Burkely HermannAs for the film, Your Letter, it did release in South Korea on October 1st, earning over $1.2 million at the box office. https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/korea-box-office-action-comedy-boss-1236540786/, http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/boxOffice_Yearly.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_YEAR&selectDt=2025&category=ALL&country=K (96/?)
A reviewer for IGN Korea, Sangmin Sung, called the film, which is also known as 연의 편지 ("Yeon's Letter"), as a great approach to a youthful narrative, but never even used the word library or book in his review (I even searched the Korean original text for those words and nothing came up), while noting the Korean elements are present. https://kr.ign.com/your-letter/13886/review/yeonyi-pyeonji-ribyu (97/?)
Lee Ja-yeon for Cine21, in another Korean-language review, praised the film for it's "beautiful artwork and music," saying the latter "enhances the refreshing atmosphere." https://cine21.com/news/view/?mag_id=108556 (98/?)
Lee Ja-yeon reviewed the film for News1, as well, writing that the film has "received the attention of original fans, and it has attracted attention for its solid directing power that fully captures the full-fledged work and the sensibility of the work" https://www.news1.kr/entertain/movie/5900763 (99/?)
Ja-yeon said it had something familiar with KPop Demon Hunters, in terms of the music, adding that the songs of Your Letter combines the "clear tone, beautiful melody, and emotional songs" of AKMU Lee Soo-hyun (100/?)
A press release from Korean Film News did talk (http://screening.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/news.jsp?blbdComCd=601006&seq=6321&mode=VIEW) about the library, saying:
"Making friends means entering new worlds. Each of Hoyeon’s letters is hidden in a different school location, guiding Sori to new people and encounters. The first letter’s clue, “819.93 학99,” leads her to the #library, where she finds the second letter. Its contents are curious: written almost like a dictionary entry..." (101/?)
A Welcome Letter for Korean Feature Animation ‘Your Letter’
This year marks a monumental moment for Korean feature animation. ‘The Legend of the Exorcist’ (released February 21) drew more than 500,000 viewers, achieving a meaningful score. Han Ji-won’s ‘What This Star Needs’ (released May 30) was the first Korean feature animation to be produced and invested in by Netflix, earning industry recognition. And now comes director Kim Yong-hwan’s ‘Your Letter’ (released October 1).
"...The director admitted, “Designing and directing each letter’s location was an enormous task. It was crucial to maintain the unique quality of each space while harmonizing them within the whole.” Indeed, the film depicts more than ten different school facilities, from classrooms and libraries to rooftops, archery ranges, rabbit pens, and flower gardens." (102/?)
"...Unlike the intimidating skyscrapers of #Seoul, these school facilities sit harmoniously side by side in the embrace of nature—like letters being exchanged without pretense. Though new to the school, Sori finds herself stepping freely into these open spaces, forming genuine connections with those she meets." (103/?)
Here's a trailer/preview for the film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q17qc72dP1s (104/?) #yourletter #youtube #previews
[연의 편지] 수현의 청아한 감성 가득🌿 '연의 편지' 뮤직비디오
I was overjoyed to see an article, on October 20th, saying this: "The film has been presold to 166 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania, including Japan, Italy, Spain and Brazil. The film’s overseas rollout began on Oct. 10 in Vietnam. It will premier in Indonesia on Wednesday, Malaysia on Thursday and Singapore and Thailand on Oct. 30. A North American release is scheduled for early 2026." https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-10-20/entertainment/movies/Korean-animated-film-Your-Letter-to-be-exported-to-166-countries-around-the-world/2424018 (105/?) #yourletter #films #korea
It will be coming to the U.S. next year. I'll definitely try to review it. Also coming next year is the film version of The Dangers in My Heart, as I noted in my October 22nd newsletter, entitled The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie. https://historieshermann.wordpress.com/2025/10/24/memory-theft-waning-queer-representation-and-the-power-of-mega-conglomerates/ (106/?)
