Seoul Book Bogo, a public bookstore run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is reestablishing itself as a "curation bookstore" catering to a wide range of tastes.
Located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Seoul Book Bogo originally opened in 2019 as a large-scale used bookstore. However, interest waned after the pandemic, and the bookstore closed in 2024 before the Korean Publishers Association took over its operations last year.
According to the Korean Publishers Association on Tuesday, the association has pursued sweeping changes since assuming management of Seoul Book Bogo. In particular, it has introduced seasonal "pop-up shelves" and "curation shelves" featuring new themes each season. The reopening exhibition "Spring Book Greenhouse," which featured Changbi and LG, was followed by pop-up shelves from publishers including Eunhaengnamu Publishing, Welaaa, Munhakdongne and Gimm-Young Publishers, each showcasing the distinctive character of their brands. The bookstore also operated curation shelves where small and mid-sized publishers presented their own selections. Through this initiative, the bookstore introduced distinctive publishers to a broader audience, including Yaong Books, a publisher specializing in cats; Hangeuru, a regional publisher mainly introducing Jeju haenyeo (female divers); and Sosohan Sotong, a publisher for people with developmental disabilities.
Seoul Book Bogo has also borrowed from idol fan culture to launch "Deokjil Talk" (fan talk) sessions. Authors with strong fan bases, including Kim Keum-hee, Cheon Seon-ran and Choi Jin-young, along with Professor Kim Sang-wook, joined dedicated fans for fan quizzes and reading sessions. As a result of these efforts, visitor numbers have steadily increased since the reopening, with visitors in April this year rising 2.7-fold compared with the same month last year.
Starting next month on the 9th, Seoul Book Bogo will host its summer season pop-up "The World Beyond the Scene," centered on science fiction. The pop-up will feature SF novels, novels that inspired films, and screenplay collections, curating stories that traverse different dimensions and worlds. A fan talk with renowned SF author Kim Bo-young (August 27) and an "Author's Library" program have also been prepared.
"Over the past year, Seoul Book Bogo has transformed into a space where citizens can discover their own tastes and sensibilities through books," a Seoul Book Bogo official said. "Going forward, we will establish ourselves as a 'book experience platform' that connects books with diverse cultural content."
