Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop cover art

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

The heart-warming Korean sensation

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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

By: Hwang Bo-reum, Shanna Tan - translator
Narrated by: Rosa Escoda
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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £13.46

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Bloomsbury presents Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum, read by Rosa Escoda.

**AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER**
WATERSTONES BEST FICTION BOOKS OF 2023 PICK
WOMAN & HOME NOVEMBER BOOK OF THE MONTH
iPaper TOP FICTION PICK

'An absolutely charming novel that all bookworms will adore' Red

'A balm for the soul and a glorious love letter to books and reading' iPaper

There was only one thing on her mind.

'I must start a bookshop.'

Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop.

In a quaint neighbourhood 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 heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life – and the healing power of books.

'Delightful, reflective and heart-warming' Woman's Weekly

‘Profound and healing … a beautiful story at its heart’ Woman & Home

'An incredibly exciting debut novel. At once gentle and invigorating. I devoured it' Sarah Crossan, author of Here is the Beehive

Reader Reviews:

'Love love love this book! Cosy, heart warming, wholesome...Will be recommending this to everyone. It makes me smile when I think about it!'

'Such a beautiful book, I adored the story and characters, The writing style was gorgeous. 100% recommend.'

'A love letter to books, bookshops and all who love them'

'Such a warm and cosy read! Was completely here for it...and the appreciation for books was magical'

'A heart-warming cosy read that makes you think about how important it is to be happy, and that we can all find a place to call ‘home’.' City Life Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Urban World Literature Feel-Good Heartfelt Inspiring
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Critic reviews

Profound and healing … a beautiful story at its heart
An incredibly exciting debut novel. At once gentle and invigorating. I devoured it (Sarah Crossan, author of Here is the Beehive)
This was a word of mouth Korean sensation when it was first published and now translated into English it isn’t hard to see why. This novel is both a balm for the soul and a glorious love letter to books and reading
A story that embraces its sentimentality
Quirky… It’s a tale about community and finding comfort in the small things
A real love letter to reading... wonderful
Delightful, reflective and heart-warming … we challenge you not to fall in love with it
All readers who love books about books will fall in love with this charming story
This is a love letter to bookshops and to the people who find solace among their shelves … An absolutely charming novel that all bookworms will adore
Reader Reviews:
'Love love love this book! Cosy, heart warming, wholesome...Will be recommending this to everyone. It makes me smile when I think about it!'
'Such a beautiful book, I adored the story and characters, The writing style was gorgeous. 100% recommend.'
'A love letter to books, bookshops and all who love them'
'Such a warm and cosy read! Was completely here for it...and the appreciation for books was magical'
'A heart-warming cosy read that makes you think about how important it is to be happy, and that we can all find a place to call ‘home’.'
All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed the starting themes of what reading is about. I learned a lot about why you should read and what it takes to be a reader. The story is comforting and leaves simple mysteries with fulfilling answers. Love this book :)

Comforting book

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Like hot tea for the soul. It was a beautiful book. Each of the characters were perfectly crafted and were all so human. I feel like their lives gently unravelled in front of me whilst listening. It’s powerful without being preachy. A beautiful book to end my year on, there are definitely lessons I’m taking from it.
The reader was great too, captured the tone very well I thought.

A beautiful story

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The story has a ’slice of life’ feeling. There’s no major plot-altering drama or storyline, but rather you follow the main characters as they navigate through everyday life and new changes, all while working through old traumas and insecurities.

Some might find this boring, others heartwarming, calming, relatable and comforting. It also gives a very interesting insight to the Korean culture and the expectations and pressures people might face in the Korean society. Personally the story felt comforting and interesting to listen to and I really liked the narrator as well.

I would recommend this book if you want a slow, warm and relatable story to listen to. If you’re facing similar struggles as the characters, it might even help you with them, if only just a little. All in all, a very heartwarming story.

Slice of life

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A book that feels like reading a slice of nonfiction, with characters that feel warm and real this book is such a cosy read for a cold winter's day.

A very real story.

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For me, Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop was important because it reminded me that the “best possibility” we once imagine for ourselves may not come true, and sometimes wouldn’t even be the best after all. Still, there are other paths, other ways to feel well in what you do and to keep doing what you’re truly good at.

This book also stirred gratitude for the wonderful colleagues and managers I’ve had in the past, bittersweetness that such circles are no longer around me, and a gentle hope that such community can be found again. It’s not a fast-paced or dramatic story — but it offers quiet reassurance and the comfort of knowing that meaning can be found in new and unexpected places.

Finding New Paths When Plans Change

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