By Honorary Reporter John Paul Serraon from Philippines

Photos =  John Paul Serraon

The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Taguig, the Philippines, on Dec. 7 officially opened Han Cafe, creating a cozy space for Korean book enthusiasts. 

Located within the KCC's library, the cafe offers an environment to enjoy books in Korean and English. I attended the soft opening online that day and later visited the cafe in person on Dec. 14.

The opening saw members of the KCC's book club share reading recommendations and reflect on two years of literary discussions. Attendees selected their top five books read in 2024, with "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982" taking first place. Other top picks included "Cursed Bunny," "Dallergut Dream Department Store," "Love in the Big City" and "Greek Lessons."

In interviews from Dec. 24-26, club members discussed their two years with the group. Ja Balinquit said, "The greatest accomplishment of the book club is learning to see things from different lenses and appreciating our shared human nature despite differences in experiences, language, races and social standards."

Rebecca Mendoza added, "When I joined the book club, my goal was to make new friends and read one book at a time, but I got more than I expected. This community is thus my safe space for the diverse world of Korean literature."

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.