There is a Japanese method of repairing broken pottery called ‘Kintsugi’ where the repair is highlighted in gold and becomes part of the piece’s beauty. And in this book a pottery workshop works it’s healing ‘kintsugi’ magic on a burnt out, broken broadcast writer named Jungmin. When after months of living as a recluse after quitting her job she finally decides to venture out of her flat she accidentally (after mistaking it for a coffee shop) finds the Soyo Pottery Workshop. It is this workshop that provides the calming and restorative influence that Jungmin so badly needs. As someone who crafts I could totally understand the calming, healing influence that Jungmin finds whilst at the workshop. You can see her confidence grow throughout the story as each piece she creates at the workshop seems to help her regain her sense of being and helps her make sense of the world again.
It is amongst her fellow ‘potters’ at the workshop that she finds acceptance, support and friendship and even a possible love interest, as well as a stray cat whom she comes to love and adopt as her own. Throughout the book we see the gradual change (for the better) in Jungmin and how this change allows her to let people back into her life whom she had previously ignored due to the stress of work as well as making new friends.
This is the sort of book that could be described as a warm hug. It is gentle and quiet with no big drama, but has interesting characters which help to enrich the story and I found it to be a lovely read.

‘Firing pottery is like lighting a fire in your heart.”

Author Yeon Somin seems to have drawn on her own background in television broadcasting and pottery in her second novel, The Healing Season of Pottery, another of the popular Korean cozy contemporary novels that have been translated into English recently.

When news writer Jungmin is betrayed by her boss at work, she walks out on her job and spends almost a year holed up in her one bedroom flat in Chestnut Burr Village, just on the edge of Seoul. The first time Jungmin ventures further than the complex’s grocery market she stumbles into a pottery workshop, mistaking it for a cafe. Despite her error the store’s proprietor offers Jungmin an iced coffee and insists she return to learn to make the cups Jungmin admired.

This is a lovely, uplifting novel of a woman who finds healing after an emotional breakdown when she is invited to join a pottery workshop. Drawing on the lessons she learns as a novice potter, Jungmin reflects on her experiences, attitudes and expectations of herself, and others, with a slowly changing perspective.

Among the community of potters at Soyo Jungmin finds acceptance, encouragement and support. I liked the dynamic of the group, but though we learn a little about each of them, the supporting characters mostly remain in the background, even owner Johsee, and fellow potter Gisik, who sparks the romantic interest of Jungmin.

There’s a little drama in the novel when Jungmin is confronted with a spectre from her past at the workshop. I thought this was a good addition to the story that allowed the author to organically explain where Jungmin’s issues began.

There is, of course, a cat, a stray that Jungmin reluctantly offers a temporary home only to find she can’t give it up. Cats seem to be a compulsory element in this genre of novels, not that I mind, I’m a cat person myself.

Though the novel is focused on Jungmin’s healing journey, there is some commentary on aspects of Korean society particularly with regards to the lack of work/life balance, attitudes to art as a career, and the scourge of domestic violence. I really like that Somin uses some Korean in the text, which is easily translated using context.

A gently paced story, The Healing Season of Pottery is a novel that highlights the importance of connection and creativity to live a full life.

In a fast-paced world that wants the next big thing, to get to a destination quicker than ever before, this, although a fictional novel, reminds us just how unnecessary this is, to live at speed all the time, how tiring to the extent of burnout even it becomes. This reminds us to slow down and make some changes.

Winter is coming to an end and with spring just around the corner, everything is coming to life and emerging from as near hibernation as people can get. It's also a period of time to reflect on what we want out of the year. Jungmin has decided to quit her job. She's done in and near burnout from her work and has decided its time for change, one in which she can allow herself to heal. She comes across a pottery group and decides to get creative. As she creates pots and mugs, she rediscovers her spark and also some friends and a bit of romance along the way. Her mind quietens and makes space for new people to enter her life and for creativity and imagination to once again be allowed room to once again flourish.

It's a heart-warming, quiet read. It's nicely paced. Nothing dramatic happens, but it does have interesting characters and a plot to think about. It is also great escapism to nourish the soul.

Thank you Penguin Books UK and Viking Books UK for letting me read an ARC of The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin, even months after the release! I've been eyeing this book for a while and wanted to give Korean healing fiction a try to see if I'd enjoy it as much as I like Korean healing TV shows and reality content.

The book ended up being a pleasant surprise as I liked almost everything about it.

