Bosu Alley - Treasure of Second-Hand Books
By Shim Hyun-chul
Staff Reporter
Along the meandering alley in Bosu-dong, Busan, a motley group of kids, uniform-clad students and the elderly with their reading glasses are seen sorting through numerous books.
It’s a scene that anyone who has spent their school years in Busan from the 1950s through the 1970s can easily remember. It’s also a scene that people can still come across in the socalled “Old Books Alley.”
The alley winds about 150 meters, diagonally across from Daecheong Junction near the entrance to Gukje Market. Dotting the alley are innumerable stores that specialize in old or second-hand books.
The alley has its origins in the Korean War (1950-1953). When people fled south to Busan during the war, one couple began selling old magazines from the U.S. Army base and other various books.
With more colleges setting up campuses in Busan during the war, there was ceaseless demand for books. Some refugees sold books to sustain their family, while most of the purchasers were students and intellectuals with light pockets.
“At its height, you had to line up to buy books when school started. If you were late, you couldn’t get the books,” said Lee In-sang, a bookstore owner who has been in the alley for about 10 years.
In its heyday, there were about 70 bookstores in the alley. For now, about 50 are in business. “You can get a wide variety of books here, and also good bargains. I have been a customer for 30 years, and it’s really like a treasure trove here,” said Jung Jung-min, who said he has been frequenting the alley’s bookstores since his school days.
To not forget its origin and to mark the significance of the old bookstores, the alley has been holding various festivals and exhibitions since 1996. “Our alley of bookstores here in Bosu-dong, Busan, is the last remaining second-hand bookstore in the nation,” said Ro Sang-gil.
“It would be a cultural loss if the alley were to fade away into history,” said Ro, owner of Urigeulbang, a store in business since 1987. For more information, visit www.bosubook.com