The Seoul Letter Shop

A moving story of loss and connection, The Seoul Letter Shop is a poignant exploration of the distance that separates us—and the words that just might bring us home. At twenty-eight, Woo Hyo-young has mastered the art of silence—especially when it comes to her sister, Hyo-min. After years of shouldering the burden left behind by Hyo-min’s betrayal, and sacrificing her own dream of becoming a film director, Hyo-young is worn thin. When letters of apology from her estranged sister begin to arrive, each one a reminder of everything she’s lost, Hyo-young does the only thing she can: she runs. Landing in Seoul with nowhere to go, Hyo-young accepts a quiet position at Geulwol, a tucked-away letter shop run by her former classmate, Seon-ho. Surrounded by the quiet rustle of paper and the comfort of handwritten notes, Hyo-young begins to witness the power of letters to bridge distances, mend wounds, and reveal hidden truths. Then she meets Yeonggwang, a warm yet guarded webtoon artist and regular customer at the shop. Through their growing bond—and the stories of strangers who bravely write what they cannot say aloud—Hyo-young begins to confront her own past. As the seasons pass, Geulwol letter shop becomes more than a refuge; it becomes a mirror. One that reflects Hyo-young’s unspoken pain, the beauty of forgiveness, and the tender courage it takes to pick up a pen and finally speak up.

Baek Seungyeon is Korean writer based in Seoul. She majored in Creative Writing and Literature and is a rising talent first discovered through the Munhaksasan Writing Program in 2017. She is the author of the debut novel ‘The Seoul Letter Shop’, a celebration of the lost art of letter-writing and the importance of finding connection in an increasingly isolated world. The novel is published in Korea by Toyou’s Dream in 2024 and will be translated into English, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch and Finnish.