The back story of the burned-out broadcast writer was fascinating to me as I'm drawn to the Korean entertainment industry and always want to know more about it. I also really liked the wholesome views on mental health in this book that I haven't encountered much in Korean media yet (eg. work is not everything, you need to take a break and care for yourself, you don't have to love your parents just because they're your parents, etc.). I have a very different image of Korean society in my mind, one much less forgiving, but I don't live there so I can't judge on its realisticness. Especially, because the author implied that the story is based on her own experiences and those who supported her. I'm sure there are a lot of welcoming, non-judgmental people who could have served as inspiration for the characters in the book. Oh, and a side note: there is romance but it's very subtle and it didn't bother me at all.

I don't like an overly emotional narrative style so the whole approach of the author fit me perfectly. I related to Jungmin because she is stoic and seemingly cold and indifferent about the things happening to her, but as a person who's very similar, I can tell that it's only the surface. I'm sure people would perceive me the same way but it's just how I am. I usually don't give a strong emotional response to most of the things happening to me and it's always nice finding a similar person in a book.

I also liked her character development and how she ends up doing the right thing even if she's originally opposed to it or finds it very difficult (like adopting a cat who needs a home, forgiving an old friend, and asking for forgiveness in return). As I found her character relatable, her arch was even more satisfying.

I can only praise the translation, too. It kept the original, somewhat detached tone of the Korean writing that I love so much, while also being relatable to Western readers. I caught a few things in the English translation where I think I can guess what the original was (like "planner type personality", I'm sure it's "J type" in Korean and I wish they kept it) but still not coddling and pandering to Western readers since most Korean phrases are not translated or explained. This might make the book less approachable if you don't understand these cultural phenomena but way more fun if you do.

The healing aspect worked great too, by the way! Reading this made me so relaxed that I fell asleep every time I read a few pages 😂 But that's a good thing! I progressed slower because of this but I always looked forward to slipping into the comforting world of the story.

Highly recommended if you find any of what I described appealing and enjoy the healing genre. Just make sure your expectations are in the right place before you get started or you might feel disappointed. Healing fiction is very similar to the slice-of-life genre: nothing much happens, it won't change your life but might make you feel relaxed and calm if you like basking in a certain mood or enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

I struggled to get into the writing style of this book and found myself skimming through it to get the general gist.
A gentle story that will appeal to readers of light fiction.

After leaving her job, Jungmin's world shrinks to just herself and her tiny apartment. One day, overwhelmed by her own existence, she steps outside into the cold, searching for something—anything. Wandering aimlessly, she is inexplicably drawn to a particular door, behind which lies an entirely different world. Expecting a cozy café, she instead finds a ceramics studio—an enchanting space filled with warmth, creativity, and people who unknowingly breathe life back into her. Without any prior plan or intention, Jungmin becomes a student at the studio. Thus begins a new chapter, one that beautifully illustrates the magic of turning a new page—where simplicity itself holds unparalleled beauty. New challenges, new activities, new friendships, and new experiences… Jungmin learns, discovers, and, most importantly, finds herself. A new life begins.

When this book was first announced last year, I was immediately intrigued. First, because it's Asian literature—something I'm practically addicted to. Second, the English cover design is simply stunning and irresistibly inviting. And third, the story centers around art, a genre I’ve been rediscovering in my own life.

I'll admit, reading this book made me deeply envious of the ceramics studio it portrays. Oh, how I would love to attend a workshop like that! The characters, the lessons, the atmosphere of the studio—all of it is so heartwarming, like a cup of hot tea or coffee on a cold winter morning.

One scene that really turned me green with envy was the craft fair that the studio students participated in. Jungmin even got to sell her own pieces—and, spoiler alert, despite being a beginner, everything sold out! 😊 My jealousy wasn’t just about her success but the fair itself. I've always been fascinated by craft markets, and from what I’ve seen in videos, Asian markets are in a league of their own. I haven’t had the chance to visit one yet, but oh, how I wish I could! There’s an overwhelming amount of handmade ceramics, and while such a place would be dangerous for my wallet, the real draw for me is the stories behind each unique piece. Every object has its own history, its own soul. It’s impossible to describe how just looking at them sets my imagination spinning and fills me with inspiration.

Another aspect I would have loved to experience firsthand was Jungmin’s role as the ceramics studio’s social media manager. From what I gathered, her posts were a huge success. While I can't say for sure, I got the impression that the author may have drawn from personal experience when writing this book. I even tried hunting for the original Instagram account, but I couldn’t find it—perhaps it never existed, and it's all just my imagination. Still, my curiosity remains.

