The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing: The Healing Power of the Handwritten Note

A charming ode to the lost art of connecting through the handwritten letter, from the owner of the beloved Seoul stationery shop geulwoll

"That which takes longer to arrive stays longer in the heart."

Juhee Mun once doubted whether handwritten letters had a place in our ultra-fast-paced world, but the runaway success of her Seoul stationery shop geulwoll changed her mind. Established in 2019, the shop quickly became known as a tranquil place where people can write and send letters, buy gorgeous pens and letter paper, and sign up for a distinctive pen pal service: Customers can pick up a letter written by an anonymous pen pal—but only if they write one in return. Every day Mun witnessed customers enjoying the rare pleasure of sitting down and putting pen to paper, and in The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing, she shares the joy with others who crave the unique type of connection and careful consideration that comes from handwritten letters.

Through eighteen short chapters, from practical subjects like The Best Time to Write a Letter and Choosing Letter Paper and Envelopes to more sentimental ones like What Only Letters Can Do, Mun gently reveals the healing, nostalgic power of the written note. Personal stories and wisdom from famous letter-writers provide the encouragement for readers to craft touching, humorous, loving, and healing notes for everyone in their life—maybe even themselves, or a stranger. 

The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing is the ultimate love letter to an age-old practice that fosters connection to yourself and others, and a potent antidote to the fast-paced, online world of today.

Juhee Mun is the director of the letter shop Geulwoll. When Mun opened Geulwoll’s first branch in 2019, word of mouth made the shop into an unexpected hit, and it quickly developed a loyal and passionate customer base. Geulwoll became so popular that she opened a second branch in Seongsu-dong only two years later. It also provides the real-life setting for Baek Seungyeon’s novel The Seoul Letter Shop. With a background as a magazine editor, Mun now focuses her time on the day-to-day running of the shop. The Kind Art of Korean Letter Writing is her first book.