dbBOOKS offers English-language warehouse sale
A reader looks through books during a book swap at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
The dbBOOKS warehouse will once again open its doors this weekend for its twice-yearly sale, now rebranded as the Welcome to Our Warehouse (WOW) Family Sale.
Located in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, the warehouse offers the largest volume of English-language books available in Korea. This time, the sale will also offer special events, such as a book talk and a meeting of the Seoul Silent Book Club (SSBC).
"Although the warehouse is located underground, it feels like a special kind of paradise," said Emily Serby, an American working as a marketing consultant for dbBOOKS. "People who truly love books know what a treasure it is to be surrounded by them. With its walls and walls of beautifully stacked books and bundles, I found myself itching to browse the shelves, even from that very first day."
A reader shops for books at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Emily Serby reads "Red Sword" by Bora Chung translated by Anton Hur during a Seoul Silent Book Club meeting at Platform P in Seoul's Mapo District, May 3. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Serby, one of the main organizers of SSBC, connected with dbBOOKS when Hahm Ki-hyun, also known as Katch, attended an SSBC meeting.
"SSBC and dbBOOKS are, unsurprisingly, an excellent fit. I had already started getting questions from some members about where to find books in Seoul, so I was initially just excited to let our members know about the biannual warehouse sales," Serby said. "I personally really align with the way that Katch and db have opened themselves up to the expat community in particular. Many of us don’t have family living in Seoul, or even in the same country, so the chances of forming community bonds are slim. I think db is definitely doing their part by hosting bookish community events where we can not only find books we love, but we can meet other similar-minded book lovers."
Katch offered to donate a huge volume of slightly damaged books for an SSBC book swap event, and hosted an event for SSBC at the warehouse in March. Soon after that, they started working together in a more official way.
Members of Seoul SIlent Book Club attend a book swap at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
"To me, what makes dbBOOKS distinct is that it prides itself on getting its hands dirty," Serby said. "We’re involved in more aspects of books than most people would imagine. DbBOOKS participates in literacy initiatives with international schools, partners with authors for exclusive interviews, stocks both school libraries and bookstores and even hosts free events for the local book community. I can’t think of another book warehouse that takes its role so seriously; db exceeds my expectations every time."
People participate in Seoul Silent Book Club on the roof of dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
DbBOOKS is an importer, distributor and retailer, supplying the main bookstore chains like Kyobo Book Centre and Youngpoong Bookstore, as well as Coupang.
"Many foreigners don’t know there is another option to buy our books online," Serby said. "Buying straight from the source and not relying on a dwindling inventory or lack of space like a physical bookstore might is one of our strengths. With our efforts, we hope that dbBOOKS will become a household name in the expat community."
People shop for books at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Serby describes herself as an avid reader as well as a writer, although she admits that she wishes she could spend more time reading.
"Reading, although I don’t get to do too much of it these days with my busy schedule, continues to be my sanctuary," she said. "Books have always been a very special part of my life, and getting to work up close with all the books I could ever dream of reading really feels like a dream."
Her role at dbBOOKS focuses on marketing, social media and event planning and managing. She has conducted interviews with collaborating authors and helped connect with more creative people, with plans for setting up a content creator collective. In early May, she helped organize a book talk with author Bora Chung and translator Anton Hur, introducing their latest translated work, "Red Sword," released on Honford Star.
A reader reaches for a book at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
For the upcoming sale, Serby will help moderate a book talk with Mirinae Lee, author of "8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster." Nathan Truong from Nathan's Nook, will also participate.
Of the book, Serby said, "It is an incredibly painful read, but I believe it is a story that needs to be told. [Lee] is a masterful storyteller and I could listen to her speak all day. When I found out that '8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster' was inspired by Lee’s own great-aunt, it became even more extraordinary to me."
A reader browses through books at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Serby said she started reading English-translated Korean fiction as a means to understand the culture she was immersing herself in.
"Translated fiction is my jam," she said. "I mostly enjoy the weird and the grotesque — think body horror — and especially the trope of the unraveling woman. Luckily for me, Korean writers do all these things very well! My favorite Korean translations have all been earth-shattering and left me reeling. You know that feeling when you leave a really incredible movie and it sticks with you? That’s how I like to feel after finishing a novel."
She said some of her favorite titles have been "Violets" by Kyung Sook Shin and "Cursed Bunny" by Bora Chung.
A shopper holds a stack of books to buy at dbBOOKS' warehouse in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, March 15. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
It's never been a more exciting time to be into Korean literature, especially after Han Kang's "The Vegetarian" won the Nobel Prize in literature last year.
"I was thrilled when Han Kang won the Nobel Prize," Serby said. "It wasn’t for everyone, but sometimes I feel the most important books are the hardest to read. We need to take a close look at the ugly side of things sometimes. Fiction and poetry are tools that actively shape our reality. I believe that after her win, a trend started in Korea where young people are reading more and being vocal about the material they read. Reading is and always will be political, and it is becoming more of a public pastime thanks to social media platforms."
Author Mirinae Lee holds up a copy of her book "8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster" during an interview in August 2024. Korea Times file
The event opens its doors at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The book talk begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. Afterward, SSBC invites everyone to the roof of the building for its reading and happy hour starting at 4 p.m. On Sunday, there is a book swap with Seoul-based BookerTuber Cari, who runs the YouTube channel cari can read.
The warehouse is in the basement of the SK Techno Building, a short walk from exit 5 of Ttukseom Station on Seoul Metro Line 2. Free parking is available. For safety and hygiene reasons, pets, food, strollers and speed boards are not permitted.
Customers can request delivery on-site for 5,000 won. Visit dbbooks.com for information in English, and tongbangbooks.com in Korean, or follow @dbbooks.co.kr on Instagram.