Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I will get a small commission if you decide to purchase anything through my links. I only promote products I truly believe in and use myself ♡As a cozy hobbiest, I not only love Kdramas, I also adore reading. I am a huge fan of cozy books. Ones that feel like you’re escaping into a world where you can heal and explore.
If you are like me and love Korean dramas as well as reading, I’ve got some books for you x
Just a little warning before we begin – most of these books are super cozy and warm. There are, however, a couple on this list that are not cozy but I felt still belonged here. I clearly indicate which ones these are so don’t worry about stumbling across a heavy book without meaning to – take care of yourselves lovelies!
1. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
The main lead is burnt out and tired of her hustle life in the city. She moves into the attic of her uncle’s second-hand bookshop in the neighborhood of Jimbocho – a neighborhood completely dedicated to bookstores.
This book is about healing and growing in a time of rest.
Read this if you liked these Kdramas: Welcome to Samdalri, Love Next Door, Tastefully Yours, Potato Lab, Summer Strike, Little Forest, etc.
2. The Convenience Store by the Sea
Tenderness is a 24/7 convenience store located in a small seaside town in Japan. At first, you’ll think this is just any other store, but once you look closely, you’ll quickly realise Tenderness is special. You always feel warmth, the employees know you by name, and the shelves are stocked with your favorite treats. After a while, you get the feeling that Tenderness can provide you with anything you need…
Read this if you liked: Mystic Pop-Up Shop, Hotel Del Luna, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, etc.
3. People From My Neighborhood
A collection of short stories about the inhabitants of a quirky neighborhood ruled by mystery and magic.
All of these stories link together to create a perfect picture of the neighborhood. It is a really interesting and almost bizarre story that is thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing.
Read this if you liked: I’m going to be honest, I don’t think there’ is nothing’s anything like this book. It is totally unique, but I think if you like fantasy and dramas like Reply 1988, you’ll adore this book.
4. Pachinko
Warning – this book is NOT cozy.
We follow a multi-generational Korean family living in Japan over several decades.
It’s emotional and powerful. So much of the book lives in everyday moments. We see family meals, small sacrifices, the things that get carried from one generation to the next. It’s a heavy book at times, but also deeply human and beautiful.
This was made into a series on Apple TV with Min Ha Kim, Lee Min Ho, and Youn Yuh Jung. I recommend reading the book and then watching this amazing series.
Read this if you liked: When Life Gives You Tangerines, Reply 1988, When The Camellia Blooms, etc.
5. Days at the Torunka Cafe
People seem to stumble into this small cafe when they’re tired or unsure about where they’re going next.
Nothing big or loud happens here. It’s all about warm drinks, gentle conversations, and a space that lets you slow down just enough to hear yourself think. Very calm, very comforting.
Read this if you liked: Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Tastefully Yours, Because This is My First Life, Something In The Rain, etc.
6. The Second Chance Convenience Store
A late-night convenience store has slowly become a quiet gathering place for people who feel a little lost or stuck in life.
Each visit brings something small whether that’s a familiar face, a simple meal, or just a moment of connection. This one is really about how ordinary places can hold a lot of comfort, especially when you need it most.
Read this if you liked: Mystic Pop-Up Bar, Welcome to Samdalri, Little Forest, Tastefully Yours, Itaewon Class, When The Camellia Blooms, etc.
7. The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop
There’s a bookshop that only appears for a short time, tied to the blooming of cherry blossoms.
People who find it are usually carrying something unresolved, a regret, a memory, a story they haven’t quite finished yet. It’s soft, a little bittersweet, and very much about impermanence and letting things gently pass.
Read this if you liked: Mystic Pop-Up Shop, Hotel Del Luna, etc.
8. Kim JiYoung Born 1982
Another book that is NOT cozy – but very thought provoking.
This has been made into a movie with Jung Yu Mi and Gong Yoo. Again, I recommend reading it and then watching the movie because they did an amazing job putting this on screen.
This book follows the life of an ordinary woman, from childhood into adulthood.
It’s all about daily life, expectations, and the quiet weight of what it means to move through the world as a woman. It touches on mental health themes and the toll unrealistic expectations can take.
Read this if you liked: Because This is My First Life, When Life Gives You Tangerienes, A Virtuous Business, Marry My Husband, etc.
9. The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
Warning – spicy scenes included.
Set in a small-town café, the story leans into cozy routines, familiar faces, and the feeling of being wrapped up in something warm as the seasons change. It’s gentle, comforting, and perfect for slow reading.
Read this if you liked: Something In The Rain, Destined With You, Just Between Lovers, She Would Never Know, etc.
10. The Spellshop
After fleeing a revolution in the city, a librarian with secrets to keep finds herself finding refuge in her childhood home where she aims to keep a low profile. That is, until she opens a spell shop.
People come in hoping to fix their lives, but often leave with something quieter: clarity, acceptance, or a new way of seeing things. Cozy, whimsical, and thoughtful.
Read this if you liked: Goblin, No Tail to Tell, The Master’s Sun, Alchemy of Souls, Mystic Pop-Up Shop, Tale of the Nine Tailed, etc.
11. Hakuda Photo Studio
(only available on Kindle for now)
A small photo studio offers people more than just pictures, it captures moments they didn’t realize mattered so much.
People come in for portraits and leave with memories, reflection, or a sense of closure. This book is quiet and thoughtful, and really lingers on time and the beauty of everyday moments.
Read this if you liked: Dynamite Kiss, Welcome to Samdalri, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Love Next Door, Our Beloved Summer, etc.
12. The Rainfall Market
A mysterious market appears only when it rains, offering things people feel they’ve lost: dreams, chances, pieces of themselves.
But everything comes at a cost. It’s soft and magical in a very understated way, focusing more on choice and acceptance than spectacle.
Read this if you liked: Heartbeat, The Witches Dinner, Hotel Del Luna, Tomorrow, Alchemy of Souls, etc.
13. The Healing Season of Pottery
Set around a pottery studio, this story follows people who find comfort in working with clay.
There’s something very grounding about it: the slow process, the tactile details, the way making something with your hands can quiet your mind. Calm, cozy, and deeply soothing.
Read this if you liked: Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Little Forest, My Mister, etc.
14. Sputnik Sweetheart
This is a slightly quirky, introspective story about love, loneliness, and figuring yourself out.
It has moments of humor and moments of softness, and it explores connection in a way that feels a little off-beat but very real. Thoughtful, strange in a gentle way, and quietly emotional.
Read this if you liked: Can This Love Be Translated?, Something In The Rain, Love Next Door, etc.
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