Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Nobel Laureate Han Kang's Seoul bookstore closes amid gentrification
Onul Books, a bookstore in Seoul founded by Nobel laureate Han Kang, closed after eight years in business, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Lee Hae-rin
Korean author Han Kang’s independent bookstore, “Onul Books,” has closed its doors after eight years, Wednesday, marking the end of a literary space that had drawn devoted readers from across the country and abroad.
The bookstore, which had opened in Seoul’s Yangjae neighborhood in 2018 and relocated to the city’s historic Seochon neighborhood in 2023, became known not only for its curated selection of books but also for its intimate literary programs such as a book club, reading sessions and writing classes. Han stepped down as head of the bookstore in 2021 and joined its board.
“The shared sensory experience of reading together in the bookstore was truly meaningful,” Han told reporters on Tuesday at the bookstore before its last reading session with visitors.
Han personally hosted the final reading event, spending time with readers who gathered to mark the closing. The bookstore had gained heightened attention after Han won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, drawing a steady stream of visitors, including international fans.
Han attributed the closure to circumstances surrounding the building.
“The bookstore was sold, and all tenants were asked to leave,” she said. “It was decided that everyone would move out by July.”
She added that her extended stays overseas made it difficult to secure a new location in the short term. “I think I will pause for now, reorganize and perhaps return someday,” she said.
Onul Books, a bookstore in Seoul founded by Nobel laureate Han Kang, has a closing sign on its door, Wednesday. Yonhap
“While it is bittersweet to see the bookstore come to an end, I feel less regret about its impermanence than gratitude — its feels almost like a miracle that I was able to continue this work for the past eight years,” Han said.
Reflecting on the bookstore’s earlier days, Han recalled the enthusiasm that shaped its beginnings. She described how newsletters placed outside the shop were picked up by local residents, shared among friends and eventually brought new visitors through word of mouth.
The closure has also renewed attention to the pressures of gentrification in central Seoul, where cultural spaces often become early catalysts for neighborhood popularity but later struggle to remain as property values rise.
In Seochon, a district long associated with artists, writers and small independent shops, increased foot traffic following Han’s Nobel Prize win appears to have accelerated commercial interest in the area. The area, once known for its quiet residential character and artist-run spaces, has seen a surge in cafes, boutiques and higher-rent establishments in recent years.