VOL.69/2024.04

 

[Into the Book ⑦]

The Jolly Shelter and Home of the Mangwon-dong Brothers!

Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul: The Harmony of the Old and the New

 

2024.02.19

 

 

 

Being invited to someone’s house is like being invited to see the real inside of them.
(...) Years passed, and we ended up living together in an 8-pyeong room on a rooftop.

 

 

Mangwon-dong Brothers (Namu Bench) is the first novel by writer Kim Ho-Yeon, who made readers in Korea and abroad both cry and laugh with her book The Uncanny Convenience Store (Namu Bench). It won the Excellence Award at the 9th World Literature Award and was later made into a play, proving both its literary value and popularity. The book Mangwon-dong Brothers is a full-length novel about four impoverished men who start an unusual live-in relationship in a rooftop room in Mangwon-dong - a room too small for a single person. The book has been widely recognized by readers for its hilarious but also profound reflections on life.
In the book, “I,” the owner of the rooftop room and a practically unknown cartoonist in his 30s, “samcheokdongja (meaning school boy),” a 20-something studying for an exam for years, “Kim, the Department Head,” a 40-something goose dad (meaning a dad that sends money to his family living abroad for educational purposes), and “sabu (meaning master),” a 50-something divorced man, live together in the rooftop room irrespective of each other’s desires. In addition, the owner of the house, “the nosy grandpa,” in his 60s, and his grandson, “the dropout,” in his teens, constantly come and go from the rooftop room, making “my house” a gathering place for troubled men in their teens to 60s. The four men, who have nowhere to go, make their way through life without a plan, but they are not giving up, even though they are moving at a slow pace. In the small 8-pyeong rooftop room, they experience setbacks and rebounds, love and friendship, and build their lives in their own way. Let’s follow the characters in Mangwon-dong Brothers, a novel that resonates as deeply as reality, to Mangwon-dong, their shelter and living space.

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 44 – Go to the interview with writer Kim Ho-Yeon

 

 

Mangwon Market and Mangnidan Street, where the familiar and the unfamiliar coexist

 

 

The Mangwong Market, which is the face of Mangwon-dong, the six-pack of Mangwon-dong,
and the landmark of Mangwon-dong, did not disappoint her.

 

 

Mangwong Market, which is so highly praised by “I,” the main character of Mangwon-dong Brothers, is a representative traditional market in Seoul located about 300 meters from exit 2 of Mangwon Station. However, if you think this is a traditional market only for adults, you would be wrong. As the market has become famous for its cheap and delicious food such as bunsik, tteokgalbi, and traditional alcohol, it has become a popular spot in Mangwong-dong where people of all ages, from teens to 60s, visit. The road to the market is known as “Mangnidan Street”* among the MZ generation in Korea, and is bustling with people on both weekdays and weekends as it is home to all the hip things. It is a place where you can find cute little collectible shops, restaurants with a wide variety of food, and pleasant cafes, not to mention all the trendy spots in Korea and little bookstores. As such, it is a great place for travelers to enjoy something different.

* The Mangwon-dong street has been given a new name, Mangnidan Street, in reference to the famous Gyeongnidan Street in Itaewon.

 

 

 

Among them is “gaga77page,” an independent bookstore located about a 5-minute walk from Mangnidan Street. It sells a wide variety of books and independent publications. The first thing you will notice as you enter the bookstore is the books covering the walls and cozy sofas. Here, readers can spend leisurely time reading, choosing, and purchasing books that suit their tastes. Celebrating its 7th anniversary this year, gaga77page sold 7th anniversary t-shirts and held a series of book talks with writers. How about having a more intimate experience with Mangwon-dong at gaga77page, where you can feel the charm of a neighborhood bookstore that shares small joys with readers visiting the bookstore?
And if you walk into a quieter alley, you will find “Now After Books,” a homey bookstore where books and independent publications await you. The books on the shelves reflect the owner’s personal taste, and there are curated notes on the covers of the books on display, making it easy to browse and decide what to buy. The name of the bookstore, Now After Books, means “your day will be different after reading a book.” As such, Now After Books is a bookstore where you can find a book of your life in a secluded alleyway just past the lively Mangnidan Street. In addition to selling books, the store also holds various events, such as workshops on independent publishing and book talks, so it would be a good idea to check the schedule before visiting.

 

 

 

A different kind of entertainment in Mangwon-dong by the Hangang River

 

 

I stare at the sunset as it turns the Hangang River red.
I see people walking, biking, and exercising all over the place.
I wonder where they all work and where they all live.

 

 

Within a 20-minute walk from the bookstore, you will find Mangwon Hangang Park, the place where the main characters of Mangwon-dong Brothers pondered about life. Mangwon Hangang Park is organized along the Hangang River, the main river in Korea, and is a hot spot for people wanting a break from the city. There are trails for biking and jogging, and you can sit on a mat and enjoy the view of the shimmering river. In particular, having a cold beer and delicious fried chicken while looking at the river is a must, which has been featured in several Korean TV shows. So, on a nice sunny day, grab your favorite book and head out to Mangwon River Park. Just like the main characters in Mangwon-dong Brothers, you might find yourself clearing your frustrated thoughts.

 

 

There is a unique spot along the Mangwon Hangang River that sparks curiosity in visitors: the Seoul Battleship Park. Seoul Battleship Park features a museum of the Seoul Battleship, high-speed boats, and submarines that have protected Korea’s three oceans. The exhibition rooms preserve the original battleships so that you can experience the original work spaces, such as the captain’s office, radar room, and wheelhouse, and capture the beautiful sunset over the Hangang River from the deck. So, if you are a military enthusiast and want to have a unique experience with your children, this is a great place to visit during your trip to Mangwon-dong.
Plus, from April, busking performances will be held in the Seoul Battleship Park every weekend from 3 to 6 p.m. under the title “Live Everywhere (Guseokguseok Live).” This event provides visitors to Hangang River Park with a chance to enjoy culture and performers with a space for their artistic activities, making it a great way to experience Korea’s youthful culture. In addition to these events, the park offers a variety of other events in different seasons and provides foreign language interpretation for international visitors. If you are planning to visit Hangang River Park, be sure to visit Seoul Battleship Park as well.

 

 

 

The main characters of Mangwon-dong Brothers leave Mangwon-dong one by one to fulfill their own desires. They will continue to work hard for success, for their families, and for themselves, somewhere in this world. Looking at the beautiful Hangang River as the sun sets in the evening, I could feel their sad and nostalgic feelings as they left Mangwon-dong. I would like to end my trip to Mangwon-dong with a sentence from the book that well expresses this sad and nostalgic feeling, hoping that everyone who lives with their own unanswerable worries in their hearts will get a momentary rest at Mangwon-dong.

 

 

I already miss everything about Mangwon-dong,
from Mangwon Market, a traditional market that is second to none in Seoul,
to the old streets of Mangwon-dong that still retain the smells of life, the quaint alleys,
and the Hangang River bank, which is a great place to go for a stroll.

 

 

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Written by Choi Ha-Yeong