Description
“Uncanny Convenience Store” is a contemporary Korean healing novel that follows a mysterious night-shift worker and the neighbors who gather around a small convenience store in Cheongpa-dong, an old neighborhood in Seoul. Through warm humor and everyday episodes, the book offers comfort, laughter, and empathy to readers living through difficult times. It is ideal for readers who enjoy character-driven stories about ordinary lives, second chances, and the unexpected kindness found in familiar places.
Key Features
- Representative K-healing novel set in a neighborhood convenience store in Cheongpa-dong, Seoul.
- Centers on Dok-go, a man once homeless at Seoul Station, who begins working the night shift at the store and gradually becomes a dependable pillar of the community.
- Features a vivid cast of neighbors, including store owner Ms. Yeom, a retired high school history teacher; Shihyeon, a job-seeking part-timer in her 20s; Ms. Oh, a breadwinner in her 50s; Gyeong-man, an office worker who drinks alone to relieve stress; and Kwak, a private detective.
- Explores misunderstandings, conflicts, reversals, and reconciliation, highlighting how everyday encounters can lead to understanding and empathy.
- Blends heartwarming emotion with witty, realistic portrayals of life’s struggles, capturing both the weariness and quiet joys of ordinary people.
- Portrays the convenience store as a special space of solace, comfort, and shared laughter for those exhausted by modern life.
- Written by Kim Ho‑yeon and published in Korean, making it a strong choice for learners and readers seeking original Korean literature.
Specifications
| Title | Uncanny Convenience Store (Korean version) |
|---|---|
| Author | Kim Ho-yeon |
| Publisher / Brand | Namuyeopeuija |
| Category | Books & Literature, Contemporary Fiction |
| Language | Korean |
| Publication Date | 2021-04-20 |
| Pages | 268 |
| Weight | 332 g |
| Size | 135 x 200 x 20 mm |
| ISBN-13 | 9791161571188 |
| ISBN-10 | 1161571183 |




Thijs – Amsterdam, Nederland –
Leuk boek met herkenbare personages. Het verhaal gaat om gewone mensen en hun leven. Ik vond het makkelijk te lezen, perfect voor een zondagmiddag. De ontwikkeling van de hoofdpersonen maakt je nieuwsgierig naar meer. Een aanrader als je houdt van licht humoristische verhalen over de dagelijkse strijd.
Leandro dos Santos from Olinda, Brasil –
Num dia nublado, entrei em uma loja de conveniência e encontrei mais do que produtos: um laço com o desconhecido. Os rostos ao meu redor, repletos de histórias; o ambiente exalava conforto como a cozinha da minha avó. Fiquei preso na narrativa viva do lugar.