Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat

A Novel

Kim Jiyun

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.

Kim Jiyun was raised in Seoul. She studied at Dankook University, majoring in creative writing for four years. She also attended the Korean Broadcasting Writers' Association training centre to learn how to write for screen, and later completed a drama course. One day, while walking down the noisy streets of Hongdae at night, she suddenly saw a laundromat with soft yellow lights on, and that gave her the first sentence of Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat, her first novel. She now writes full time.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"Amidst contemporary challenges, more books featuring quotidian places transformed into restorative havens are hitting shelves, featuring cafés, libraries, shops, and, more recently, laundromats, where troubled souls can get refreshed. Strangers—who recognize each other from the distinct scent of the amber-lavender cotton dryer sheets that follows (and guards?) them—become protectors, friends, even family, as the mysterious diary enables intertwined paths while revealing deeper truths. Debuting author Kim’s best-seller, smoothly translated by polyglot Tan, provides lucky anglophone audiences with a welcoming escape." Booklist, starred review