- Kyobo Mungo is a big bookstore, the most well-known bookstore in Korea.
- It’s where I calm down by reading a book. It’s a comfortable place to read like my own home.
- It’s Korea’s largest bookstore.
- I think it’s a symbol of Korean bookstores. When I think of books, I immediately think of Kyobo Bookstore in Gwanghwamun.
- It has been my playground since middle school.

The Gwanghwamun branch of Kyobo Mungo or Kyobo Book Center opened its doors on June 1, 1981. Housing some 500 thousand books under 65,000 titles, the 2,237 square-meter mega bookstore distinguished itself not only by its size, but aslo its features as a downtown cultural complex. In 1991 the bookstore closed for one year to reinvent itself as the world’s largest single-floor bookstore. The second renovation of Kyobo Mungo took place this year and after five long months the newly madeover store was unveiled on August 27th.

Kyobo Mungo has been Korean people’s treasure box of knowledge for the past three decades. Autumn is supposedly the best season for reading. So let’s head to Kyobo Mungo in the center of Seoul to see its wide selection of paper and electronic publications.

Kyobo Mungo is more than a bookstore. It’s a symbol of Korean culture. The past three decades of Kyobo Mungo equals 300 years of Korean cultural history. Kyobo Mungo is the heart of our spirit. It’s given Koreans something to be proud of.

As famed Korean poet Ko Un just noted, Kyobo Mungo stands as a proud symbol of Korean culture among many historical and cultural attractions in Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul. The book center sells more than 10 million volumes and welcomes 15 million customers per year from the world’s largest single-floor bookstore. The latest publication fad may be ordering discounted books from internet bookstores, but Kyobo Mungo is always bustling with customers. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of its founding, the mega bookstore underwent an extensive makeover to reinvent itself as a coomunicating bookstore of the future. Here’s its CEO Kim Seong-ryong.

Kyobo Mungo hopes to present a new model for offline bookstores in the digital age. In a future of popularized knowledge and cultural integration, Kyobo Mungo hopes to reinvent itself as a bookstore that communicates with people and leads social change. We want to create a new envirionment for the future and serve as a window for offline communication. When readers come to Kyobo Mungo, they’ll be able to appreciate the nostalgic ambience of a traditional bookstore in addition to the cutting-edge IT environment. Our keywords of communication and leadership can be spotted all over the Gwanghwamun store.

Kyobo Mungo is situated in the basement of Kyobo Building standing next to the Gwanghwamun Plaza. Visitors can find a charming garden at the end of the staircase that leads to the bookstore in the rear of the building. The sunken garden provides a perfect place for people to take a short break or rendez-vous with their friends. The first thing you see beyond the sunken garden is a splendid chandelier and sparkling marble floors. The store looks much more spacious than before, thanks to the brighter lights and raised ceilings. A wide path in the middle of the store takes customers to anywhere they want. Here’s Kyobo Mungo CEO Kim Seong-ryong again.

We made a wide aisle that transects the store from one end to the other. The floor plan shows that the store is square-shaped and there are two paths dividing the square so that customers would have an easier time locating books. Also, these twelve pillars are in the form of a bookcase. It looks as if the pillars are welcoming customers with books.

Kyobo Mungo has a total of roughly 1 million volumes from a wide range of genres and topics, such as fiction, poetry, essay, magazines, cartoons, travel, and health. The bookstore is especially proud of its Guseojae and Samhwanjae corners, which display the works recommended by famous Koreans. First, let’s stop by Samhwanjae.

Samhwanjae, meaning three concerns, emphasizes the three roles of intellectuals – question, learn, and act. The name was borrowed from the library of an esteemed Joseon era scholar, Chae Ji-hong. This is where customers can see trendsetting books. Here’s bookstore employee Park Mi-sun.

This month’s display consists of recommended works on the topic “what is the keyword of this era.” The ten books in this corner were recommended by famous psychologist Kim Jeong-woon. His choices were easy-to-understand books on social keywords and include Emotional Labor, Emotional Capitalism, and I Wanted to Be An Adult with a Lot of Time.

