Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

by Hwang Bo-Reum

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.’ You think to yourself, I was a little lonely, but because of you, I’m less alone. It’s a wonderful feeling and the book in your hands gives me a taste of that joy.

Is a good book always a good read?

As with everything in life, reading is about the right timing.

Reading makes you deviate further from the textbook definition of success because books don’t make us go ahead of or above anyone else; they guide us to stand alongside others.