Bookshop Tour: Quiet Seoul Afternoons at Independent Bookstores and Book Cafés

In the bustling city of Seoul, there are days when you want to escape the noise and focus entirely on yourself. When you choose to pause in the middle of rapidly changing trends, the independent bookstores and book cafes hidden in Seoul's alleys become the perfect sanctuary.

Here is how to enjoy a quiet afternoon in Seoul, where the scent of books meets a neat cup of coffee.

Independent Bookstores: Discovering Your Own Taste

Independent bookstores are spaces that stand out for their curators' unique tastes. You can find individuality in independent publications and insightful essays that cannot be found on the bestseller lists of large bookstores.

• Thanks Books (Seogyo-dong): A staple in the Hongdae area and an icon of Korea's independent bookstore culture. Its strength lies in warm curation that makes it comfortable for anyone to pick out a book, and it naturally blurs the line between a bookstore and a cafe, making it one of the best places to stay with a book.
• Storage Book and Film (Haebangchon): A place that represents the analog sensibility of Haebangchon. Independent publications, photo books, and small accessories come together to provide fun in browsing. Although it is a small space, it has the charm of being cozy and immersive in books.

Resting with Books: Book Cafes

Book cafes are spaces on the boundary between daily life and rest. The tranquility of a bookstore and the comfort of a cafe coexist, and just closing your book and looking at the scenery outside the window provides enough comfort.

• Chaegro (Mapo): Famous for its Han River view. Reading a book with the refreshing Han River spreading out through the floor-to-ceiling window allows you to truly take a "comma" in the city. It is even more convenient as the calm space for reading and the space for conversation are separated.
• The Forest Guard Post Bookstore (Inwangsan): Located at the foot of Inwangsan Mountain, this place was created by remodeling a building formerly used as a police guard post. The four seasons of Inwangsan seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows and a cup of neat coffee offer urbanites the perfect rest in nature.

Tips for Enjoying a Quiet Afternoon in Seoul

• Aim for weekday afternoons: The quietness of a weekday afternoon is better for enjoying the bookstore's atmosphere than the bustle of the weekend.
• Digital detox: Put your smartphone deep in your bag for a while. True "rest" begins when you feel the texture of paper and enjoy the silence that fills the bookstore.
• Record your heart: If you find a sentence you like in a bookstore or book cafe, record it in a memo pad or leave a light writing. That day's space will stay in your memory longer.

Seoul is now seeing an increase in delicate spaces for people who read books. Stepping out from under the lights of flashy hot spots, why not move your steps to an alley with a subtle scent of books this afternoon?

A book, yourself, and a cup of coffee. The quietest and most intellectual afternoon is waiting for you in the middle of the complex city.