Nooroongji Book Club

Join us for an intimate evening with fellow readers. The theme of our books will vary by month, always with a mind to forwarding uncommon international works that will nourish and enrich our understanding of the world and each other.

Our last book club of the year will discuss Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum:

The book fits within a genre immensely popular in Korea over recent years—“healing fiction”. Authors of this genre often explore the mundane realities of people in everyday settings. The stories envelop readers in feelings of emotional security and warmth. They contain messages that are psychologically soothing and give comfort to those seeking happiness and fulfilment of their dreams but who feel that this is beyond reach in a society that has so many expectations of what each of us must do and who we must be.

The protagonist, a woman named Yeongju, was a successful corporate employee until she was brought down by burnout. She resigns from her job, her marriage falls apart, and her relationship with her mother deteriorates. As she finds herself alone, she decides to start over and realise her childhood dream of opening a bookstore. She moves to quaint Hyunam-dong, attracted by the character hyu (휴), which comes from the hanja character for “rest”, and establishes the shop on a quiet backstreet. The first months are not easy. Yeongju is overwhelmed by sadness, and she fails to mask this, which drives away any customers there are. But things eventually start to fall into place as Yeongju understands that it takes more than being a bibliophile to run a successful bookstore.

—Cha Journal [REVIEW]

Our book club costs $5 + fees. Come prepared to engage in lively intellectual discussions, exchange recommendations, and meet fellow booklovers. Let's dive deep into the world of hidden and international literary gems together. See you there!

Q: What are some of your favorite bookshops?

A: Back when I was living in Seoul, I often visited the bookshop in my neighborhood and attended their book club meetings. Three years ago, I moved to Gyeonggi-do. My new neighborhood doesn’t have its own indie bookshop, although I’ll occasionally drop by one that’s along the route that I take walks on. I love all the bookshops that I visited in different parts of Korea during my book tours. One indie bookshop owner in Daejeon told me they’d love it if I could come to give talks whenever I’m free, and that really warmed my heart and makes me like their bookshop even more.

Q: Yeongju seems to be reading as a form of recovery. Do you see reading as a means of recovery?

A: Yes, I do. Although, sometimes, it’s easier to recover by not doing anything. These days, instead of reading for a specific reason, I simply read every day. But that doesn’t mean I don’t choose. Depending on how I feel or what I’m preoccupied with at that point in time, I’ll be attracted to different types of books.

—10 Questions for Hwang Bo-reum

Past Nooroongji Book Club Picks:

Nov 2023: The Guest Cat, by Takashi Hiraide

Dec 2023: The Wall, by Marlen Haushofer

Jan 2024: Difficult Loves, by Italo Calvino

Feb 2024: All Your Children, Scattered, by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse

Mar 2024: Kim Ji Young Born 1982, by Cho Nam Joo

Apr 2024: The Inhumans and Other Stories, Edited by Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay

May 2024: Her Body and Other Parties, by Carmen Maria Machado

Jun 2024: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid

Jul 2024: Victory City, by Salman Rushdie

Aug 2024: An Apprenticeship, Or The Book of Pleasures, by Clarice Lispector

Sept 2024: The Love of Singular Men, by Victor Heringer

October 2024: Coexistence, by Billy-Ray Belcourt

November 2024: Ryder, by Djuna Barnes