Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye

A heartwarming bestselling Korean novel about the power of books to heal, as a woman leaves her busy life in Seoul to open a bookshop cafe in the countryside where guests can stay overnight

Welcome to Soyangri Book Kitchen

In a peaceful village in the countryside, far from the bustling heart of Seoul, lies a book lovers’ paradise. With its wafts of delicious food and book-filled shelves, Soyangri Book Kitchen is dotingly
managed by its plucky proprietor Yoojin. Her aim? To create a sanctuary for weary
souls like herself.

But the book kitchen is more than just a place to eat or read – it’s a place which offers its guests a true escape, not just inside the pages of its many books, but in the warm embrace of an overnight bookstay.

Over the course of a year, seven individuals, all at a crossroads in their lives, find their way
to Yoojin’s book kitchen. Among them are Da-in, a singer grappling with an identity crisis, Sohee, a promising lawyer confronted with a daunting medical diagnosis, and Soohyuk, a young musical director whose dreams have been stifled by failure.

As they arrive in Soyangri, each of them will find their life subtly transformed by the magic
of its books and the kindness of its people.

About the Author: Kim Jee Hye (Author)
Kim Jee Hye studied Journalism and Broadcasting, and she now runs an independent bookshop in South Korea called Walking on the Clouds. Soyangri Book Kitchen is her debut novel.

Shanna Tan (Translator)
Shanna Tan is a literary translator working from Korean, Chinese and Japanese into English. Her translations include the bestselling Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum. Born and raised in Singapore, she is currently spending some time in Bangkok.

02 Oct 2025
 

Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye ISBN 9781787304628