Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: A Novel

Name: Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: A Novel
Rating: 6.99 (203 reviews)
ISBN: 9781639732425

Every Day I Read, a new work from Hwang Bo-reum for book-lovers, available now

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER * NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER
INDIE NEXT PICK * Debutiful Most Anticipated Book of 2024 * Powell's Pick of the Month * A Bookshop Best Book of the Year So Far

The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.

Yeongju is burned out. She did everything she was supposed to: go to school, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. In a leap of faith, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighborhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster-and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju-they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.

A heartwarming story about finding acceptance in your life and the healing power of books, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a gentle reminder that it's never too late to scrap the plot and start again.

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Published Feb 20, 2024

320 pages

Average rating: 6.99

203 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

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foreveryum

May 20, 2026

8/10 stars

I thought this would be a cutie little book that romanticized owning a bookstore in Korea. It's more about burnout from late-stage Capitalism and how unfortunate it is that we all need jobs to live, haha.

dmazhar

May 12, 2026

Slow read, overall satisfactory.

dms

Apr 20, 2026

10/10 stars

For me, this was such a cozy read. The type of book you'll want to hunker down with a cup of warm tea and a blanket. I loved the atmosphere it set up and wish I could visit the Bookshop myself. Comforting and engaging, there were many lines that stood out to me and struck a chord. A perfect book for readers and love letter to books.

garden hose

Mar 29, 2026

5/10 stars

Boring but philosophical

annsipansy

Mar 18, 2026

8/10 stars

Sweet story about a women who opens an independent book store in Korea after burning out from “doing all the right things” – she hires a coffee roaster and attracts interesting people and makes a success of her venture. Heartwarming and makes you believe that anyone can make their dreams a reality.