It will have "some extra footage, [and will be] releasing on February 13, 2026 in Japan." https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-09-29/the-dangers-in-my-heart-tv-anime-gets-compilation-film-with-some-new-footage/.216141, https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-06-30/the-dangers-in-my-heart-compilation-film-teaser-reveals-february-2026-opening/.226177 (107/?) #thedangersofmyheart #anime #films #libraries #fiction
In that newsletter I also mentioned this blog, at the beginning, writing as follows:
"...I posted about Asahina the part-time library worker, a private library, and maintaining quiet in the manga series The Blue Library."
https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2025/10/05/asahina-the-part-time-library-worker-a-private-library-and-quiet-in-the-blue-library/ (108/?) #manga #libraries #librarians #fiction
Asahina the part-time library worker, a private library, and quiet in “The Blue Library”
In an effort to find more stories with librarians and libraries, I came across The Blue Library, also known as Aoiro Toshokan, on a less-than-legal site. This begins with Asahina being told to be m…
"...More pertinently I wrote on theft, crimes, and libraries. For the latter, I discussed the theft by anti-hero/anti-villain Doctor Aphra, a character who lost her moral code, with vast adventures and love interests." https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2025/10/11/be-gay-do-crime-in-fictional-libraries-from-doctor-aphras-book-theft-to-stacks-counterfeit-books/, https://crypticarchaeologists.substack.com/p/star-wars-and-archaeology-a-recap-2ab (109/?)
“Be gay, do crime” in fictional libraries?: From Doctor Aphra’s book theft to Stacks’ counterfeit books
Happy National Coming Out Day! The slogan “be gay, do crime” is from the communal grab-bag of “anti-assimilationist queer slogans…pulled from the chaotic ether, originated n…
Aphra, who is nothing more than a lesbian disaster archaeologist, works with her old/new flame Sana Starros to steal a rare book from the university she is attending. She does so despite the librarian telling her to stop, as shown in Sarah Kahn’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra script (which was used for an audio drama). Aphra even says she stole additional books just to impress Sana (110/?) #doctoraphra #starwars #lesbians #lgbtq #librarians #fiction
In that same posting, I wrote about Amity Blight and Luz Noceda sneaking into the library’s forbidden section in The Owl House. As a result, Amity loses her job. (111/?) #theowlhouse #librarians #lesbians #bisexuals
Yomiko Readman burns down a library with her powers in R.O.D. the TV after her boss said her beloved Nancy (and the other version of her) was a traitor. #readordie #libraries (112/?)
Rouge Redstar in Metallic Rouge punches a whole line of people to learn the identity of a devious shapeshifter. (113/?) #metallicrouge
I also discussed Anne going through a forbidden “archives” in Manaria Friends to help her friend Grea. Then there’s Isabella Alvarado “Stacks” in Craig of the Creek who creates counterfeit books. (114/?) #archives #libraries #fiction #libraries #counterfeiting
The manhwa (Korean name for comics), which the film, #yourletter, is adapted from, has been published by Yen Press, the same place which published the light novel and manga version of Whoever Steals This Book. https://yenpress.com/titles/9798400901119-your-letter, https://kaist455.com/2025/10/04/your-letter-2025/ (115/?)
Yen Press publishes all light novels which are part of the Ascendance of a Bookworm series (and another #lightnovel series here), plus all five fanbooks (I have three of them; weirdly only fanbooks 1-3 and 5 can be purchased, but not no. 4) https://yenpress.com/series/ascendance-of-a-bookworm-light-novel, https://yenpress.com/titles/9781718356214-ascendance-of-a-bookworm-royal-academy-stories-first-year-light-novel, https://yenpress.com/series/ascendance-of-bookworm-fanbook (116/?)
Yen Press publishes Forbidden Scrollery Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Kosuzuna is a library worker) https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316511896-forbidden-scrollery-vol-1, https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316511902-forbidden-scrollery-vol-2 (117/?)
Yen Press publishes Book Girl and the Captive Fool (light novel with the description saying ""Hey! There are pages missing in this book!" One day Tohko borrows a book from the library, but there are pages missing--sliced right out of it." https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316076937-book-girl-and-the-captive-fool-light-novel (118/?)
Book Girl and the Captive Fool is part of a series of #novels about "Book Girl" by Mizuki Nomura which was even adapted in an #animated #film released in May 2010, and four OVA episodes, one in 2009 entitled Book Girl Today's Snack: First Love and the three others in 2010 bunched under Book Girl Memoir, an a 16-volume #lightnovel. (119/?)