This novel is a wonderful representation of South Korean culture. The specific expressions, nicknames, customs, and traditions—all the little details create an authentic atmosphere and give the story its unique charm. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It’s exactly the kind of peaceful yet enriching book that leaves you feeling refreshed. And beyond that, it’s an excellent advertisement for ceramics—an ideal invitation to find your inner artist and get your hands dirty with clay! 😊

I discovered this trend in Asian lit last year, this new genre, if I can say so, and I fell in love with it. I also think that so far I have read only Korean authors, so I should try and broaden my reading, but that’s not the point here. The point is that this trend, or genre, or whatever it is, is great and, so far, I loved everything I read, and this one is no exception.

It is heartwarming, it is cozy and it feels a lot like self-help, but the help doesn’t come from instructions or to-do lists but comes through stories, relatable and real.
In this book, we follow Jungmin but while we get to know her and her story, we meet a lot of other people, and every one of them has a story, problems, dreams, and needs. And slowly we get to know all of them, and they all start to feel like friends or old acquaintances. People who you really know, and who really feel real to you.
And it’s not only about the people and their stories. This book is a place where time goes slow, it makes you slow down, too, and this really makes everything more reflexive and makes it feel almost like this is self-help. This book is so full of relatable people and themes, and it is like a big relaxed breath at the end of a really busy day, it is like a really warm cup of tea (or warm soup) or hot chocolate. Whatever works for you, and it will make you feel warmed up and cozy.

I needed this and I am really happy to have read it. If you feel like you need to take a break, or if you want to feel warm and cozy, this book is a great choice!

This was such a wholesome and cosy read and after a stressful few weeks at the end of 2024 I really enjoyed taking time out, taking myself away and reading this. While not huge plot points or twists it's lovely immersive read.

The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin resonated with me—especially since I’ve been wanting to try pottery myself! The story follows Jungmin, a woman in her late twenties who, after burning out at her high-stress job, retreats into isolation. When she stumbles upon a pottery studio, she slowly starts reconnecting with herself through clay and community. The book moves at a slow, reflective pace, which I liked because it let me sit with Jungmin’s emotions. The way pottery is woven into the story as a metaphor for healing was beautiful, and it made me even more eager to get my hands into some clay. Some side plots felt a bit distracting, and the romance didn’t fully click for me, but the themes of mental health, burnout, and self-discovery were handled with care. If you enjoy quiet, introspective stories with a strong sense of place, this one is worth picking up. Also, the cover is gorgeous—I’d love a print of it in my future pottery space!

This was such a calm and enjoyable read that focuses on slowing down in life, which can be incredibly fast-paced, and taking time for yourself and, in turn, finding who you truly are. I really enjoyed the whole premise of this one, and I loved seeing Jungmin rethinking her life while learning pottery and making new friends.

I feel like a lot of people can relate to the situation Jungmin finds herself in. She's quit her job and is facing severe writers block, which results in her falling into depression and not leaving her apartment for a long time. After forcing herself out and stumbling across a pottery studio, she slowly starts becoming herself and making friendships along the way.

I think the way Jungmin's story is told is so charming and incredibly wholesome. I felt like I was making pottery alongside her, and it filled me with such warmth and joy. I now want to try my hand at Pottery!

I definitely recommend if you are looking for a book about healing and self-discovery!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would recommend this to anyone that likes so called healing fiction, even more so if they are interested in pottery.
I loved that you get an insight into the characters the lead meet.
The ending is sweet but also feels a bit bittersweet. You are left looking forward to new beginings and things changing and at the same time missing the good times that has been.

The biggest downside I encounterd while reading is that I wish there was a glossary for the korean words. I tried looking them up on my kindle but inly some of them showed results.

I am so glad that I picked up this book because it was definitely the right time to read it (I've been stressed recently!). This is another quiet novel, similar to 'Before The Coffee Gets Cold', but I felt that it had more substance than other stories I've read. I think this was perhaps due to the whole story following one group of people with a main protagonist rather than separate smaller stories. It was so cozy and wholesome, while still tackling some more serious themes with sensitivity.

The parallels drawn between learning to create pottery and dealing with real life were powerful. I loved seeing the main character slowly overcome her struggles and meet new people along the way. The found family aspects were lovely! I was also pleasantly surprised by the romance towards the end of the book because it seemed like a natural progression for the characters involved, rather than something forced.

I would highly recommend this book because it is a fantastic introspective novel that focuses on the importance of taking your time. It also made me want to start learning how to make pottery (I've been looking up classes in my area...). Thank you NetGalley and Penguin General UK for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.

