Bookshop Refuge

[Anchor Lead]

The sultry summer heat continues in Korea. Small book shops that have been losing ground to large book stores and online shopping have emerged as popular spots for city dwellers hoping to get away from the heat.

[Pkg]

This small book shop is located in an alley in Gwangju. As soon as you step inside, you instantaneously forget about the heat and find yourself surrounded by books. Run by a married couple, the shop has more than six thousand carefully selected books. Customers can indulge in reading while sipping on refreshing drinks.

[Soundbite] Park Bo-ra (Customer) : "I can have more time to think about the book in depth while I have refreshments."

Meanwhile this book shop is reminiscent of an exhibition. Here, customers can easily pick books simply by looking at their cover. In addition, the shop owner personally recommends books to customers.

[Soundbite] Yoon Saet-byeol (Shop Owner) : "It's a small place, but I hope that my customers feel free to take their time to find the right books for themselves."

Local book shops have emerged as new cultural venues that go beyond selling books.