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The Second Chance Convenience Store

A Kind Act Goes a Long Way in this Uplifting Million-Copy Korean Bestseller

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The Second Chance Convenience Store

By: Kim Ho-Yeon, Janet Hong - translator
Narrated by: Jennifer J Kim
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About this listen

'Holding on to the belief that life had meaning and must go on, I, too, would carry on.'

In this million-copy bestseller from Korea, the owner of a corner store takes in a homeless man who does a good deed – a kind soul whose presence will transform the whole neighbourhood.


Seoul Station is home to Dokgo, a man with no memories of his past. Until one day his subdued existence is disrupted when he stumbles upon a lost wallet, triggering a chain of events that will change the course of his life.

Enter Mrs. Yeom, a retired teacher turned convenience-store owner, who, upon discovering Dokgo's act of kindness in returning her purse, offers him a meal as a token of her gratitude. Their chance encounter blossoms into an unexpected alliance when the man’s bravery saves the store from ruin, earning him not just a job but a place in the heart of the neighbourhood.

But just when things are looking up for Dokgo, Mrs. Yeom's troubled son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man's past and unearth what he seems to be trying so hard to forget . . .

The Second Chance Convenience Store is a moving and joyful story of a woman fighting for her community and a man who has lost everything except the will to try again.

Amateur Sleuths City Life Friendship Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Urban World Literature

Critic Reviews

Dok-go's realistic and encouraging relationship with the store's customers, who have their problems and aspirations resolved so well through the pages, wins everyone's hearts
A moving story about solidarity and the healing process (Yes24 and Kyobo Book Center)
Jennifer Kim tenderly performs this portrait of contemporary Japanese society, which reflects on Japan’s work culture
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