A pure delight - you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll think about your own life choices...and you'll be sorry to say goodbye at the end.

The best way I can describe the experience is a grown-up, non-holiday version of the Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas and Twice Upon a Christmas specials. Like those, the book is made up of interconnected stories that share a theme - as Jonathan Larson would say, "connection in an isolated age", a setting - the eponymous laundromat, and a deus ex machina in the form of a diary left on a table in the laundromat. The stories run the gamut from family drama to romantic comedy to a heist, and everything in between - there truly is something for everyone.

The audio edition features some questionable choices of accent by the narrator or director...it's a bit unclear why Old Jang sounds like Mr. Yunioshi and Hajoon sounds like Josh Chan and the kids sound like Elmyra and everyone else has a mild Korean accent to the point that I might lean toward the print/ebook version over the audio - but when he is speaking more naturally, the narrator gets the tone spot on.

So definitely put this one on your list for your book club, grab an extra copy for someone you love, etc. - it's a keeper.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I cannot appreciate this story greatly in audiobook format. The narrator's voice felt grating and distracting to me. It is otherwise a heartwarming story that some may appreciate listening to, but I had a very hard time with it.

This story went deeper than I assumed it would for many of the stories. I expected lighthearted stories but each one was sincerely about someone/a family going through something and finding solace and community at or through the laundromat. The notebook in the laundromat wasn't even placed by Old Jang, which added more depth to the story.

I really enjoyed each story and thought the last one about Old Jang and his son hit the most in the feels. We got to see the son continually make bad choices and fight against his father before he finally has an eureka moment and manages to salvage his life. The story about the mother who wanted her name back had me tearing up and it was so cute how everything unfolded from them.

I highly recommend if you're interested in stories about everyday life struggles and finding an inkling a hope through it all.

Thanks to Tantor Audio for the ALC!

I found this book perfectly uplifting for the times we're living through. I bought it for my collection at work.

A beautiful multiple perspective story that combines slice-of-life, a strong sense of community and connection, and found family. Yeonnam-dong's Smiley Laundromat is a magical and cozy story that shows the strength of humanity and reminds you that you are only seeing part of each person’s story in this life.

I would absolutely recommend this book, in whichever format you prefer. I personally did the audio and was very happy with the experience.

I wanted to read this because I thought it would be sweet and light, but a lot of the situations were much more serious than I expected. Everything centers around a neighborhood laundromat, and it was interesting getting to know the people and their stories. The narration was often a lighter tone considering the topics, but it wrapped up in a way that was satisfying and kept me from continuing to worry! And I only worried because it was easy to care.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

Thank you Tantor Audio for allowing me to read and review Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat, a novel, by Kim Jiyun on NetGalley.

Published: 01/07/25
Narrator.: Winson Ting

Stars: 4.5

Michael Buble' sang "and I'm feeling good" and so was I after reading/listening to Laundromat. The audiobook allowed me to have a 100% experience. The narrator provided proper pronunciations, personalized characters as well as moved the story along in a pleasant fashion. I was immersed immediately. The synopsis is clear.

I loved how one place and a writing tablet provided comfort, companionship, and advice; strangers communicating and creating a community.

I loved the story. I would wholeheartedly recommend the book.

If you are looking for something that is sweet and fun and always ends well, pick up a cozy Korean novel. This one in particular follows several storylines that interweave to become a larger picture of daily life around the Yeonnam-dong Smiley Laundromat. You can’t help but feel optimistic when reading this book and each story as it is told and interweaves with others is a lesson in connection and experience.

I loved this one so much and it has opened a whole new reading world to me!

Told through several interrelated stories within one neighborhood, we discover how community can be formed even in our hectic modern lives. I enjoyed watching how the stories came together and some may really enjoy the variety of characters and relate to their struggles and triumphs. Personally, this book was a bit too sweet for me, especially considering some of its disturbing content. The narrative also included some tropes I feel are outdated and problematic (see content warnings if you read this).

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.

I received an audio ARC from NetGalley, and very quickly DNFed because of the absolutely atrocious narrator. I have no idea how somebody approved the narrator using racist stereotypes to voice the characters in this. 1 star for the audio.

I ended up getting a physical copy from the library and really enjoyed it. I only had a few complaints:
1. Jindol seemed to have somehow broken his leg by getting bumped by a gate.
2. Everybody at the university somehow knew and cared that a couple people went through a breakup.
3. The synopsis says there's a mystery and it's over halfway through before anything remotely mysterious happens.
4. I feel like Daeju's chapter could have gone before the chapter where everybody meets up.

Definitely do not read this if you're looking for a mystery. It's more about regular people dealing with life and learning to rely on others. It's a lovely story for what it is and I'll read more from this author if she gets translated again.

CW: cancer, animal harm/abuse, hospitalization, misogyny, scamming, suicide, blood, minor car accident

I wasn't familiar with Kim's writing or this book, which I believe was already a bestseller in Korean before it was translated for the western market. The cover art really appealed to me and the plot summary sounded whimsical and light, which I thought would be a nice easy background listen. While it is cute, it was not an effortless listen, and I think I would have absorbed more of the tone and content if I had read a hard copy (which I may still do if I can get my hands on one). This is not a criticism of the narrator, who had a lot of heavy lifting to do with so many characters and perspectives (which included a toddler and a dog). But the interwoven stories of characters who each had their own world full of secondary characters was challenging for me to keep track of, and by the time we came to the second chapter about a character, I had forgotten what that had happened to them previously. Although I'm not usually a fan of romance, my favorite storyline was probably the development of the relationship between Ha-jun and Yoram (sorry for misspelling, I'm guessing by what I heard in the audio), and the ones that involved animals (the cat especially).
Although lots of reviews, including mine, characterize the book as cozy, heartwarming, etc., it's not all sunshine and rainbows; the book does deal with real world hardship, grief, and there's some domestic abuse. Although a little silly at times (a man hula dancing alone while crying as his dreams of a Hawaiian vacation are dashed), Kim is skillful at depicting her characters with empathy. The setting of the laundromat was a creative and effective way to center the stories and weave a cohesive narrative.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC.

Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat is in line with other Korean tales that are calming and cozy. I enjoyed the narrator.

The Smiley Laundromat is more than just a place to wash clothes—it’s a refuge for lost souls. From heartbroken lovers and exhausted parents to struggling artists, the elderly, and even the occasional animal, everyone finds solace here.

At the heart of it all is a communal diary, where customers pour out their deepest, darkest thoughts. By their next visit, they’re often met with a thoughtful response, as if the universe itself is listening.

This laundromat doesn’t just clean your clothes. It cleanses your soul, washes away your worries, and gently nudges you back onto the right path when you’ve lost your way.

Ari the cat had me STRESSED! I was so emotionally invested I literally started pacing.

I wish I had a Smiley Laundromat. I wish the world had a Smiley Laundromat.

I listened to the audiobook and initially struggled with the narrator’s heavy accent, as English was his second language. But once I got into the rhythm of the story, he became much easier to understand.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The pacing of this book was really good. First by this author but won’t be the last.. the characters were very interesting as well

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC of the book!

"Every one of us needs our own little beach. A place where we can let go and cry. Here, in Yeonnam-Dong, is one such spot. Washing away our tears and sadness with its white, frothy waves."

Such a lovely collection of interconnected stories about the patrons of the Yeonnam-Dong Smiley Laundromat! It felt almost like parables at times with its emphasis on humility, compassion, and the importance of community and human connection. I enjoyed all the stories and especially found the fourth story and the assembly of the laundromat avengers to take down their local scam artist to be quite entertaining. Although not entirely the same, I can definitely see a similar storytelling vibe to Korean dramas so if you're a K-drama fan you may enjoy this.

That being said, the fifth story felt disconnected from the rest and I found it a bit of an odd choice to end on that story. I also found myself incredibly irritated with Daeju. While I understand the stress he's under, I had such a hard time sympathizing with him berating his father because he expects his dad to foot the bill for international horse riding lessons. I may just be sensitive to this particular topic because of my own experiences but the audacity of Daeju and the daughter-in-law to expect this poor old man to abandon his home and rent it out so they can profit had me fuming! I understand that his growth from this was at least part of the point of the story but there was not enough growth to redeem him in my eyes.

I did listen to this on audiobook and while for the most part I could accept the narrator's creative decisions and choices for voicing characters, interesting as they may have been, there was one particular character that almost made me DNF the book. If you're particularly sensitive to noise, especially gross noises, be warned. The scammer in the third story and the fourth story was horrible to listen to. I understand that the text described his voice in a very specific way but I hated hearing this man hacking up phlegm in my ear every time he spoke. It was disgusting.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for my copy of Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat by Kim Jiyun Narrated by Winson Ting in exchange for an honest review. It published January 7, 2025.
First off, the narration was very well-done, I appreciated the care and different voices lent to each character.
I just loved this book, I can see why it’s so popular! I loved the found-family feel, and that it all revolved around the laundromat. I enjoyed how it was short stories and a novel all in one. This one is not one to miss!

Sat on my feedback for awhile. By the time I finished listening to the audiobook of Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat, I was glad I stuck with it. The concept is sweet. There's a new laundromat in town with amenities that make it appealing to an array of people with broken machines at home, tiny apartments or, in some cases, a need to be there. It's okay to just come and take a break. The book opens strong, with the story of an elderly man, attached to his home, a widower with an ungrateful plastic surgeon son and a dog. He goes to the laundromat, and finds an old journal on the counter. People have started writing their thoughts in it, some despairing and some just silly or routine. The old man starts to find community. The journal starts to change lives. (sorry, with audio books I already can't spell most English names and these are Korean names)),
There follows a number of sections that tell others' stories, while weaving in each character we've met before. Some of these are wonderful and some are good. Good is fine, but it stands out against wonderful so I hesitated a moment about whether this book would be just good.

Ultimately, as the various stories all begin to blend, with focuses on loneliness, class, success, values of love and support shining through, it came together. And I loved it. The narrator, Narrated by Winson Ting is marvelous. I highly recommend this book with my warning that a couple sections matter but are at first less interesting. Good. But they people are important and it becomes great.

I really loved this book! The narrator was very good, and did a brilliant job of voicing so many characters. This felt like a slice of life in South Korea that gave a real sense of the worries, pressures, and isolation of real people. I found it poignant, sad and hopeful all at once. It is really a beautiful book that I highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audioARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tandor Audio for the review copy. This translated work of healing fiction from Kim Jiyun was a treat. A disparate group of people who find solace in helping one another. As is typical of this genre, the message is strong, the vibes are good, and you're never worried about whether it will come to a satisfying conclusion, but its fun to see each characters development and growth.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an alc!

i always love reading a novel that has interconnected stories/characters, and yeonnam-dong's smiley laundromat's entire plot revolved around community.

i thought the narrator was ok.