Dans un monde en constante évolution où chaque jour apporte son lot de changements, combien est-il admirable de rester au même endroit pendant 100 ans tout en poursuivant une seule et même activité ? L’auteure Ahn Jae-sun, qui s’intéresse aux choses anciennes et traditionnelles, a toujours été captivée par le tailleur qui existe depuis plus de 100 ans dans le quartier de Jongno à Séoul.

La Boutique de l’intersection est un livre illustré du genre autofiction, recréant l’histoire d’une personne réelle mais teintée de l’imagination de l’auteure. 

À une époque où tout le monde porte le hanbok, l’habit traditionnel coréen, Deokgu ouvre une boutique de tailleur à l’intersection de l’avenue Jongno. Même si les gens trouvent cela étrange et inhabituel, Deokgu aime vraiment confectionner des costumes à l’occidentale. Il a le « courage » de poursuivre ce qu’il aime, peu importe ce que les autres disent. Après un enseignement rigoureux prodigué par son père, Samdol devient à son tour le propriétaire de la boutique de tailleur. Au fil du temps, les costumes de prêt-à-porter commencent à se populariser parmi ceux qui apprécient l’élégance et les habits de qualité. Le fils de Samdol, Dusik, continuera aussi de faire perdurer cette tradition de 100 ans tout en apportant de nouvelles innovations.

La Boutique de l’intersection reflète les changements économiques, culturels et historiques survenus au cours des 100 ans d’existence de ce petit tailleur de quartier. C’est un livre émouvant qui présente des moments poignants où l’esprit véritable de l’artisanat, qui consiste à rester fidèle à un seul métier dans un monde en perpétuelle évolution, se développe et surmonte les défis. Cet ouvrage a reçu le prix Bologna Ragazzi en 2020.

(Indonesian) Toko Penjahit Tua di Pertigaan

Buku bergambar yang menceritakan tentang nilai-nilai kesetiaan pada satu pekerjaan selama 100 tahun meskipun dunia di sekitarnya selalu berubah. Cerita ini berlatarbelakang kisah nyata tentang seorang penjahit yang telah menjahit setelan jas selama lebih dari 100 tahun di sudut jongno namun mengalami krisis seiring dengan perubahan zaman. Momen emosional penjahit saat menghapi krisis yang ada terangkum dalam cerita ini.

(Russian) Старое ателье на перекрестке

Настоящая книга содержит историю о мастерской по пошиву костюмов, которая передавалась в трех поколениях в течение ста лет. Первое поколение мастеров проявило свою смелость: начало шить костюмы в эпоху, когда все еще носили национальный костюм ханбок. Второе поколение, сохраняя традиции первого, показало уверенность в ценности своей работы. Третье поколение уже в эпоху большого распространения костюмов показывает важность и необходимость в обновлении: старается найти нечто новое и неповторимое для своих моделей костюмов.

 2020 Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award winning picture book

 The story is based on real shops which have managed to stay on their location over 100 years. Throughout the story, readers can find out the value of work, the beauty of devotion to job and craftsmanship. The color based on brown and grey, details of the old and modern crowded city, sewing tools and equipment, and tailoring processes will fascinate readers. A variety of body shapes fitted with modern bespoke suits can also be your ‘it’ factor.   

 A small tailor’s shop is located at an intersection of the crowded downtown of Seoul. It was when people are still wearing traditional Korean clothes called Hanbok, the tailor shop making bespoke suits looks strange to the locals. So, when the tailor’s first customer comes in his shop, he wants to make a perfect bespoke suit. He puts his heart into every stitch so that nothing cannot go carelessly. It takes 18 days to be completed, and he feels satisfied with his work when seeing the customer’s happy face.

 One day, a tragedy hits the country, which knocks down buildings including the tailor’s shop. The tailor puts together everything and re-opens it. Its second owner is the third son. He learns everything from his father from choosing fabric to making clothes to suit individual tastes. His suits are as good as his father’s, customers also like their new looks in suits. 

Time goes by, their regular customers get older. Things are changing around the shop such as new roads and tall buildings, and people begin to buy more off-the-rack suits which are manufactured in shorter time in factories. Now the second son owns the tailor shop. Like his grandfather and his father did, the third owner wants to maintain his devotion to suits even though everyone says that it’s time to change. He puts more effort to make his new customers’ suits, thinking that one suit tells a story of both a maker and the wearer. Their devotion to a one-and-only suit would run in the family, and the shop is still open today.

하루가 다르게 급변하는 세상에서 100년 동안 묵묵히 한 자리를 지키며 한 가지 일을 이어오는 것이 얼마나 대단한 일일까? 평소 오래된 것, 전통을 지키는 것 등에 관심이 많은 안재선 작가가 이번 그림책에서 주목한 것은 종로 한 켠에서 100년 넘게 양복을 짓고 있는 양복점이다. 

<삼거리 양복점>은 실존 인물의 이야기에 작가의 상상력을 덧붙여 재창조한 팩션 그림책이다. 

모두 한복을 입던 시절, 덕구 씨는 삼거리에 양복점을 연다. 사람들이 낯설다, 이상하다 말해도 덕구 씨는 양복 짓는 일이 참 좋았다. 누가 뭐래도 자신이 좋아하는 일을 꿋꿋이 할 수 있는 ‘용기’가 있었던 것이다. 대를 이어 덕구 씨의 아들, 삼돌 씨가 삼거리 양복점 주인이 된다. 삼돌 씨는 아버지에게 혹독하게 훈련 받으며 양복 짓는 일을 배운다. 양복의 멋을 알기 시작한 사람들 사이에서 인기를 누리던 시기를 지나, 기성 양복이 대중화되기 시작한다. 삼돌 씨의 아들, 두식 씨는 전통을 지키면서 새로운 변화를 주는 방법으로 이 100년의 역사를 이어간다.

<삼거리 양복점>은 ‘양복점’이라는 작은 상점이 겪어낸 100년의 경제, 문화, 역사의 변화를 담고 있다. 끊임없이 변화하는 세상 속에서 한 가지 ‘업’을 지키는 진정한 장인 정신과 시대의 변화에 따라 성장하고 때로는 위기를 맞이하며 이를 극복하는 감동적인 순간을 한 편의 드라마처럼 보여 주는 그림책이다.