[Book Review] Author Lee Seul-ah

Today, I stopped by Youngpoong Bookstore for a moment and unexpectedly found an interesting book. The title, Writing Emails That Change Your Life by author Lee Seul-ah, caught my eye, so I bought it out of curiosity. By the time I got home and started reading, it was so entertaining that I finished it in one sitting without even taking a breather.

While reading, I was reminded once again that the ordinary email we send all the time can actually be a special language that connects one person to another.

The book was less of a practical guide on how to write emails well and more of an essay. Based on her own experiences and examples, Lee Seul-ah emphasizes that an email is ultimately the most human way of speaking to someone. I was deeply impressed by her view of email not as a tool for delivering information, but as a bridge for building relationships.

Among the many principles introduced in the book, the most noteworthy are “Naemaekumji” and “ppagonodeo.”

• Naemaekumji refers to the four elements that must be included in an email: Nae (content and length), Ma (deadline), Geum (amount), and Ji (payment date). When these four are clearly stated, the other person can make a decision with solid grounds, whether they accept or decline. It goes beyond simply writing a neat email; it is also a way of showing respect for the recipient.

• Ppagonodeo is the rule for rejection emails: reply quickly, express thanks, explain the reason for saying no, and leave room by hoping to meet again for a better opportunity. It was useful advice for maintaining a relationship rather than cutting it off.

Reading these principles made me realize that email is ultimately not about technique, but attitude. It is not enough to write quickly and concisely; the message must also contain respect for the other person.

Among them, the sentence that stayed with me the longest was one she added while telling an anecdote about her husband:

“Being kind to someone every day means being deeply, strongly resilient.”

Kindness is often seen only as gentleness or goodness, but in fact it may be another name for steady strength. It is never easy to remain kind without changing, even amid the repetition of everyday life. I, too, while facing my staff, often feel that trying not to lose courtesy even in tiring and difficult moments is what takes the greatest strength. This line made me rethink not only email, but also my attitude toward life.

Also, the scene where the author edited her mother’s email deeply resonated with me. It was not just a matter of correcting writing, but a form of communication that connected hearts across generations. The author’s perspective on email as “speaking to someone” reminds us once again that the words we write every day can change someone’s day.

Above all, I was drawn to Lee Seul-ah’s writing style. At times it was light and cheerful, like talking with a friend, but at other times it cut deep with lines that made me reflect on my own life. The balance between comfort and sharpness is what made it impossible to put the book down.

This book is worth recommending not only to those who want to write better emails, but also to those who want to keep their relationships warm. The author’s sentence about seeing kindness as strength lingers in the mind long after the book is closed.

After reading this book, I found myself wanting to read Lee Seul-ah’s other books as well. I feel like I’m becoming a fan.

Writing Emails That Change Your Life - Lee Seul-ah Author Lee Seul-ah Publisher Iyagijangsu Release 2025.06.12.

As much as possible, you should sit down in front of your inbox with a gentle heart.

Nothing is stronger than a gentle heart that has been highly trained and refined.

I made it a habit to say the other person’s name at least three times in an email.

If there is no title, it is safest to attach "nim" after the name. I prefer adding "seonsaengnim" regardless of age, but please choose as you see fit.

How can you show that you are someone they do not need to doubt? The answer lies in the form called the subject line. If you write a good subject line, the exchange begins smoothly, like offering a graceful handshake.

Keep the basics of the subject line to just two lines.

1. Be polite, but not servile.

2. Be clear, but not rude.

A special way of addressing someone:

One technique for a subject line made of "modifier + name"

The point is not to emphasize yourself, but to elevate the other person.

To write a good subject line, you really do have to like the reader a little.

Unless you know the conditions for the request, it is hard to accept or refuse. Money is the topic that should be discussed in detail from the beginning.

If there is someone you really want to invite, you must state the payment terms so they can understand them at a glance in the first email.

In the middle of an invitation email, “Naemaekumji” must be included: Nae (content and length), Ma (deadline), Geum (amount), Ji (payment date).

If you are truly confident, you may add this sentence: "Could you please put a little more effort into increasing the manuscript fee? I would appreciate it if you could let me know the maximum budget."

You do not reply to emails like this. That is because they were not sent specifically for me in the first place. There are signs everywhere that the same body text was copied and sent to multiple publishers, like flyers fluttering on the street.

The writer must recognize you. By “you,” I mean the editor at that publishing house.

Why that publishing house, specifically? More precisely, why that editor? Why must my manuscript meet that editor? You should be able to answer these questions... How long are you going to wait for the other person to like you first? Let’s be the ones to like them a little first.

Submission emails should be written almost like a proposal.

Forget abstract language and be very specific: make sure to include the essential content, such as, “I am truly sorry because I did ㅡ to ㅡ and caused ㅡ damage.” You must clearly show that you yourself fully recognize your mistake... More important than explaining your own circumstances is considering what harm the other person may have suffered because of this... If you are going to apologize anyway, let’s not be stingy about lowering ourselves. Let’s write one or two lines that would make even a passerby think, “Wow....... that person is really apologizing......”

Being kind to someone every day means being deeply, strongly resilient.

Written by Kim Jin-oh, Specialist in Plastic Surgery at New Hair Plastic Surgery (Public Relations Director, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons / Chief Hair Loss Division Committee Chair, Korean Association of Laser, Dermatology and Hair Restoration)