Jungmin has been a recluse in her apartment since she had a meltdown at work. The first day she ventures outside her apartment for a walk she stumbles across Soyo, a pottery workshop. The friendliness of the place and it's people draws her in and she feels that her life is regaining it's equilibrium. Along the way she makes friends and is able to make the decisions on her life to move forward.
This is a tale of healing and love.

*The Healing Season of Pottery* is a heartwarming slice-of-life novel about Jungmin, a young woman recovering from burnout. After months of isolation, she decides to step outside, and by chance, stumbles upon a pottery studio café named SOYO. This marks the beginning of her journey into pottery, self-discovery, and connection.

While the pacing and writing, particularly in translation, felt a bit blunt at times, I still found the story engaging. Jungmin’s emotional journey—confronting her past, discovering creative outlets, and forming meaningful connections with new friends—was incredibly relatable. The characters she meets in the pottery studio, from her fellow regulars to the cat Hoya, bring warmth and charm to the narrative. The relationships evolve gently, weaving together pottery, friendship, and life’s imperfections.

This book offers a quiet, bittersweet yet uplifting exploration of healing, self-forgiveness, and finding peace in the present. A comforting, reflective read that lingers long after the last page.

Jungmin is one of those "stuck" girls you seem to come across in Japanese and Korean novels; after a work crisis, she walked out and holed up in her unfurnished flat. Then, one day, she walks out and enters what she thinks is a cafe, only to find it's a pottery studio. Taking up the new hobby gives her friends and community, and maybe a love interest - but she also re-encounters an old friend and her dad who were once intertwined with her own family in a difficult way. She also ends up adopting a cat (the cat remains OK though there are mentions of others who are not so fortunate) as she grows back to some kind of happier and more connected life. As we progress through the book and Jungmin opens up, we read the perspectives of a few of the other characters and also learn that the woman who runs the studio had her own crisis at around the same time. We also learn about neighbourhoods outside the centre of Seoul and how people live.

It's very competently done and this is obviously an experienced writer; I will definitely look out for more of her work.

Blog review published 28 January: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2025/01/28/two-on-a-theme-keith-brymer-jones-boy-in-a-china-shop-and-yeon-somin-the-healing-season-of-pottery/

This was a lovely read, calm and gentle - a book to curl up with when it was cold and wet outside. The characters took a while to settle in with me but by the end they made me smile.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgally for letting me read this book
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeom Somin is a quiet, reflective novel about rediscovery and the transformative power of creativity. After burning out from her demanding job, Jungmin retreats from the chaos of her life and finds solace in a pottery workshop. Surrounded by the tactile comfort of clay and the warm stories of those around her, she begins to rebuild herself, one piece at a time. With gentle prose and an emphasis on personal growth, Somin beautifully captures the healing journey of reconnecting with oneself and the slow, meditative process of creating art. This novel is a soothing exploration of finding peace through both the hands and the heart.

A burnt out TV writer becomes a recluse then stumbles across a pottery studio whilst looking for a coffee. Slowly, she is drawn into this community and begins to heal as she learns about pottery, confronts a key issue in her past and her writing talents are once again used. Perhaps it was the original writing style or the translation but I found myself skimming in various places. A gentle read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one took me by surprise and I’m honestly glad it was a full length novel and not one of those short story cosy/healing lit fiction that’s been coming out of Japan and Korea..

Jungmin, unemployed for almost a year ends up wondering into a pottery shop that she’s mistaken as a cafe. When the owner offers her a coffee, and the opportunity to take part in her pottery class — surely and slowly her life begins to make sense again.

This reminds me a lot of those seaside/country town slice of life k-dramas such as Hometown Cha Cha or Welcome to Samdalri — that despite such a fun and vibrant cast of characters — everyone is harbouring some sort of dark past that’s holding them back.

I resonated with Jungmin so much. She felt so empty inside, and hid herself from the world. But sitting at that wheel and using her hands, and feeling the clay between her fingers. She was able to turn a slab of dirt into something useful. Something someone needs. Just like her empty heart, it slowly started to beat again and she began to feel alive.

I loved how all the side characters get their own little chapter and like all k-dramas everything comes full circle so expect tragic backstories but a happy ending for all!!!

10/10 for such a slow story that goes through all the seasons of the year, I read it in two days.

We’re coming to the end of January now, but the weather outside is chilly, and one can’t help but seek warmth. Whether your preferred method is cafe hopping, or bundling up in layers, or hanging out with lovely people, I’m sure that this novel will only help with warming up your heart and soul, as its the perfect blend of all three.

