Good Books: English Bookstores in Korea

One drawback of living or traveling in Korea is the difficulty of finding books in English. Good bookstores are rare, and if you only know one or two, you are unlikely to find the range of books you would like. Many of us also enjoy browsing in used bookstores. Luckily, there ARE good English bookstores in Korea; you just have to know where and how to find them.

Bookstores come in three flavors. First there are the chains, relatively easy to find through web searches. Second are mid-sized stores catering primarily to English readers; these are a bit harder to find, but many expats know where they are. More difficult to find, but fun when you do, are the small used bookstores that dot traditional markets in Korean cities. These, you find at the expense of shoe leather.

Let’s take a look at these by category.

MAJOR CHAINS

Seoul

Books from the bestseller lists, books that have been or are about to be turned into major motion pictures, and classic literature are all available at any large chain including Kyobo, Youngpoong, or Bandi and Luni’s.  Look for sections called English, Foreign, or even 諼措檣 (“waegugin,” foreigner).  In Seoul there is a cluster of chains in the Jongno-gu area. Kyobo Book Centre, Korea’s largest bookstore, stocks about 2,300,000 books and on weekends draws over 120,000 customers. For a truly surreal/jam-packed experience, visit Kyobo or Youngpoong the day before Christmas or any other gift-giving occasion. If you frequent chains, get a membership card, which offers various benefits.

Other Cities

Daejeon boasts a Kyobo downtown and a Gyeryeong Books in Eunhaeng-dong. Gwangju has pretty slim pickings; there is only a Youngpoong and the Chungjang Bookstore.  Chungjang, described using the classic Korean direction-giving technique as “right by the Starbucks,” has some classics, bestsellers from a couple months ago, and books about Korea and the Korean language.  Busan has two Youngpoongs and one Kyobo, Daegu has two Youngpoongs and two Kyobos. Ulsan, Masan, Pohang and Gumi each have one Youngpoong. For more specific directions consult the Youngpoong and Kyobo websites.

MID-SIZED STORES

Independent bookstores dedicated to the English reader are rarer.  There are two excellent stores in Itaewon, What the Book and the Itaewon Foreign Bookstore. What the Book is in Itaewon but is happy to ship books to wherever you may be in Korea. It has a solid selection of new books, a range of used books, and a stellar magazine section. You can browse What the Book online, using its excellent website and search function. The Itaewon Foreign Bookstore is an old-fashioned used bookstore. It features row upon row of books on shelves, which slide to reveal more shelves behind. In both stores, used books are expensive. If you are going to buy something currently in print, it makes more sense to purchase it new.

North of the chain bookstores, across from Gyeongbokgung Palace, is Seoul Selection, a smallish store focused on Korea and Korean culture. It sells new and used books, DVDs, and music CDs as well as hosting literary events. Seoul Selection, also the publisher of Seoul Magazine, has wireless internet, seats and tables, and a computer for customer use. As lagniappe, the clerks give away a packet of postcards with book sales. Seoul Selection has an excellent website with a great search function.

In Daegu, the newly opened Buy the Book is a café that also sells used books. Buy the Book features international lunch, a clean spacious eating/reading space, and two walls covered in bookshelves of used books. Daegu Books is an online purveyor of used books, which has only been in business a short while, but has managed to build a stock of nearly 500 books.

Many smaller bookstores have selections of English books. If you walk in university neighborhoods you can find these. Start with large, reputable universities, universities known for art or literature, and then work your way to smaller, less well-known ones. Hongik University, in Seoul, for instance, is surrounded by a sprinkling of bookstores selling English books.

SMALLER SHOPS

For bibliophiles, part of the fun of buying a book is finding it. For this, you need to be a bit intrepid. Many medium and larger sized public markets have a row of bookshops with books tied together in stacks by colored ribbons. Most books are Korean, but English books can be found, and if you like the thrill of the chase, this is where to find it. In Seoul, to the right across the Cheonggyecheon Stream from Dongdaemun Gate, is a row of little bookstores. They may look a bit out of place amidst the fashion outlets, but many of them have books in English, and the Waegook Bookstore is completely dedicated to English books. In the Jung-Ang market in Daejeon, within easy walking distance of Daejeon’s KTX station, there are street-side bookstores with vast rooms full of books stored in the buildings behind them.

These semi-traditional markets are in every major city in Korea and worth an afternoon’s walk, as they often reveal unexpected treasures. And when you manage to find a small store with English books? Make friends with the owner, because if you are a repeat customer, they will start squirreling books away for you.

So get out there and get reading!

Top 10 Bookstore in Korea

1. What the Book Seoul – New books, used books, a brilliant ordering system and helpful staff that speak English well. Its website is in English and extremely easy to use. Itaewon St. (line 6, ex. 3), behind the Itaewon Fire Station and up the hill on the left. whatthebook.com
2. The Foreign Bookstore Seoul –Small, cramped, but stuffed with books, this is the place to go to find an array of used titles spanning science fiction, humor, and psychology. It also carries used magazines and some tapes. Noksapyeong St. (line 6, ex. 2), across the street
3. Seoul Selection Seoul – If your focus is on Korean literature or literature about Korea, this is your bookstore. B1 Korean Publishers Association B/D 105-2, Sagan-dong, Chongro-gu, Seoul. seoulselection.com, 02-734-9565
4. Kyobo Books – So many stores and so many books (and so little time)! kyobobook.co.kr, 10magazine.asia/2037/kyobo-bookstore-locations (The Kyobo website is entirely in Korean, but the 10 team has added a handy resource to its website to help you find the one nearest you. Don’t forget that you can buy 10 Magazine at any Kyobo.)
5. Youngpoong –Youngpoong has stores scattered throughout Korea and offers a more relaxed vibe than Kyobo.  ypbooks.co.kr (The store locator is at the bottom of the main page. It’s in Korean but is easy to navigate.)
6-7. Daegu Books and Buy the Book Daegu – These shops offer a new idea to book-shopping in Korea. Daegu Books will ship to anywhere in Korea for a small fee, and has rock-bottom prices on used books. Buy the Book has space, food and an artsy attitude to share.
Daegu Books: daegubooks.com
Buy the Book: 18-11 4th floor, Samdeok 1 ga-dong, Jung-gu.
buythebookcafe@yahoo.com, 010-8522-1833 on weekdays, 0708-632-1833 on weekends
8. Waegook Bookstore Seoul – Lots of used books, and other bookstores on both sides.
Stall 27 in Dongdaemun Market

9. Chungjang Bookstore Gwangju – Not the biggest or the best, but if you live in Jeolla, you don’t have a lot of options. Chungjang Seolim 35 Geumnamno 2 ga, Dong-gu (Near the Starbucks!) 062-227-1932
10. Yeongchang Bookstore Daejeon –  A bit tricky to find at the east side of Jungang Market. But it stands for ALL the small bookstores waiting for you to find them! 042-226-1096

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