分类: Korean

Pottering Along

14/4/2026

The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin
Translated by Clare Richards

Jungmin became a recluse in Chestnut Burr Village after she quit her job, burnt out by work and burdened by her past. When she finally leaves her "cave" in search of a cafe, she finds Soyo, a pottery workshop where all types gather to create meaningful, sometimes imperfect, pieces. Throughout the seasons, Jungmin will quietly approach healing and find her way once more.

This was the perfect choice for me to dive into on an autumnal afternoon. I let myself be lulled by the gentle rhythm of this book and enjoyed every moment of Jungmin's journey. What I found most impressive was how Yeon managed to approach very serious subjects without throwing too long a shadow over those particular scenes. It's difficult to obtain this balance. I related to Jungmin on so many levels and now feel inspired to creep outside my own cave a little more often.

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Food for the Soul

24/3/2026

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Syonagri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye
Translated by Shanna Tan

Books are food for the soul and the Soyangri Book Kitchen will give you the sustenance you need at just the right moment. The situation may not change, but you can.

What can I say? If it's a "healing read", then of course I'm going to read the book and heal while I'm going it. Kim has added a strong entry to the genre, even if I occasionally found it hard to connect to the characters. What I liked most was the realistic growth portrayed here. Not everything ends in sunshine and rainbows, but the journey is more important than the outcome.

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Pastry Portal to the Other World

24/3/2026

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A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa
Translated by Slin Jung

After Yeon-hwa's grandmother passes, she finds herself the new owner of Hwawoldang, a traditional sweet shop which has accumulated a massive debt over the years. Yeon-hwa intends to sell the shop, but first she honours her grandmother's strange request by opening the store between 10pm and midnight for a month. Soon she discovers the secret of the shop, but more secrets are yet to come.

It's no surprise that I have read yet another book from the healing fiction genre, but I still managed to be pleasantly surprised by this one. Prepare to have your heartstrings pulled. Prepare to grab the nearest tissue box. And also prepare to find yourself drawn in by the same secrets that frustrate Yeon-hwa throughout the book. This is technically a debut novel, but Lee's prior experience is evident in her excellent writing.

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Kindness in the time of Covid

7/2/2026

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The Second Chance Convenience Store by Kim Ho-Yeon

Mrs Yeom loses a bag containing her wallet at Seoul station and returns to discover that Dokgo, who found it for her, is homeless and has no recollection of who he was before he came to Seoul. She hires Dokgo to cover the night shift at her convenience store - and never once does she regret it. Giving Dokgo a second chance will cause a ripple effect of second chances for others.

This book will make you believe that kindness can change the world - even if it starts as a simple, small act. I certainly believe. Dokgo was such a fascinating, mysterious character. I was almost disappointed to find out about his past towards the end, though it was handled so well. I have a keen interest in COVID-19 fiction and this certainly fits the bill, but I also admired the message about taking our kindness with us into such an uncertain global situation.

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Welcome to the Healing Fiction Genre

16/3/2024

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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Huang Bo-reum
(Translated by Shanna Tan)

Having cut herself off from her past, Yeongju fulfils a childhood dream by opening an independent bookshop, a venture that is famously difficult and often results in failure. As Yeongju experiments with ways of gaining customers, it is not the slowly increasing sales that mark her success. Instead, it is the connections she makes within the community and the many days she has spent well.

Sometimes the most unassuming novels can offer the greatest surprises. Part slice of life, part self-help, this is the perfect book to read over a pot of tea (or a cup of coffee!). Hwang's background as an essayist is obvious; each chapter reads like an individual essay and forces you to pause afterwards, to reflect on the pages you have just digested. Just as the characters begin to heal, you'll find that you've begun your own healing process.

Side note - I'm a little bemused to see the spelling error of "renumeration" in a translation published by Bloomsbury.

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High Spirits

25/9/2021

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Vicious Spirits (Gumiho #2)
by Kat Cho

Miyoung and Jihoon are together, but scarred by their personal losses. Their friend, Somin, is clued into the supernatural world and she has no patience for Junu, the dokkaebi whose loyalty is to money before all else. But Somin and the others will need his help to deal with a tear that is allowing spirits through into their world. And Junu might have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

I liked this more than the previous book - Cho's writing is more developed and the story runs smoother because of that. The usual K-drama hijinks exist here (including the "date day" sequence), but they don't affect the pacing and seem to work a lot better in his sequel. Junu was, frankly, the most interesting character in Wicked Fox. His increase in page time notably led to an increase in my enjoyment!

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Supernatural Seoul

22/9/2021

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Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)
by Kat Cho

Gu Miyoung is a gumiho and needs to feed on gi in order to survive, but taking lives doesn't agree with her - nor does remaining under her mother's thumb. Jihoon encounters her on a night when things go wrong. Despite her warnings, despite the icy shield she erects, Miyoung cannot push Jihoon away. And she may not even want to.

Wicked Fox has the soul of a K-drama and if you're not into those, you're going to have trouble reading this book. Those aspects were fun (especially the slightly meta comment about what happens halfway through a K-drama), though admittedly the pacing of the book was a bit off because it was better suited to a show. I found this is be a fairly average YA fantasy/romance. But I did like it enough to buy the sequel/companion.

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Book Reviews

Pottering Along

The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin
Translated by Clare Richards

Food for the Soul

Syonagri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye
Translated by Shanna Tan

Pastry Portal to the Other World

A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa
Translated by Slin Jung

Kindness in the time of Covid

The Second Chance Convenience Store by Kim Ho-Yeon

Welcome to the Healing Fiction Genre

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Huang Bo-reum
(Translated by Shanna Tan)

High Spirits

Vicious Spirits (Gumiho #2)
by Kat Cho

Supernatural Seoul

Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)
by Kat Cho

About

Archives

Categories

Book Reviews

Pottering Along

​The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon SominTranslated by Clare Richards

Food for the Soul

Syonagri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye​Translated by Shanna Tan

Pastry Portal to the Other World

​A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa​Translated by Slin Jung

Kindness in the time of Covid

The Second Chance Convenience Store by Kim Ho-Yeon

Welcome to the Healing Fiction Genre

​Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Huang Bo-reum(Translated by Shanna Tan)

High Spirits

​Vicious Spirits (Gumiho #2)by Kat Cho

Supernatural Seoul

Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)​by Kat Cho

About

Archives

Categories

The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin
Translated by Clare Richards

Syonagri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye
Translated by Shanna Tan

A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa
Translated by Slin Jung

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Huang Bo-reum
(Translated by Shanna Tan)

Vicious Spirits (Gumiho #2)
by Kat Cho

Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)
by Kat Cho