Minumsa Brings Korean Literature to Berlin

Minumsa staffer Yoon Hyun-ju said the main purpose of the Berlin trip is to take part in the second Leaders Eyewear collaboration event. This is because there was a proposal to showcase the Leaders Eyewear, launched for a second time after last year, at the Berlin store as well. Through this opportunity, Minumsa hopes to create small chances to introduce Korean literature to local readers by displaying its poetry collection 'We Loved Well, Didn't We' alongside the eyewear.

Minumsa staff arrived in Berlin at 8:30 a.m. and were surprised by the unexpected chill of about 15 degrees Celsius. Yoon Hyun-ju said, "The weather here is about 15 degrees as of 8:30, like Daegwallyeong. It feels like we're on top of Daegwallyeong," expressing her dismay at the weather, which made the mostly short-sleeved clothes she had packed seem out of place. This was a stark contrast to the warm Berlin weather she had expected before the flight.

At a café called '19gram,' they grabbed a simple breakfast of sausage bread and coffee, satisfying their first-day hunger.

The staff visited a colorfully designed goods shop near the hotel and enjoyed shopping. Yoon Hyun-ju bought cards featuring quirky artwork, including Munch's 'The Scream,' saying, "There are a lot of cards with really funny captions. Aren't these so cute?" She mainly chose cards for friends with upcoming birthdays.

This was part of the preparation for a successful pop-up event.

The shop carefully curates the essentials of paper-based stationery, including notebooks, memo pads, and a wide range of writing instruments, and it caught the eye of visitors. The department head explained, "It's a select shop called RSVP that sells paper-related stationery. Notebooks, memo pads, pens, pencils, and so on. It really has just the essentials," and bought about 50,000 won worth of stationery.

The department head introduced the Flot brand's set product as an item for packing for travel. It includes a backpack and three pouches, and they said they liked a backpack they had bought before so much that they now use the other products as well. They added that the backpack is spacious and practical for travel.

The department head expressed delight at the collaboration with Celimax, a brand they often use, such as the Ronny Ample and eraser pads. Speaking about the sunscreen introduced this time, they said, "We reached out to Celimax and they kindly agreed. I've been looking for a sunscreen that doesn't pill under makeup and feels like an essence, and this sunscreen is exactly that type," highlighting its smooth, essence-like spreadability, its 80% moisture essence ingredient, and the fact that it is a gentle organic-UV-filter sunscreen that doesn't sting the eyes.

They emphasized that it's an ideal sunscreen for Berlin's strong sunlight.

The department head introduced the Philips travel extension power strip as an electronic device he uses often on trips. He explained that even when a hotel room has many outlets, there may not be one where it's needed, such as beside the bed, and this device solves that inconvenience. He also brought a compact travel iron and shared tips on using it to care for clothes such as shirts, stressing the importance of practical travel items.

Minumsa staff said that besides Berlin, they are planning a trip to Rheinbeck, a small German town, and brought Thomas Mann's "Buddenbrooks" for it, since Rheinbeck is the home base of Thomas Mann and Günter Grass and a place where one can see the "Buddenbrooks House." The department head said his goal was to finish the book during the 14-hour flight, expressing anticipation that reading tied to the destination would enrich the experience.

A staff member named Yeon-ju shared a suitcase packing tip: using disposable shower caps to store shoes. "I wrapped my sneakers and sandals with two disposable shower caps like this, and it's so convenient, right? I really like it. It doesn't take up much more space," she said, explaining that packing shoes in shower caps saved space and kept the suitcase interior clean. This method is effective for preventing dirt from shoes and improving space efficiency.

The department head chose Lee Mi-ruk's "The Yalu River Flows" as a literary book that fits a Berlin trip. The novel covers Lee Mi-ruk's childhood in his hometown, his student years during Japanese colonial rule, and his journey to Germany as a university student. The department head said he brought it because he thought it would be good to read right after arriving in Germany, adding that this work, first published in German, is well suited to reading while traveling.

Minumsa staff shared their experience using the Celimax sheet mask on the flight. The speaker stressed, "The best thing about using it on the plane is that it doesn't stick to things," explaining that because it is a cream type, it doesn't drip and has good sealing power. They added that it was especially convenient when drying their hair, since strands didn't stick to the face, mentioning the mask's advantage of being comfortable to use even in the dry cabin environment.

They added that the moist cream texture, not heavy or sticky, can deliver the effect of applying a whole tube of whitening cream.

News emerged that Celimax products are being sold at a special exclusive promotion at Olive Young. The speaker said, "Starting on the 1st, for just one week, Olive Young is selling them as a limited promotion: five plus one for under 10,000 won," announcing that the 5+1 sheet mask set is sold for under 10,000 won. He also stressed that the sunscreen is sold in a double set at around 9,000 won each, a good chance to buy Celimax products cheaply during the Olive Young sale.

Minumsa staff visited a Berlin souvenir shop and enjoyed shopping for magnets. The speaker said, "This one doesn't get lost and looks prettiest when you collect them. There's a reason everyone does it," revealing a hobby of collecting travel magnets on the refrigerator. They bought magnets featuring Berlin symbols such as pretzels, carefully choosing souvenirs to keep the memories of the trip.

It was a symbolic space that held both the pain and the hope of a divided Berlin during the Cold War.