The Healing Season of Pottery follows a broadcast writer who quits her high intensity job after a mental breakdown and takes a year off for doing nothing. Think my year of rest and relaxation, without the pills, and the relaxation, because this girl stresses herself out even when she’s relaxing (relatable.) We have Jungmin, a character who is always feeling the pressure of expectations, those imposed by her family, by her colleagues, herself, and even in this year off, she can never fully relax, feeling completely lost, counting down hours until the day is over. Jungmin is for the over thinkers. One day she sees what she thinks is a cafe, so cafe hopping element tick, and pops in. To her great embarrassment it’s a pottery workshop. The owner far from judging her, actually offers her a coffee, and it’s the greatest coffee she has ever had. She finds out the secret is, a lot of love… oh and of course the ceramics coffee combination. Spontaneously Jungmin decides to try her hand at pottery. The novel tells her story of picking herself back up, finding a family in her fellow workshop members, lovely people tick, and discovering forgiveness for your mistakes and those of others. Along the way the plot also touches on themes of mental health, love, trauma and complicated familial obligations. Layers? Tick.

The Healing Season of Pottery is for you if you want a hug. It’s for you if you want to feel unrushed, to escape the hustle of daily life even for these brief moments amongst the pages. This is a novel that feels distinctly the seasons passing, from autumn, straight to Christmas, yet even throughout this passage of time, the novel’s pacing is always measured and slow, and temperate. Apt given there are not many dramatic plot twists, the excitement comes from the discovery of life itself. From putting together the puzzle pieces of Jungmin’s life story much like an unhurried assembly of the board game on a rainy day, to seeing the ways in which the characters lives subtly shift. There is a great mix of characters here, from the workshop’s owner and her complicated creative journey, to a high schooler preparing for university entrance. Although the novel mostly follows Jungmin, these are people who slowly begin to become really important to her as she opens up, and they do in turn. The thrill comes from the slow burn of the budding romance, the chemistry of interactions, and of course the beautiful descriptions of the creative process of pottery. This is very much not an action based novel, but a character driven one. Introspection, flashbacks over hearty meals, picturesque scenes of falling and melting snow, and a cat that makes a sudden appearance and becomes a well loved family member. In general family, and found family, are two key plots within the novel. Yet as much as it is about the happiness that can come from other people and building a community, what I loved most is that the novel is about the happiness that comes from yourself too.

Happiness that comes from understanding and spending time with yourself and learning to love yourself, is one of the greatest sources of happiness. It is also the most underestimated one. It is still very much frowned upon in Western society, to go somewhere alone, people are scared and terrified to do things alone, looking with pity at those who eat meals alone or go places alone. People want large groups of friends for the sake of companionship and are unable to spend time with themselves. Or when they do end up wallowing and judging themselves for being alone. What I liked here was the subtle trope of Jungmin also learning to reconcile with herself, to live life as she is, to accept herself for who she is. The company for her is important, she learns to trust and rely on other people, but she also learns to trust herself, and to find happiness in just being. This is not the main trope here, which made me wish this avenue was explored more too, but it is very much felt. The character arc goes from self loathing to understanding herself and the choices she wishes to make, and focusing on decisions that are good for her, from her perspective.

These kinds of cosy novels are very distinct novels, in that they require a certain kind of mood and atmosphere. They’re touching yes, but they’re not that deep or novel, in their messages. They don’t affirm anything new, they don’t create something mind-blowing, rather they calmly and simply remind you of key principles and little tiny joys in life you may have forgotten. Like how lovely it feels to just sit and enjoy a warm drink on a cold day with the windows all fogged up. Or go out for a meal with a person whose energy doesn’t drain. Or to spend some time thinking to yourself about yourself. In that regard if this is the kind of novel you want, one that is not draining, difficult, or even pressurising. Just a simple pick you up story, then without doubt this is for you.

The writing is at times too unemotional, poorly translated perhaps. I can see some of the phrases in the original Korean reading the English, the translator has perhaps tried too hard to keep the original structure and sense, which came at the cost of the writing. It must be so much more poetic in the original Korean, the English copy does not do it justice. Nonetheless the writing is not melodramatic at all, it is quite litterally an easy read for when you just want something to warm your heart, without engaging your brain. It’s not a complex plot, they’re really not that complex characters, although interesting, and there’s really not anything extraordinarily new and creative that this novel brings. So many more avenues could have been explored. What it does bring is comfort, and a well thought out arc. I would take this over self help anyway. The Healing Season of Pottery is quite healing, if you feel in need of a simple story with simple messages, this is the book to turn to. It will pull at your heart strings, make you smile, and make you slow down. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
Found family, self discovery, creativity and mindful living. If that sounds like the perfect recipe, The Healing Season of Pottery is for you.