The Antique Gift Shop () is a manhwa created by Lee Eun. In the United States, Yen Press (originally Ice Kunion) publishes the series.
The series is about Bun-nyuh Cho, a girl who once attended the famous S University with stellar grades who was tricked by her grandmother to run an antique shop instead. But the cursed antiques have their own way of selecting and affecting the lives of their new owners, or mysteriously finding a way back to their old masters.
Bun-nyuh is a modern girl who can't stand her new job as shop proprietor, speaks her mind, hates everything superstitious and doesn't believe in things that can't be explained by science. Originally slated to go to medical school, she makes a bet with her grandmother that if she is able to sell all the antiques in the shop, she will be free to live the life she chooses. If she does not, she must give up her modern lifestyle and follow in her grandmother's footsteps as a shaman in the family business.
In the United States the first volume was originally released in November 2005 by Ice Kunion, while the second appeared in February 2006 and the third appeared in May 2006.2005 Ice Kunion Sneak Peek Sampler." All ten volumes have now been published by Yen Press, starting in December 2005 with volume one and concluding in March 2010 with volume ten."Yen Press Homepage", Yen Press release dates for Antique Gift Shop.
Volume One Chapter 1: The Summer Guest An introductory story about a twice returned antique "jookbu-in." The long-haired, tall and handsome Mr. Yang, the store's sole employee, makes his first appearance. He has a mysterious knowledge of all the antiques in the store and an uncanny talent for reading minds.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 1, chapt. 1; Ice Kunion (2005) Chapter 2: The Fox Lantern One day a girl who is incapable of loving others walks into the shop and asks for some candles but ends up buying a magic fox lantern, once used in the emperor's palace to quell anxieties. The spirit in the lantern brings her dreams of a young man who has lost his love."The Antique Gift Shop Vol 05 - Thoughts & Impressions", a review of the most recent installment of the series. Chapter 3: The Secret Garden, part 1 The tale of a love triangle between three high school students, Eun-jae, Yang-ji and Dan-soo that almost ends badly but for the help of Mr. Yang and an antique diary that can only be read when moistened with tears.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 1, chapt. 3; Ice Kunion (2005)
Volume Two Chapter 3: The Secret Garden, part 2 The story of Dan-soo, cursed now by "mongdalgui" until the day he dies, and Jae-min, a recently deceased mongdalgui. It's an unlucky day for Bun-nyuh when she, out of spite, takes off the talisman her grandmother gave her for protection.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 2, chapt. 3, Ice Kunion (2006)
Volume Three Chapter 4: The Secret Garden, conclusion Mr. Yang comes to Bun-nyuh's rescue with the help of an antique back scratcher and places the talisman around her neck once more. Bun-nyuh learns that even if she doesn't believe in her grandmother's ways, her past is still a part of who she is.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 3, chapt. 4; Ice Kunion (2006) Chapter 5: Gahwi Bun-nyuh's past is surrounded by bad luck—it's no wonder she's suppressed most of the bad memories. Raised by her grandmother in a small, quiet village in rural Korea, young Bun-nyuh's first encounter with the cursed antiques results in tragedy. Mr. Yang's connection to Bun-nyuh's past, and the origins of the antique gift shop are revealed."The Yen Press", volume summaries.
Volume Four Chapter 6: The Four Posts of Fate Mr. Yang finds an unlikely "girlfriend" in a mob daughter. Strong willed Yun-ook attempts to use Mr. Yang to make the one she loves jealous. Unfortunately, the one she loves is the one person she cannot have. Bun-nyuh tries to sell Mr. Yang as a fortuneteller to the mobsters in order to have her debt with them forgiven. In turn, Mr. Yang tells the mobsters about a peculiar ritual called "bosam" which may help Yun-ook rewrite her own destiny.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 4, chapt. 6; Yen Press (2008) Chapter 7: Strange Family in Snow Heights, part 1 A young assassin, Young-woo, takes refuge from the authorities in a creepy mansion called Snow Heights where its inhabitants are even creepier but strangely welcoming. The family there is keeping a secret that is tied to his past.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 4, chapt. 7; Ice Kunion (2007)
Volume Five Chapter 7: Strange Family in Snow Heights, conclusion Chapter 8: Go? Or Stop? When Mr. Yang takes a vacation for the first time, Bun-nyuh is left alone in the shop with her cursed antiques on a rainy day. She has always had a phobia of rain, since two of the saddest events of her life occurred on rainy days, and hides herself in a closet, ignoring her customers. Help comes to her in the most unexpected ways.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 5, chapt. 8, Yen Press (2008)
Volume Six Chapter 9: Bun-hong The story of Bun-nyuh's mother is finally revealed, as is the mysterious way she died. Bun-nyuh has always blamed her grandmother for her mother's death but unknown to her, her grandmother made a sacrifice so that Bun-nyuh could live.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 6, chapt. 9; Yen Press (2008) Chapter 10: Suspicious Relationship Bun-nyuh goes to an OB-GYN for the first time to ask a peculiar question. Seeing through a pair of antique glasses she uses to disguise herself, Bun-nyuh finds herself suddenly attracted to the doctor! The feeling seems mutual until he reveals the story of his missing (and quite insane) wife. Unfortunately, the tale is all too familiar to Bun-nyuh. Chapter 11: Don't Worry When Mr. Yang gives an antique Guatemalan Indian "Worry Doll" to a little girl crying outside of the shop, he decides to give them out to every one in the city who carries worries in their heart. Unfortunately, the result turns out to be more trouble than it was worth.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 6, chapt. 11; Yen Press (2008)
