[Instagram Walk] The World Today - Five Worlds... Book Prescriptions for Cheongchun

Only 25 Books on Five Themes for Sale
CEO Kim Hyunjung's Handwritten Recommendation Draws Attention
One Side of the Store Filled with Customers' Worry Notes

Visitors Also Recommend Books Themselves
Motto: 'A Space to Reflect on Oneself'

Exterior view of 'Jigeum-ui Sesang' located in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] In life, we often find ourselves at countless crossroads. The spectrum ranges from trivial decisions like choosing a lunch menu to significant matters such as employment and marriage. Life can perhaps be seen as the result of moments of choice coming together. However, it is not always easy to make wise decisions at every moment of choice. At such times, people often turn to books. Within them, they find answers to their dilemmas or reaffirm their own choices. For adolescents who lack extensive life experience, there is even more to gain from books. This is why the curated bookstore for youth, ‘Jigeum-ui Sesang’ (The World of Now), has emerged as a cherished place on social networking services (SNS).

This bookstore, located a five-minute walk from Sadang Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, offers guidance to young people standing at the crossroads of choice. Upon opening the bookstore door, the wine-colored interior immediately catches the eye. Perhaps due to its intense hues, it creates a somewhat mysterious atmosphere. In the center of the space sits a unique pentagonal table. On it, various books are arranged according to their respective themes. Next to some books, there are handwritten recommendation notes by the owner, adding to the enjoyment of reading. On one side of the store, post-it notes left by customers also stand out. The wall covered with post-its contains a variety of worries. Stories of concerns such as ‘It’s hard to keep doing something consistently’ or ‘I don’t know what I like’ vary widely in both content and depth.

Opened in March 2018, this place is characterized by selling only 25 books under the slogan ‘Five Stories in Five Worlds.’ The classification method of the books is also unique. It is not the usual categories like novels or essays. Instead, the books are divided into five themes: △ intellectual curiosity △ feelings about love △ fear of the future △ longing for happiness △ peace of mind. Kim Hyunjung, the owner (30), who said, “When it was hard to share my worries with anyone, I organized my thoughts by reading books alone,” explained, “When I thought about when people read books, I found it could be divided into five main reasons. So, I introduce books according to these five themes.”

On one side of the store, Post-it notes filled with customers' concerns are stuck closely together. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

These books are personally read and carefully selected by Kim. Sometimes customers recommend books directly to her. Some even show enthusiasm by writing recommendation notes themselves. She said, “It’s fun to run the bookstore together with customers,” adding, “Some people feel proud when the books they recommended become popular in the bookstore.”

Communication between the owner and customers is even more proactive. Every week, Kim selects one of the post-it notes containing customers’ worries and recommends a book that can serve as a guide to resolving the issue. For example, she introduced a book with a note saying, “Imagining oneself as an old person with white hair helps one vow not to lose small and precious things,” to a young person worried about living alone in the future. The book Kim recommended at that time was Joanna Concejo’s ‘When the Rowan Berries Ripen.’ She explained, “The essence of worries is directed at oneself, so they can be similar, but the situations are different. It could be a vague worry about the future or a conflict in human relationships.”

The worry Kim selected in the first week of April was “My life looks exactly like a swan.” This was a note left by a customer who meant that, like a swan gracefully swimming on a lake but paddling frantically underwater, they appear calm on the outside but are struggling hard to survive. It can be seen as a desire to confirm whether such a fierce life is ‘ordinary.’

In response, Kim recommended John Berger’s ‘Ways of Going Home.’ The book tells how a young woman infected with HIV escapes despair. She said, “After reading the worry, I reconsidered ‘What is an ordinary life?’ Perhaps life has no great meaning, but we keep searching only for something special. After reading this book, I realized anew that the standards for an ordinary life differ for each person. I recommended this book to emphasize focusing on ‘life’ rather than ‘work.’”

A 'Blind Book' tightly wrapped in paper packaging. It features an introduction that reads, "I hope everyone lives with a warm heart." Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

The ‘Blind Book’ also piques customers’ curiosity. When opening the drawer of the pentagonal table in the center of the store, a secret book wrapped in paper appears, with neither its cover nor title visible. Customers decide whether to purchase it based solely on the book’s introduction. Kim said, “Because you can’t know what kind of book it is, people become even more curious. Since you have to open the drawer yourself to see this veiled book, it feels like encountering a ‘book of destiny.’”

The bookstore also runs other programs that attract customers’ attention. A representative one is ‘My World Organizer.’ It started with the idea that to solve problems faced, one must first focus on ‘oneself.’ It is conducted through a questionnaire created by Kim herself, allowing participants to examine their environment surrounding time, space, and thoughts.

Rather than just a place that sells books, it is a space where visitors can reflect on themselves. This is the motto of Jigeum-ui Sesang according to Kim. She hopes that her curated bookstore, which moves people even with just small changes in how they view life after visiting, will continue to exert a positive social influence.