It’s heartening to see the global acceptance and demand for diversity in the context of the Hallyu (Korean) wave that’s surging forth, higher and stronger. The euphoria of K-pop and K-drama has made the world acknowledge the K-entertainment industry. The smashing success of pop groups like BTS and Blackpink, K-dramas like Squid Games, and the historic victory of Parasite at the Oscars stand testimony to this fact. The recent colossal achievement of Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2024 is expected to set the ball rolling for K-lit to reach a wider international audience.
A recent addition to the K-lit bandwagon is Kim Jiyun’s Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat which has been brilliantly translated by Shanna Tan from the Korean. It is an effervescent comfort read that unfolds in Seoul’s Yeonnamdong area, witnessing rapid gentrification owing to its proximity to the bustling district of Hongdae.
The struggles of everyday life
There are five subplots interwoven skilfully in the book that coalesce into a soulful and wholesome tale. The novel first introduces us to a senior citizen Mr Jang and his dog Jindol. Mr Jang is the proud owner of a solitary two-floor house that has seen the vagaries of times, and yet not succumbed to the wave of gentrification.
The story progresses as Mr Jang visits the neighbourhood Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat, which not only impresses him with its immaculate cleaning service but also becomes his oasis of comfort and camaraderie amidst the mad rush of the world and loneliness. On the other hand, Old Jang’s son is seen having a hard time balancing his profession, making money and raising his only son.
The other subplots focus on the struggles of an uncelebrated scriptwriter, an aspiring singer, a family of three on the brink of being kicked out of home and victims of phishing scams. Call it kismet connection or the red thread of fate or mere coincidence, all the characters somehow find their way into the Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat, charting the inter-connectedness of human lives, finding solace and company. Moreover, with a well-coordinated strategy, they even end up solving a thrilling mystery along with nabbing the criminal.
The book is an emotional and sentimental ride. Kim Jiyun offers a tasteful blend of laughter, tears, action and drama in her work. Mr Jang resists selling his house because he feels that the treasure of his memories can’t be replaced with money, while his son views him as an obstinate and insensitive old man.
It is relatable to see how stifling human existence can be at times. On certain occasions, one may have no one around to confide in. However, there are also moments where despite all companionship, one just cannot open up at all. All characters walking into the Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat have had experiences of these kinds. They find solace in penning down their thoughts in the olive green diary that’s placed in the Laundromat.
Here in the pages of the diary are people’s insecurities, worries, meditative reflections and cries for help – “Why is life so hard?”. This diary is what connects the people who frequent the Laundromat. For some strange reason, the simple act of anonymously opening up to a stranger lightens their heavy hearts and helps them carry on with hope, in anticipation of answers. By a miraculous stroke of fate, these people also happen to meet one another in person and forge meaningful relationships.
Subtle critique of modern times
Through the quotidian struggles of the characters, Kim Jiyun without sounding preachy draws the focus of the readers to the troubles of the world we live in. The gentrification of areas, sans any regard for historical or sentimental value (as in the case of Yeonnagdam) is a universal reality. While there is money sloshing around in a capitalist society, all people are not beneficiaries of growth. With limited opportunities and time, there are dreams to be chased. But all of it depends so direly on people’s purchasing power. We see the characters feel helpless in affording a decent home and education for their kids.
It’s a world where people are hard-pressed for money, juggle multiple jobs, and some even fall prey to scams. The problem of unemployment persists, worsened by the fiercely competitive environment that’s shrunk space for cooperative efforts. The insanity of this scramble has, unsurprisingly, ushered in horrid toxicity that’s wilting genuine human connections. Although those bearing the brunt of these tribulations in the novel are fortunate enough to be rescued and healed, there’s a whole world outside the book that needs urgent help and healing.
Kim Jiyun shines in her debut novel which was originally serialised on South Korea’s e-book platform Millie’s Library. The runaway success of her online work merited its publication as a novel. She attributes the inspiration for her work to the “warm yellow light shining from a laundromat window” that she’d sighted during one of her walks in South Korea. Here’s hoping that this light illuminates readers across the globe in its soft snug glow, giving them strength, hope and comfort.
Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat, Kim Jiyun, translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan, MacLehose Press.
