Why a Booktrail?
2025: A novel set in a real shop in Seoul where people write letters to strangers
La maravillosa tienda de Seúl
What you need to know before your trail
There is always a place where you can write a new beginning.
What place do letters have in a world where we communicate in a matter of seconds.
When Hyoyoung’s dream of becoming a filmmaker is shattered by her sister, who has fallen victim to a financial scam, she accepts a job as a saleswoman at a store in Seoul’s trendy Yeonhui-dong district. There, customers can purchase letter-writing supplies on the condition that they also reply to some of the letters that arrive.
Over time, Hyoyoung forms close bonds with the customers, each with their own story to tell. There is one young man in particular who may just steal her heart.
Locations
Reset- South Korea - Seoul
- A: The Letter Writing Shop - Geul-Wol
- B: Yeonhui Park
- C: Yeongagyo bridge
Travel Guide
Glewol
It’s a real place!!! A real store!!!
From their website: https://english.visitseoul.net
“Glewol,” a pure Korean word meaning ‘letter,’ is also used to honoer the act of writing letters. Since 2019, Glewol has operated a letter shop in Seoul, offering a variety of letter-related products and services. The store aims to make letter writing a part of modern culture, continuing the value and spirit of writing letters. At the Glewol Yeonhui branch, you can experience a penpal service for a fee of 10,000 KRW, where you can exchange replies with someone you don’t know. The cozy space is filled with various items such as stationery, postcards, and fountain pens. There is also a designated area where you can sit and write letters after purchasing your stationery, allowing you to enjoy the ambiance of Glewol while crafting your letters.
Booktrailer Review
Well this is just a delight! What a lovely idea for a shop and a story. It was dreamy and unbelievable in a way but very charming so when I found out this shop exists I was stunned but very very excited.
It gave me vibes of an old fashioned story where the art of letter witing is really celebrated and it’s a lovely idea. There is such an art of reading a letter and wondering about the person behind the penmanship. It is a lost and dying art but all this technology might be quicker but we lose so much.
The stories, the links and the worlds that open up here are a delight to discover. And I so want to visit now!!!
Delightful and warmly whimisical
BookTrail Boarding Pass: La maravillosa tienda de Seúl
Destination/location: Seoul Author/guide: Baek Seungyeon Departure Time: 2025
Back to ResultsWhere Next?