Visitors can find books that best portray the keywords of the time. Some thirty scholars and intellectual celebrities make suggestions on what to read in order to answer the questions posed most by today’s readers. Now let’s go to Guseojae.

The name Guseojae was taken from the library of scholar Lee Deok-mu who lived in the later Joseon era. Guseojae refers to nine tasks related to books – reading, seeing, preserving, copying memorable phrases, critiquing, writing, borrowing, putting the books out in the sun, and letting the wind dry the books. Customers can see how much this cerebral scholar loved his books. The publications displayed in this room fit a monthly theme.

- It feels really fresh and nice. I have easy access to books, which allows me to take a closer look at them. It tells me what the book is about and the key points in the book. I tend to take greater interest in recommended works.

Reflecting the historical significance of Samhwanjae and Guseojae, the two rooms are decorated in a traditional Korean fashion. It feels as if you’ve entered an old library of Joseon era scholar. The main aisle may sport marble floors, but these rooms and the rest of the bookstore have comforting and clean hardwood floors.

Kyobo Mungo also has cutting-edge e-book devices at its electronic book corner. Free WiFi is available there so that customers can download e-books right there in the store. Smart phone users can look for books by using a book locator application. Newly renovated Kyobo Mungo has combined the best of both online and offline features. One of the most popular new additions to the bookstore is a book craft room, where the store prints out-of-print books or foreign books at your request. Here’s Ms. Koh Myung-sun, who is in charge of the book craft room.

We use a digital data printing method called POD or print-on-demand. In the past we used to print books with plates, but now we use electronic PDF files to print out books right away. So customers can order whatever book they want and we print them out right there according to their specifications. Kyobo Mungo currently has 75 thousand different contents.

This is one of the most popular spots in Kyobo Mungo, as its reputation for finding and printing rare books grew among book lovers. In just one month since its reopening, the POD room has seen its customers balloon.
The POD room not only prints old books, but also the works of anyone wishing to see their creation in print. Anyone can become an author at Kyobo Mungo.

I tried to get my novel published, but there were so many obstacles that I couldn’t find an opportunity. But now that Kyobo Mungo has this service, I’m grateful that I now has a chance to see my work published.

In another corner of the store, there is a room for learning. Here, customers can take part in a lecture and conversation with famed authors, a reading class, and a storytelling hour for children. This is a place where people can communicate with writers and books.

- It’s great that there is an event we can participate in instead of just reading and buying books. It’s easy for children to get used to reading.

The children’s book corner at Kyobo Mungo is colored in cheerful yellow. Its door designed like a castle in a fairytale welcomes children to the magical world of books and the sofas of various shapes and sizes invite children to sit down and read their favorite stories.

-It’s nice to set up a separate area for children.
- The new area looks good. It’s not only cleaner and brighter, but also has more selections.

The foreign book section stands out with its red-colored theme. It proudly claims to have Korea’s largest foreign book selection with about 150 thousand titles. There is an art gallery named Le Musée at one corner of the foreign book section, where more than 3,000 different books on fine art, sculpture, fashion, and design entice artists.

Kyobo Mungo offers not only books, but also music CDs and records. Customers can enjoy various music at the digitalized music player devices set up in the music department. Music masters are also ready to answer your questions about music and make recommendations.

- It’s easy for me to buy CDs here, because other bookstores don’t have such a wide music selection. Some say that the music CD industry is in decline, but it’s great to have a place in Gwanghwamun where I can listen to music.
-The bookstore has become richer with remodeling. I come here to buy textbooks or DVDs for my relatives in Japan. I think I’m going to come here very often.

Approximately 30 thousand new books come into the Gwanghwamun branch of Kyobo Mungo. It’s truly a treasure trove of new trendsetting knowledge, but the transformed mega bookstore has gone beyond being just a storehouse of academic contents. It is now a place where you can enjoy a relaxing moment and get a glimpse of Korea’s dynamic culture.