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Bosu Book Street: Put a bookmark in your mind

Take a stroll down the old book alley

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A way back in time
Put a bookmark in your mind in the Bosu Book Street

As life gets busier, we sometimes want to drop everything and rest for a while. So, why not stop and go to the Bosu Book Street to take a breath?

Located in Bosu-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, the Bosu Book Street was created when Busan became a temporary capital during the Korean War. The history of Bosu Book Street began when a couple of evacuees from North Korea opened a street stall, laying boxes and putting various magazines and old books on them. When many evacuees settled in Gukje Market and had a hard life after the end of the war, students and intellectuals could not find books even though they wanted to study. As a result, used bookstores in the street became successful, and as more and more other evacuees opened new used bookstores, today’s book alley was formed.

The Bosu Book Street teems with a rustic atmosphere right from the entrance. The calligraphic styles of the signs and stacks of books show the days gone by. The street seems to convey the warmth of the analog sensation in this digital age, where cold automated machines are prevalent.

As each store has so many books, those stacked on the floor occupy both sides of the narrow alley. The street is jammed with countless books ranging from used books, which once nourished someone’s mind, to new ones boasting stiff covers.

In the middle of the street, which seems to be only full of books, a steep staircase catches your eyes. It connects the Bosu Book Street with the Mural Village, but it is better known as a place for photography. It is fun to take pictures, sitting on the stairs without a care in the world, with one or more books held in your hands.

The Bosu Book Street is a place where you can find your childhood in a faded book you accidentally pick up, and get a black and white picture with that heartwarming memory. Even a tough life where all family members had to live in one room could not stop the people’s enthusiasm for knowledge, which led to the creation of this bookstore alley. Busan people began learning in that space. The unique environment has actualized its own distinctive culture coexisting with books, which still adds to its vitality. Why not pick up a book that suddenly touches your mind when looking at all the books packed in the alley?

It’s time to take a breath and return to the past for a while.
A square bookmark is silently put in the mind of a traveler who walks through the Bosu Book Street.

Overview

Address
16, Chaekbanggolmok-gil, Jung-gu, Busan
Inquiry
Busan Tourist Information Center: +82-51-253-8253
Closing Dates
Holidays (First and third Tuesdays, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year’s, Chuseok Holiday)
Hours
Every day (days off excluded)
Differs by store (closed around 20:00)
Service Fees
Free (purchase book separately)
Traffic Information
Walk for 11 min from Exit 3 of Jagalchi Station on Busan Metro Line 1
Get off Bus 40 or 81 at Bosu Book Street