Booklover’s Tour in Korea

Books are magical things, and I can never seem to keep myself from bookstores, libraries, or book cafes. Anytime I see a shelf stuffed with novels and story books I want to stop and see what kind of collection it is. It’s always so fun to try and figure out a person’s reading style and preference by what’s on their shelf, and the same can be said for cafes with the vibe they are trying to give. It was hard to decide which to pick but I went with some obvious tourist visits and some newer spots since I still have quite a few places I still have yet to check out, but I couldn’t keep it down to five. Needless to say, Seoul has plenty of options for book lovers! 

Here are 6 bookish destinations that you should check out when in Seoul.

1. Seoul BOGO – Seoul Book Repository 서울책보고

• This huge warehouse of books houses a large collection of both used Korean and English novels. When browsing through their English section they had popular books like Harry Potter and Narnia, but also had old Dickens classics and other vintage books from the 1800s. It was the first time I’d seen an English book older than the 21st century in Korea and I was so excited seeing all the beautiful spines on the shelves. The arches are beautiful if you want to enjoy the architecture and find a quick nook to page through a book. Don’t be turned off by the unassuming building when approaching from the outside because the inside doesn’t disappoint.
• Location: 1 Ogeum-ro, Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 10:00-8:00

2. ARCnBOOK 아크앤북 잠실

• I had time to kill while in the mall so I went upstairs to get this store off my list, and glad I went. It was not too big or small so there were plenty of books to go through, and depending on the time you could snap a few books with the arches that perfectly framed the shelves in the store. They carry new and current books and small knick knacks depending on what you’re looking for. 
• Location: 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 10:30-10:00

3. Starfield Library COEX 별마당도서관

• To be perfectly honest, I was a little let down when I first saw the library because I thought it would be bigger and I almost walked right past it in the mall. Once you walk through the low, unassuming entrance it opens up the famous view with the escalator leading up to the second floor. If you’re wanting to do a bookish tour around Seoul I’d still recommend going even if there are a lot of people because it’s still easy to enjoy.
• Location: Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Yeongdong-daero, 513 스타필드 코엑스몰 B1
• Hours: 10:30-10:00

4. Daeo Book Cafe 대오서점

• One of the oldest bookstores in Seoul now turned into a cafe still run by the family when it was first opened in the 1950s. Although you can’t buy any books today, there are also a couple of used bookstores nearby to check out to go buy books if that is your goal after you stop by. The cafe is cash only and you quickly enter through the old home and the small spaces with seating. There are photo spots with giant stacks of books all over the small house, which also means when it gets busy there’s not much space to sit. 
•  location:33 Nuha-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea// 55 Jahamun-ro 7-gil, Cheongunhyoja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
•  Hours: 11-10

5. Book Park–blue square 북파크

• Located in the hall for concerts and plays and other performances, this library located in the cafe is full of many volumes and aesthetic shots. Out of all the libraries and stores, I think this was one of my favorites based on the view of the books, but it’s hard to choose. The cafe was just a regular cafe but the book display is definitely worth a visit and walkthrough
• Location: 294 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 11-10

6. Check n Grow 채그로

• This book cafe is tucked away on the more quiet side of Seoul. I visited on a rainy day and at the time there weren’t too many people there, but it quickly filled up since it was a weekend. There are two parts to the cafe, one with a seated view of the Han and the other part with books and a different view of the city (that is quite beautiful if it isn’t cloudy).
• Location: 31 Mapo-daero 4da-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 10-10 

Which location would be your choice? One of the libraries, cafes, or stores?