres of literature.
Second, you have to go back to your own visions and essences for why you read this novel—for instance, a life lesson, a driven aspect of society, and so on and so forth—that could help to integrate personality development.
Third, you have to expand your horizons when it comes to the genre of a novel. For example, I previously encountered folktales through Im Bang’s literary work, where I read numerous tale scenes. Surprisingly, I have transitioned into a contemporary novel reader, exploring a wide range of social issues and genres. One such novel, The Good Son, ignited my love for psychological thriller novels, a genre we discussed during last year’s KCC Book Club.
Fourth, you should have faith in reading through discovery a new thing of literature by its contemporary upbringing to the readers to unfold to the world—not just a fervor of hallyu, cultural diplomacy, or soft power, but the essences and emphatic content of this contemporary Korean literature that could bring to the masses.
Fifth, you have to lay the groundwork for what you have read by consistently reading one novel. I am confident that this is one of the primary issues I am addressing. Some people tend to read half of the book but are not finished reading the whole book.
The final verdict of the novel
I rated it 4.5 over 5. The writer’s prolific creativity in showcasing the novel, particularly slice-of-life stories, divorce, self-love, struggle in life, and mentality, impressed me greatly. Writing this book was a fresh idea, especially since it tackles the bookshop scenario, critic, and slice of life. Besides, it was my first time to read and explore this kind of novel.
On the other hand, the deficient .5 score is because there are some loopholes for me that cannot relate to the foot of the character. Moreover, it is a great equalizer of the real and idealistic world of the novel, from its unfulfilling corporate job to vacation, which I relate to in some of the scenes. Otherwise, it is a slice of life getting to stab your heart to leave a pain in each scene. Furthermore, this book is an eye-opener for how Koreans changed their notions of culture from toxic to good.
As I end up with my verdict, this book is a smooth one; it is not a nerve-wracking story that could puzzle you around. So, it is a recommended novel for you to read. Then, if you have some time to read, both the Korean and English versions of this novel are available at the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines library. Just ask the librarian for assistance
THE KREW | MNL 