문학과 지성사

Maeun’s Shop is the third full-length novel by author Lee Seosoo, who has gained recognition for her keen insight into societal injustices, vibrant characters, and a writing style that vividly captures the lives of young people. This novel is deeply rooted in the author's own experiences, as she founded a café and had to close it due to the pandemic. Praised as a significant contribution to the advancement of Korean literature, the novel has been acknowledged for both its literary merit and broad appeal. Lee Seosoo has firmly established herself as a writer of well crafted novels, making her one of the most notable young authors in the Korean literary scene. Her characters resonate strongly with readers, depicting the immediate realities of working-class life, such as package sorting, platform labor, and day-to-day employment, thereby garnering widespread empathy and support from those who also endure challenging days.

The novel centers around Maeun, a small business owner running a café alone. After moving out of a goshiwon(a small, inexpensive room for students), Maeun lives and sleeps in her café, unable to secure a stable home. This theme of “housing insecurity” is a recurring concern in Lee Seosoo's work, portraying the stark realities of youth living in poverty. One day, Boyoung, who happens upon Maeun’s shop, is struggling with the anxiety of “job insecurity,” fearing she could be replaced at any moment. As the characters navigate their own uncertainties, they begin to discover unfamiliar aspects of those close to them, leading to a sense of “relationship insecurity.” This, too, reflects the precarious lives of young people today.

However, while these conflicts may momentarily unsettle the characters, they do not destroy their relationships. This is where the strength of Lee Seosoo’s writing lies—her ability to depict the hardships of life while still discovering hope in the possibility of a brighter tomorrow. The process of Maeun and Boyoung gradually becoming closer by sharing their daily lives and meals shows that just by being there for one another, they can move towards a healthier sense of solidarity. In this way, even amidst an uncertain reality, Maeun’s shop becomes a space of love and solidarity that we have longed for, where characters, despite knowing they might be hurt again, still choose to speak of trust.