《1》 A Visit to the Independent Bookstore in Korea: "Private Bookstore" (사적인 서점) [Paju]
On a snowy Sunday, I finally visited "Private Bookstore(사적인 서점)" in Paju.
Last November, an essay by the bookstore's representative, Jeong Ji-hye, titled "Private Bookstore: A Bookstore for Just One Person" was translated and published by the Tokyo bookstore & publisher "Yoyosha". I read it immediately, but when I actually visited Ji-hye's bookstore, it was such a heavenly space for me that I regretted not coming sooner, even though I live nearby.
I lost track of time picking up many books and ended up buying a few that I liked. I was told that if I bought books now, I would receive a book cover illustrated by my favorite illustrator and picture book author, Fili, as a gift, so I received three.
It seems these book covers were made to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the opening of "Private Bookstore." They are also given as gifts to those who purchase books online. I also had the bookstore's stamp put in my books.
After leaving the bookstore, I sat in a cafe chair, and my friend and I showed each other the books we had chosen and chatted away. I felt as if the precious time I had lost since coming to Korea had returned, and I was very happy. It was a day that made me realize once again that I will definitely work in a book-related job in Korea or Japan someday, and that I will continue to read many books and live a life meeting many people through books.
It is a strange thing, but when you go to a bookstore, the perfect book for you at that moment appears before your eyes as if it were beckoning to you. In addition to that, today a Korean friend who knows me well found several books for me, saying things like, "Isn't this perfect for you right now?" or "This is a book written for you," so the books I wanted to read kept appearing, and my hands were full.
In the books I picked up casually, I found interviews with authors I had been curious about, and in the essay collections I bought on a friend's recommendation, there were pieces by novelists I have recently come to like. There were so many discoveries and books I wouldn't have encountered if I hadn't gone to "Private Bookstore," and it really made me think that bookstores are wonderful. It was a moment where I truly felt that picking up books and buying them in person at a bookstore is the greatest happiness for me.
As I was leaving, Ji-soo told me that Jeong Ji-hye's latest essay is scheduled to be published in Korea this February. I plan to read it as soon as it is published. And I will definitely visit "Private Bookstore" again to immerse myself in the joy of encountering books.
[Gyeonggi-do | Paju City]
Private Bookstore (사적인 서점)
Basement, 180-38 Dolgoji-gil, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do (Seopae-dong)
070-4151-1001
12:00 - 18:00
Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays