Soyangri Book Kitchen

A heartwarming novel from a South Korean author about the healing power of books, perfect for readers of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

With good books, good food and companionship, the Book Kitchen fills people's tired souls. Yoojin, who grew up in Seoul, opened the Book Kitchen by chance in Soyangri, a village two hours from Seoul by car. The Book Kitchen functions as a bookshop and cafe. The second function of the Book Kitchen is a Book Stay, where one can stay overnight in one of the building's four complexes.

Over the course of one year, multiple characters each find comfort and hope at Yoojin's Book Kitchen. From a music idol facing an identity crisis, to a promising lawyer beset by an unsettling medical diagnosis, to a young, failed music director who has had to rein in his dreams, they happen upon Soyangri at pivotal moments in their lives.

Author: Kim Jee Hye
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Published: 10/07/2025
Pages: 224
Size: 8.50h x 5.75w x 0.81d
ISBN: 9781454963684


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 06/01/2025 pg. 2

About the Author
Kim Jee-hye studied journalism and broadcasting before working at an IT company, which she quit during the COVID-19 pandemic. She started working on her debut novel, Soyangri Book Kitchen, shortly after. She currently runs an independent bookstore in South Korea called Walking on the Clouds.

Shanna Tan is a literary translator based in sunny Singapore, translating from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. She spends her time with languages--reading, teaching, translating and writing. Elsewhere on the Internet, she writes about self-studying foreign languages and her love for books. She lives in Singapore.