Busan Book Street: Bosu-dong
After Korea’s independence, the effects of both World War II, and the Korean War brought an influx of refugees searching for ways to make an income. For Busan, people began selling their used books in the alleyway and before long the whole street was teeming with bookstores. The alley of book venders drew the attention of anyone looking to purchase copies of books or immerse themselves in rooms packed to the brim with a multitude of manuscripts.
Even today the narrow alley remains jam-packed with thousands of books in each of the stalls. The booksellers often sit outside their shops, chatting with one another until passersby stop in to peruse their collection. While some of their shops have similar selections, others offer limited quantities of books in other languages, but they have a wide variety of Korean genres.
During my visit, it was a quiet day, so I took my time exploring the area and ended up in one little shop that was full of stacks and stacks of Korean books as the little old lady owner suggested books to me as I browsed through her shop. Not that I’m fluent in Korean, but I was looking for a gift at the time for someone who does read Korean, and I also wanted to bring home a Korean book. My bookworm shows when I buy books I can’t read as souvenirs haha. Regardless of the language, I love visiting bookshops and this alley was a fun one to walk through and explore.
Location: 8, Chaekbanggolmok-gil, Jung-gu, Busan
부산광역시 중구 대청로 67-1
