The Second Chance Convenience Store

In Kim’s charming novel, a major bestseller in Korea in 2021, a small convenience store provides the backdrop for various new opportunities. The shop’s owner is Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and kindhearted employer who cares deeply about her staff. When her purse is stolen at the train station and rescued by Dok-go, who is homeless and doesn’t remember his past, she offers him the opportunity to work at the store and turn his life around. Through Dok-go, another employee finds new direction in her life and makes a big career change. A third employee, taking Dok-go’s advice, decides to listen to her troubled son rather than argue with him. And so the intertwined stories continue—until Mrs. Yeom’s difficult son gets involved and tries to convince her to sell the store, which would leave those who rely on it untethered.