Volume Seven Chapter 12: The Pot of Sungjoo ChanYoung always thought he was the troublemaker in the family. But when his older brother is killed in a hit-and-run accident, ChanYoung discovers a few secrets in his late brother's house...namely a mysterious girl living there. The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 7, chapter 12, Yen Press (2009) Chapter 13: Kumari Soon, part 1 Bun-Nyuh lets a beautiful woman with a knack for selling antiques take charge of the shop. But this goddess's sales come with strings attached.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 7, chapter 13, Yen Press (2009)
Volume Eight Chapter 13: Kumari Soon, conclusion The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 8, chapter 13, Yen Press (2009) Chapter 14: A Mermaid Princess Lives in the Han River, part 1 The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 8, chapter 14, Yen Press (2009)
Volume Nine Chapter 14: A Mermaid Princess Lives in the Han River, conclusion The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 9, chapter 14, Yen Press (2009) Chapter 15: The River of Oblivion, part 1 The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 9, chapter 15, Yen Press (2009)
Volume Ten Chapter 15: The River of Oblivion, conclusion The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 10, chapter 15, Yen Press (2010) Chapter 16: Door The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee; Vol. 10, chapter 16, Yen Press (2010)
List of characters Bun-nyuh Cho: The young proprietor of The Antique Gift Shop who would rather be in school. She was raised by her grandmother in the rural countryside of Korea but abandoned in Seoul at a young age on a rainy night. Her mother was also buried on a rainy day, therefore causing Bun-nyuh to have a phobia of rain.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 6, chapt. 8 "Go? Or Stop?" Bun-nyuh was raised in a Christian orphanage and watched over by a distant relative during her adolescence.The Antique Gift Shop, Vol. 2, chapt. 3 "The Secret Garden" Because of her tomboyish and rough attitude, she was much admired by the girls in school when she was younger.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 1, chapt. 3 "The Secret Garden"
Though she is able to see spirits and ghosts, she stubbornly refuses to admit belief in anything that can't be explained by science. Bun-nyuh also excels in fortune-telling, just like her mother and grandmother. She has a selective memory of the tragic events in her past and is constantly in denial of her true feelings. She hates feeling weak or helpless. Bun-nyuh is also very modern, cursing and swearing and giving the one-fingered salute wherever she goes. She loves designer labels and would rather go shopping than pay her employees. She maintained excellent grades while in school before taking a leave of absence from the prestigious S University.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 3, chapt. 5 "Gahwi" Despite her loathing for it, she is also an excellent salesperson.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 2, chapt. 3 "The Secret Garden"
Yang/Mr. Yang: The only employee of the Antique Gift Shop, Mr. Yang is almost 7 feet tall and has long, silky hair flowing nearly to the floor. He has a very god-like quality about him. When he is not dressed in his shop uniform and apron, he dons archaic embroidered robes and very old-fashioned clothing. His delicate features are very beautiful and almost feminine.
Though not revealed in volumes 1 - 6, the reader has the sense that he has known Bun-nyuh's family for quite some time. He refers to her ancestral village as his "hometown." He also possesses the ability to "speak" to the antiques and to read minds.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 1, chapt. 1 "The Summer Guest" Though he dislikes humans for their inability to believe things they don't understand our cannot see, he is known by the antiques as "the one who serves humans." There is the sense that he has served one human in particular, Bun-nyuh, for centuries.
Mr. Yang actually knows more about Bun-nyuh and her family than he lets on, and more than even Bun-nyuh is aware of herself. Though their relationship is often characterized as "master-servant" in other instances the relationship between Bun-nyuh and Mr. Yang could be characterized as "student-teacher." In brief moments in the manhwa, their relationship can be characterized as "intimate," as when they go to the movies together, when he puts her to bed as she recovers from a hangover, when he saves her from being raped by the mongdalgui possessed Dan-soo,The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 3, chapt. 4 "The Secret Garden" and when he tells the hwatu characters to cheer her up while he's gone because he knows it will rain.The Antique Gift Shop, by Eun Lee, Vol. 5, chapt. 8 "Go? Or Stop?"
Grandmother: Bun-nyuh's only living blood relative in the world, her grandmother is a shaman of the Divine Spirit and can see ghosts/spirits, conduct purifications, exorcisms and predict/read fortunes. She is mysteriously under a curse and is constantly hounded by a 'spirit guide' who takes the form of a woman in white with long hair. Her spirit guide claims that Bun-nyuh's grandmother 'owes her' but is willing take over Bun-nyuh to satisfy this debt. The nature of grandmother's curse stems from both her and her spirit guide having the same fiancé in the past who collected the cursed antiques to begin with, Mr. Sailor Park. Bun-nyuh's grandmother abandoned her in Seoul to let her granddaughter live a 'normal' life for as long as possible before the family curse caught up with Bun-nyuh.