InterviewSociologist's 'library without walls' fights social isolation, depopulation

Kim Seung-soo, far left, director of Knock Knock Library, poses with members of the library’s network in Seoul’s Sinchon area in this 2015 photo. The library, founded by Kim in 2012 in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, has since expanded its operations to more than 130 cities and rural counties across the country. Courtesy of Kim Seung-soo

As social isolation and rural depopulation deepen amid Korea’s demographic crisis, sociologist Kim Seung-soo is transforming a simple book-sharing initiative into a nationwide community-building campaign.

In 2012, Kim launched “Knock Knock Library,” an online platform that connects neighbors and allows them to knock on each other’s doors to borrow books in his neighborhood in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Since then, the grassroots movement has evolved into a vibrant community platform fostering stronger neighborhood ties through shared activities.

The platform currently has 30 to 50 daily users, and the range of shared items has expanded well beyond books to include seasonal treats like freshly boiled corn and kimchi, as well as children’s clothing, travel gear and more.

It has also become a hub for community potlucks, drawing sessions, running clubs and other small-scale local gatherings.

The idea has resonated far beyond Paju, inspiring residents in more than 130 cities and smaller towns to start their own versions of the network. Participants now include neighbors from Seoul, Daejeon, Ulsan, Wonju, Sokcho, Gyeongju, Mokpo and Suncheon, to name a few.

Kim Seung-soo, second from left, founder and director of Knock Knock Library, poses with members of the library’s network in Wonju, Gangwon Province, in this 2016 photo. Courtesy of Kim Seung-soo

“This library without walls started even before Danggeun Market existed,” Kim told The Korea Times in a recent interview. “It came from a simple curiosity: What if books could be like the food we used to share over the fence with neighbors on special days?”

Kim was referring to Danggeun Market, known in English as Karrot Market, Korea’s largest secondhand online marketplace, which launched in 2015.

He also pointed to the now-fading tradition of sharing rice cakes and other foods with neighbors on occasions like moving into a new home, marriage and childbirth — once seen as natural ways to build community bonds.

“In that sense, Knock Knock Library is different from Danggeun Market,” he said. “It’s not about trading goods, but about connecting through things.”

“The happiest people I know are those with vibrant social circles, and our work is about creating opportunities for those circles to form naturally.”

Loneliness prevention

As for social isolation, Kim said the library can play a crucial role in preventing loneliness before it takes root.

He noted that many participants are in their 60s or older, a demographic increasingly at risk of isolation as the number of seniors living alone continues to rise.

“Addressing deeply rooted social isolation requires professional care,” he said. “In that regard, the library is meant to help people practice connection before loneliness becomes entrenched.”

He explained that the library focuses on “encouraging residents to cultivate appropriate distance.”

“They’re not overly close, but maintain a respectful presence — enough to offer small gestures of kindness, like inviting someone to a potluck or for a casual walk,” Kim said. “These connections may be small, but they’re powerful antidotes to loneliness, fostering a sense of belonging before isolation sets in.”

While Korea as a whole grapples with population decline, the impact is especially severe in rural areas, where young people are leaving in pursuit of better-paying jobs and higher quality of life.

Kim highlighted the library’s role in fostering pride among rural residents.

He cited examples of individuals who, after living in Seoul, returned to their hometowns to open studios or creative spaces, using the Knock Knock Library as a platform to share information, connect with others and experiment alongside like-minded people.

He also pointed to a recent nationwide meeting of Knock Knock Library managers in Daejeon, hosted by a local neighborhood that volunteered to bring people together and introduce the central Korean city to participants from across the country.

“These meetings don’t have to be held in Seoul,” he said. “If someone says, ‘I want to host it in my area,’ then we go there.”

Kim stressed that rural extinction is about more than just numbers.

“Rural extinction is not just about population loss,” he said. “It’s about losing pride in one’s community, losing trust in neighbors and losing those daily moments of connection that keep us human.”