Yen Press publishes Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, a light novel, with the description saying: "Bunny girls do not live in #libraries. This is simply common sense. And yet, that’s exactly where Sakuta finds one in the wild." This also comes in #audiobook format and has a #manga. https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975399351-rascal-does-not-dream-of-bunny-girl-senpai-light-novel (120/?) #lightnovels
Yen Press publishes Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods, Vol. 9 with the description saying "...each has their own story to tell! Where will the librarian wander on his day off?" https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975335526-hakumei-mikochi-tiny-little-life-in-the-woods-vol-9 (121/?)
Yen Press publishes Magical Explorer, Vol. 6 (light novel): Reborn as a Side Character in a Fantasy Dating Sim with the description saying "...when the Three Committees launch an investigation into the book, they discover that the school #librarian, Rue Sakura, is actually an archangel!" https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975367558-magical-explorer-vol-6-light-novel (122/?)
Yen Press publishes The Summer Hikaru Died, with chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 14, and 16 possibly involving library scenes (123/?)
Trinity Seven, also published by Yen Press, has, in vol. 3, 7, 8, 13, and 28, some chapters which may involve library scenes (124/?)
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 3, published by Yen Press, is described as: "Nene and Kou want to learn more about their mysterious friend, Hanako-kun—and what better way to do that than by hunting down school mystery number five, “The Four P.M. Bookstacks”?!" https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975311353-toilet-bound-hanako-kun-vol-3 (125/?)
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 2, a light novel published by Yen Press, is described as: "...The two maids, along with the young #librarian Beatrice, are the sole guardians of the mansion's forbidden #library, but their quiet, peaceful days come to a violent end when another cycle of death begins!" https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316398374-re-starting-life-in-another-world-vol-2-light-novel (126/?)
The Magic in this Other World is Too Far Behind! Volume 5, a light novel published by Yen Press is described as "following a clue discovered in the book Felmenia brought to him from Astel’s royal #library, he sets off..." https://yenpress.com/titles/9781718354043-the-magic-in-this-other-world-is-too-far-behind-volume-5-light-novel (127/?)
If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love, Vol. 4, a light novel published by Yen Press, is described as: "As the graduation exam approaches, Brigitte's #library visits, wagers with Yuri, and school days are coming to an end." https://yenpress.com/titles/9798855406528-if-the-villainess-and-villain-met-and-fell-in-love-vol-4-light-novel (128/?)
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 5, a light novel published by Yen Press, is describes as: "...As Sariphi searches for a book alone in the #library, Anubis approaches her...but what is the history between the King and his Chancellor, whose family has served the royal line for generations?" https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975304355-sacrificial-princess-and-the-king-of-beasts-vol-5 (129/?)
The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse, Vol. 2, published by Yen Press, is described as: "...a single robot appears before her. The #library it manages may be bereft of visitors, but it devotes itself to its task out of respect for the late librarian’s wishes.") #librarians #fiction https://yenpress.com/titles/9798855406887-the-color-of-the-end-mission-in-the-apocalypse-vol-2 (130/?)
One Fine Day, Vol. 2, published by Yen Press, is described as "Nanai the dog, Guru the cat, and Rang the mouse have cooked up even more fun this timearound: visiting the library..." https://yenpress.com/titles/9780759530577-one-fine-day-vol-2 (131/?)
Spirits & Cat Ears, Vol. 4, published by Yen Press, is described as: "Exams are fast approaching, so Neneko’s looking to get some studying done. She and Shichikage head over to the #library, where they meet a little boy named Sou" https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316470605-spirits-cat-ears-vol-4 (132/?)
Glitch Vol. 2, published by Yen Press, is described as "...High fences on all sides make getting into the forest impractical—but the library is always a good place to start...the library doesn’t have much to offer on the provenance of the forest—or why it was fenced off years ago"https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975370299-glitch-vol-2 (133/?)
Tales of Wedding Rings, Vol. 8, published by Yen Press, is described as "It’s been a week since Satou and his brides found themselves locked in the Great Elven #Library, and short of a serious power boost, their odds of escape are slim" https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975306700-tales-of-wedding-rings-vol-8 (134/?)
