A place to find acorn-like memories in picture books
Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Bamtol Bookstore in Seoul faces initial confusion from residents who perceive picture books as children's fairy tales or mistake the store for an art academy or rental library.
- The store owner notes that while children are the primary consumers of picture books, adults also find comfort and empathy in them, rediscovering forgotten emotions and moments from their childhood.
- Despite not being in a tourist area or high-traffic street, Bamtol Bookstore has become a meaningful part of the community, with visitors of all ages finding joy and connection through the books.
When Ronya, the owner of Bamtol Bookstore, announced she had published a picture book, many people responded with confusion. "Picture books? Like fairy tales for children?" This common reaction highlights how unfamiliar the genre is to most adults, often dismissing it as a subcategory of children's stories.
Opening a picture book store in a residential area of Seoul's Songpa-gu, Ronya encountered frequent questions like, "What is this place?" While independent bookstores are common, Bamtol Bookstore's presence felt novel to residents. Some even mistook it for an art academy or a book rental service. To clarify, Ronya posted a simple sign: "We sell picture books."
Picture books? Like fairy tales for children?
Most visitors to Bamtol Bookstore are parents with young children. Adult customers, often teachers or illustrators, are typically from related fields. The perception of picture books as solely for children is strong, and Ronya acknowledges that even she, as a picture book author, wasn't particularly interested in them before. However, running the bookstore has offered her a unique perspective.
We sell picture books.
Ronya found herself interacting with numerous children, which brought back memories of her own childhood. She realized that children, like adults, experience complex emotions, worries, and embarrassing moments. Picture books, she discovered, hold the forgotten emotions and moments of childhood, offering solace and understanding to both children and adults.
Bamtol Bookstore isn't a tourist destination or located on a busy street. Yet, it has carved out a special place in the lives of its visitors. People's eyes light up as they admire the illustrations or select books as gifts. Children greet Ronya on their way from school, sometimes offering her snacks. Ronya hopes that anyone passing by will stop in to reconnect with those lost feelings.
Picture books contain the emotions and moments we have forgotten as we grew up.
About this summary
Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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