[Insta Walk] Wit and Cynical - Sinical Stuck in the Bookstore Attic

Poetry Bookstore Run by Poet Yu Hee-kyung... Also Sells Goods Like Notebooks
"Located on the 2nd Floor of a Bookstore That Will Last 100 Years for Mutual Synergy
Does Not Stock Easily Found Poetry Collections
Recitation Events, Festivals, Workshops... A Space Where Poetry and People Can Gather"

Interior view of the poetry bookstore 'Wit and Cynical'.
Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] They say joy and happiness double when shared. Especially when with people who share the same tastes, there’s no need to say more. This is because the process of finding similar aspirations involves various choices and experiences. It may be because there is empathy and understanding for what one likes. Then, what about people who love poetry? We visited 'Wit & Cynical,' a poetry bookstore in Jongno-gu, Seoul, famous as a place where people who share poetic sensibilities often gather, to get a glimpse of their unique culture of enjoyment.

If you walk about five minutes from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station on Subway Line 4, a small white sign on the second floor of a building at Hyehwa-dong Rotary announces Wit & Cynical. It is located on the second floor inside 'Dongyang Seorim,' a bookstore operating since 1953. From the entrance of Dongyang Seorim, if you walk straight through inside and climb the creaky stairs located centrally inside, you will reach the poetry bookstore that harmonizes with the long history of the bookstore.

With about 1,500 kinds of poetry collections, it’s enough to make you think, "It’s rare to find such a diverse range of poetry collections all in one place." On either side of the '( , Today)' shelf, which mainly displays new releases, rows of bookshelves are packed tightly, showing off colorful covers. You can find not only domestic poetry collections published by Minumsa, Munhakgwa Jiseongsa, and others but also various English poetry collections. It must be a paradise for poetry lovers. They also sell various goods such as metal badges shaped like poetry books, manuscript paper notebooks, and book pouches.

Poetry collections lined up on a bookshelf. Notes with brief reviews are attached.
Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

Poet Yoo Hee-kyung (41), who runs the bookstore, introduced this place as the most comfortable space for herself, born from a combination of realistic conditions. She said, "I was working as a publisher’s editor, but when my health deteriorated, I thought, ‘I should do what I love.’ To do what I want, I needed time, space, and money, and when combining these three, the answer was that meaningful economic activity could be done through a bookstore."

Why did she choose to settle on the second floor of another bookstore? Yoo cited "mutual synergy" as the reason. She explained, "Previously, Dongyang Seorim had a more old-fashioned appearance. It was difficult to stock because many kinds of books were packed in various ways, and I thought I could help improve the structure where mainly new releases were sold." She added, "Dongyang Seorim is probably the oldest bookstore in Seoul, but it’s unfortunate that there isn’t a bookstore that has lasted 100 years yet. If I can contribute to a bookstore that can last 100 years, I think that alone would be meaningful."

The name Wit & Cynical was born from conversations with other poets. Yoo recalled, "Three poets were talking, and I said, ‘Because I write witty poems as a witty poet,’ but another poet misunderstood and asked, ‘What is Wit in the Cynical?’ and everyone laughed. From that moment, the phrase ‘If we open a poetry bookstore, let’s call it Wit & Cynical’ came up." She said, "Thinking about it, wit and cynical might be the basic attitudes poetry holds. Also, I think poetry’s power lies in the fact that even if I say A, there’s no guarantee the other person will accept it as A; meaning is created in itself."

In addition to poetry collections, various products such as picture books, matches, and badges catch the eye.
Photo by Kay Kim katekim221@asiae.co.kr

The fact that poetry can be enjoyed more joyfully is a factor that draws people here. The space called 'Saga Reading' set up on one side, paid poetry readings, 'Poetry & Festa' combining poetry and music, and the workshop 'Poetry_Writing' are all attractive points one by one. They are so popular that they sell out every time. Yoo quoted a scene from the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, saying, "It’s a space where people who love poetry gather to enjoy it more. It takes a very long time, but if people who love poetry enjoy it together, I think they might wonder, ‘Why do they like it so much?’"

Another advantage is that various poetry collections that are hard to find elsewhere are stocked. Yoo said, "We prioritize literature as pure art. We try not to stock poetry collections that can be easily found at convenience stores or other bookstores." She added, "The main content is poetry collections that are not easily accessible or that poetry lovers cannot binge-read. After all, these are poetry collections that contemplate humanity, so we try to handle collections that think and reflect a bit more rather than dazzling words or the pleasure of words themselves."

She recently revealed that she has been struggling with COVID-19 and the fixed book price system issue. Yoo said, "If the fixed book price system is abolished, small bookstores won’t survive. I hope people recognize the efforts we have made so far. I want them to respect and understand the value beyond simply selling books." This is the wish of poet Yoo embedded in Wit & Cynical, a space that always gives a fresh feeling. She hopes it will be a place that offers new sensations and different experiences rather than remaining a familiar space. She said, "Studying and enjoying are completely different stories. If you approach it with prejudice, you lose a good opportunity once. I hope people try reading poetry and try enjoying it." Even if not here, how about opening a poetry collection somewhere under the clear autumn sky?