Shanna Tan

Kim Jiyun

*THE HEARTWARMING KOREAN BESTSELLER*

*A new book from Shanna Tan, translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop*

Situated at the heart of a rapidly gentrifying district of Seoul, the Yeonnam-dong Smiley Laundromat is a place where the extraordinary stories of ordinary residents unfold.

It is already a haven of tranquility and reflection for locals, but when someone leaves a notebook behind, the laundromat becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts and inviting acts of kindness from neighbours who were once just faces in the crowd.

But there is more to the diary than first appears, and before long the laundromat's regulars are teaming up to solve a mystery and help the notebook's former owner find peace.

A heartwarming, healing debut that instantly captured the hearts of Korean readers, this is a novel about the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly cold, fast-paced and virtual.



Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat

For readers who loved Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Book Shop, this heartwarming Korean bestseller tells the story of a mysterious diary left in a laundromat brings together patrons from all walks of life. Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat is a place where the extraordinary stories of ordinary people unfold. Situated at the heart of rapidly gentrifying district of Seoul, the laundromat is a haven of peace and reflection for many locals. And when a notebook is left behind there, it becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts and inviting acts of kindness from neighbours who were once just faces in the crowd. But there is a darker story behind the notebook, and before long the laundromat's regulars are teaming up to solve the mystery and put the world to rights. Instantly capturing the hearts of readers around the world, this is a novel about the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly cold, fast-paced, and virtual.

A Novel

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat

What food can't fix, medicine won't cure!

For Madam Jeon Geum-nam, affectionately known by her neighbors as the "Hyehwa-dong Grandma," or, in her own words, "the town's coolest senior," a warm, little treat can go a long way. That's why she runs her small dosirak eatery. Her dosirak are the best in town. But there is something else that makes Hyehwa-dong Grandma's restaurant uplifting notes, wrapped in silver foil, can be found hidden inside each lunchbox meal.

Each customer carries a secret or a burden. But when they stop by to eat Grandma's dosirak, they inevitably laugh, smile, and cry, and after the meal they bounce right back. But little do they know that Grandma has been harboring a secret of her own. And when the time comes, she will need the strength and support of her customers in return.

Through laughter and tears, The Hyehwa-dong Grandma is a beautiful ode to the strength in community, the healing power of food, and the resilience of the human spirit—a much-needed reminder for our times.

Kim Jiyun

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