Handa-kun, Vol. 4, described by Yen Press, is described as "This time he's drawn the attention of the school's wannabe #manga creators and a passive aggressive #library rep..." https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316397872-handa-kun-vol-4 (135/?)
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture, Vol. 3: A Tale of Curses and Blessings, a #lightnovel by Yen Press, is described as "...Professor Takatsuki gleefully invites the burden of the chain letter onto himself! Meanwhile, an urban legend about a #library spirit has been making the rounds." https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975353018-associate-professor-akira-takatsuki-s-conjecture-vol-3-light-novel (136/?)
Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, Vol. 4 is described as "...when Aseo sets foot in the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria, he finds that the Queen of the Full Moon isn't quite what he expected." https://yenpress.com/titles/9798855405507-elden-ring-the-road-to-the-erdtree-vol-4 (137/?)
Cat Paradise, Vol. 2 was described as "...And when Yumi's investigation leads her to the heart of those secrets-the old library-she and two student council members find themselves trapped in Rachi the sickle spider's web" https://yenpress.com/titles/9780759529243-cat-paradise-vol-2 (138/?)
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 3, published by Yen Press, was described as "...Soon their quest for the Philosopher's Stone takes them to the great central #library, where the Stone's formula may be hidden...if the mysterious figure named Lust doesn't get there first!" https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316285582-fullmetal-alchemist-vol-3 (139/?)
Final Fantasy Lost Stranger, Vol. 6 was described as "In search of a way to undo Rei’s frog transformation before escaping the Mysidia Royal Library’s labyrinthian halls, Shogo realizes he’ll have to trick Byblos..." #libraries #fiction https://yenpress.com/titles/9781975335755-final-fantasy-lost-stranger-vol-6 (140/?)
I also saw a posting on the Anime Trends newsletter with a subheading entitled "Library Romance Blooms in “Saishinwa” Anime Music Video," saying "Japanese singer-songwriter Wanuka has released an anime #musicvideo for the song “Saishinwa” (“Latest Episode”), the ending theme for the A Star Brighter Than the Sun TV anime adaptation." https://anitrendz.substack.com/p/anime-of-the-summer-my-dress-up-darling (141/?)
The latter links to another article, on the Anime Trends website, saying the following:
"Japanese singer-songwriter Wanuka has released an anime music video for the song “Saishinwa” (“Latest Episode”), the ending theme for the A Star Brighter Than the Sun TV anime adaptation."
https://anitrendz.net/news/2025/10/08/library-romance-blooms-in-saishinwa-anime-music-video/
(142/?)
"The video follows two young people, incl. a boy with a little resemblance to Makeine‘s Kazuhiko Nukumizu, whose relationship develops across the time spent together in a #library. The cozy short anime features warm, nostalgic colors and...manga-inspired imagery, whether it’s simply the lyrics appearing in panels or moments that are depicted as manga. Mariyasu (“Sayonara End Doll,” “Ghost Avenue”) led the video’s production and did the animation, while KEKE has background art credits." (143/?)
Here's the music video itself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PnmtBEXRHw (144/?)
最新話／和ぬか【Music Video】
This isn't the first time that someone has put out a music video set in a library. Tears for Fears did that many years ago. (145/?)
I mentioned it in my newsletter back in July 2020, writing
"I had so many things to do, I felt like Roland Orzabal carrying an absurd number of books (shown above) at the beginning of that 1985 Tears for Fears music video, for “Head over Heels,” where they visit a library and he tries to get the attention of, ha." https://historieshermann.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/head-over-heels-about-archives-libraries-covid-black-lives-matter-and-much-more/ (146/?) #libraries #archives #covid19 #blacklivesmatter #newsletters
"There are all sorts of librarian #stereotypes there, but I just thought of this off the top of my head, after watching it on some TV channel recently." (147/?)
Here's the link to the #tearsforfears music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHiG-43Fzg (148/?)
Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels
Perhaps this is a topic for a future post. It's something I haven't really covered on here at all, which seems a bit odd, but I'll remedy that. I did once include a video a "90s library rap," on here, as well: https://popculturelibraries.wordpress.com/2020/10/10/libraries-librarians-and-pop-culture-reviews/ (149/?)
That's all for this thread. Until next time! (150/150)