Indie Bookstores

[Anchor Lead]

Unlike the mega chain bookstores, the number of independent bookstores is on the rise. They are a place where customers can find a treasure trove of books in various fields of interest.

[Pkg]

This tiny bookstore is located just below Namsan Mountain in Seoul. Books sold here are mostly small volumes of publications printed by one-person publishing houses. This book is a collection of the Korean word for "apartment" stylized in various fonts and letter types. Something like this will be hard to find at a franchised mega bookstore.

[Soundbite] Gang Yeong-gyu(CEO, "Storage Book & Film") : "This book was made to keep record of the names of houses written in very stylish penmanship before they disappear."

This bookstore specializing in music-related books turns into a performance stage on the weekend.

[Soundbite] Park Mirisae(Director, "Liner Note") : "It doesn't end at buying. I hope the store can become a place where people come and engage in deep thoughts."

Such independent bookstores, small but full of character, are increasing in number. In just 4 to 5 years, over a hundred of them have opened nationwide. These unique bookstores are not bound by best-seller lists or popularity but choose to introduce a wider range or extremely rare selections. This approach has increased the flow of visitors.

[Soundbite] Kim Ji-yeong(Customer) : "It was nice. I encountered a variety of books and unexpected ones that caught my attention."

These specialty bookstores are just the place to delve into a particular area of interest or come across that unexpected chance discovery. Independent bookshops continue to evolve into more of a cultural space and not just a place where books are sold.