Don Quixote Video, a video rental store from our memories that no longer exists

A story of those who search, chase after, and become like their dreams

The novel My Don Quixote begins at an old video rental shop in the neighborhood, a place that no longer exists. It captures the dreams and adventures of young boys and girls, who embark on a journey back and forth in time over a span of 15 years. As the title suggests, it’s based on Cervantes' masterpiece Don Quixote, though its time and space settings are much broader than the original. With a much larger scale and narrative, the characters don’t stay in a single place but move dynamically, creating noticeable changes in their relationships and roles throughout the process. Bringing these spectacular journeys into an exciting story that instantly immerses readers, the novel showcases Kim Ho-yeon's wit and writing style, fully proving himself as a master storyteller.

In 2003, Don Quixote Video, nestled in the heart of Daejeon, served as a hangout spot for some middle school students. Uncle Don, the rental shop owner who called himself Don Quixote of Korea, was generous to the kids. Lonely and bored teenagers visited the place as if it were a playroom or a study room, to watch movies, read books, have discussions, eat tteokbokki, or occasionally receive tutoring from Uncle Don himself. There was only one lesson they learned here: the importance of nurturing and pursuing dreams. Just as Don Quixote embarked on his quest for justice, Uncle Don encouraged them to have and develop their dreams before venturing out into the world.

Fast forward fifteen years to late fall of 2018. Sol, a freelance producer with six years of experience, finds himself suddenly fired from a popular entertainment show he had planned, and frustrated, returns to his hometown of Daejeon. Sol, who couldn’t stay unemployed for too long and seriously contemplated the second chapter of his life, decides to make use of his experience working as a producer at a broadcasting company and launch his own YouTube channel. While brainstorming ideas for the theme of Daejeon, dubbed “the city of no fun,” Sol bumps into Hanbin at a café, which happened to be where the old video rental shop used to be. Hanbin, Uncle Don’s son who always threw pranks and jokes around, shares the surprising news with Sol that the video rental shop may be gone, but the underground space where Uncle Don stayed remains intact. Sol accompanies Hanbin to the basement. There, remnants from the days of Don Quixote Video evoke memories of the past, including the image of Uncle Don, the shop owner who called himself Sancho and always cheered for everyone.

Hanbin tells Sol that he must find the whereabouts of his father, who suddenly disappeared three years ago, and asks Sol for help, triggering Sol’s curiosity about the man’s whereabouts. Reflecting on his past, Sol realizes that working as a producer at a broadcasting company was influenced by Uncle Don and Don Quixote Video. Sol decides to utilize the underground space as a YouTube studio and plans to introduce the books and movies he experienced back in the day, ultimately launching a program dedicated to finding Uncle Don, together with Hanbin, titled “Don Quixote Video.” The host names himself “the real Sancho”.

The first step to finding Uncle Don is to locate his acquaintances. They must seek help from those who used to be regulars of the video rental store that Uncle Don called “La Mancha Club amigos.” Despite occasional bickering stemming from their personality differences, Sol and Hanbin continue their march to find Uncle Don. From Daejeon to Seoul, Tongyeong, and Busan, they travel wherever they can get news of Uncle Don. Will they be able to meet him? Can they reunite with the friends from Don Quixote Video?

Their journey to find Uncle Don is not only a quest to uncover the man’s past but also an exploration of themselves and their dreams of their past—something that may be meaningless to the world but is meaningful for themselves. Dreams that are more precious than money, as Uncle Don used to emphasize. Once they find it, would they have the strength to move forward? What’s more, would Uncle Don have reached his dream in any way? What kind of adventures might await at the end of their journey?

My Don Quixote is a “dream-like story” that tells us it’s okay to pursue our dreams in life. It’s also about someone who, after a long adventure, has come to believe in Don Quixote or has even become Don Quixote himself. Written by Kim Ho-yeon, a storyteller who has journeyed through the world of tales for quite some time, a long and impassioned story encompassing the novel’s characters and the worldviews unfolds, much like the fervent march of Don Quixote and Sancho.

Where has he disappeared to, leaving behind these traces of dreams?

Is there anyone from your memories you wish to meet?

Sol, who has started the second chapter of his life as a YouTuber, shares reviews of the films and books that he watched with his La Mancha Club friends and Uncle Don to his subscribers, Amigos. He recites carefully chosen lines from some famous scenes of the novel Don Quixote, which were transcribed by Uncle Don from over 40 books he left behind. Sol also hosts the public broadcast show "Finding Don Quixote" in search of Uncle Don. Back when Uncle Don used to run the video store, he had a particular interest in Korean movies and watched all kinds of films to write screenplays. But why did the man, who once dreamed of making a movie based on his scenarios and lived a secluded life in the basement, persistently writing even after closing the shop, suddenly disappear three years ago?

Sol and Hanbin seek out Uncle Don's acquaintances, who can attest to his whereabouts, and upload their interviews to the YouTube channel. Stories by Uncle Don's college roommate and best friend; his colleague from when he was working as a lecturer at Gangnam Academy; the editor who worked with him at a publishing company in Mapo; his friend Daejun of the La Mancha Club, who learned Uncle Don’s secret recipe for tteokbokki; the CEO of a film company who signed a scenario contract with him; and the producer who worked with him at a movie company—all portraying the life of the Don Quixote, Jang Youngsu. Through their testimonies, Sol learns how hard Uncle Don fought against the injustices of the world, how he endured insults, and wandered about to realize his dream of becoming a movie director. He wasn’t just called Don Quixote; his life itself was like that of Don Quixote’s.

The “Finding Don Quixote” series gains popularity, receiving support and encouragement from subscribers and becoming their YouTube channel’s main content. Now, the Amigos accompany them on their adventure, eagerly awaiting the day when Sol meets Uncle Don. Sol finally finds the last piece of the puzzle that would lead to finding Don. However, it turns out that wasn’t the end of their adventure, but rather the beginning of a whole new journey.

Uncle Don in pursuit of finding Don Quixote, and the real Sancho, Sol, chasing after him. Their friendship and game of hide and seek, traveling back and forth 15 years, tell a story of adventure and growth, where Don Quixote, Sancho, and Cervantes are entangled with excitement, captivating readers while evoking tears and laughter. The friendships between La Mancha Club and Uncle Don, as well as between the YouTube channel Don Quixote Video and Amigos, are engraved in our hearts as if they would last forever.

“Uncle Don, me, and the amigos of the La Mancha Club and the YouTube channel Don Quixote Video—we're all friends. Unlike some fleeting connections, the word friendship has the power to foster connections, even when expressed vaguely. The moment you apply the term friendship to even those who weren’t friends, they suddenly become friends. Once we shared our dreams and embarked on an adventure together, we became friends.” (page 415)

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