Book cafes are a wonderful new space that offer a cross between a library and a café, and there are plenty to be found in Seoul. Offering you the chance to relax with a good cup of coffee, get lost in a great book, and escape the busyness of the world outside for an hour or two, here are nine of our favourite book cafes in Seoul.
1. Cafe Comma
This place is run by the Munhakdongne publishing company and has book cafes in Yeonnam, Hapjeong, Jongno, Sejong, Sinsa, and Apgujeong. As a book café run by a publishing company, it has a wide range of books from the literary community, including the latest releases, so you can read as much as you want. There are several solo seats, so it’s a great place to do personal work.
In particular, the Hapjeong branch uses the entire six-story glass building as a café except for the third and fourth floors, which are staff offices, so it’s quite spacious and comfortable. The fifth and sixth floors have outdoor terraces, stylish interiors, and lots of light, so you can easily take pictures from anywhere. It’s also a great place to take in the views of the Hapjeong neighborhood, especially at night, which is a nice change of pace from the daytime.
It’s much more than a publishing house’s café! They’re also serious about their coffee, which they hand-select and blend, and their bakery, which uses high-quality ingredients. Products like coffee beans, single origin, drip bags, and cold brew are available in the store, and you can get a 10% discount on books, the same as the online bookstore.
🕒 10am to 22pm daily
📍 Hapjeong Branch: 49, Poeun-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Book Park Lounge
This is somewhere between a library and a café. The huge bookshelves, designed to reach the ceiling, are stacked so high that any book lover can’t help but swoon. For a daily fee, you get access to over 3,000 books curated by experts, one drink voucher, and you can stay for an unlimited number of days with no time limit.
There are a variety of seating concepts, including single seats and group seats, making it a great place to visit with friends and family – but it’s a library-style café, so don’t talk loudly inside. The subdued lighting and tasteful décor make it easy to focus on your book, and the spacious tables mean you won’t feel cramped indoors. There are plenty of comfortable places to sit alone tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the building, so if you’re visiting, keep an eye out for your favourite seat. For those who live nearby or frequent book cafes, a month’s subscription is a great deal.
Getting hungry? Desserts are plentiful here, and you can even order off the menu from the Italian restaurant on the ground floor of the same building. You can go from eating to relaxing to reading or studying without moving from place to place! If you want to go straight to buying books, the second floor is a bookstore. A one-day pass costs 9,900 won and a month pass costs 129,000 won.
🕒 Closed every Monday, open 11am – 9pm all other days.
📍 Blue Square 3F, 294 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
3. Dangin Book Plant
Located in Mangwon-dong, Dangin Book Plant is more like a bookstore. Of course, you are free to bring your own books to read here as well. It’s run by anchor Kim So-young and feels like a quaint little neighbourhood bookstore, but what makes it unique is that it doesn’t just focus on bestsellers, but curated books on a variety of topics. That’s why you’ll get a variety of book recommendations based on your interests.
There are book recommendations scattered throughout, written with love by the staff, and it makes me smile to see their love for books. The bookstore also sells its own merchandise and other goods, making it a great place to pick out gifts, and the cookies are so good that it’s said to be a cookie paradise.
🕒 Daily 10am – 10pm
📍 10-8 World Cup-ro 14-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
4. Check Grow
Find a view overlooking the Han River at Check Grow book café. The best feature of this place is the view of the Han River through the glass windows, as well as the separate areas for those who want to read quietly and those who want to chat. This means you can fully enjoy each other’s preferences without having to worry about the other’s opinions.
If you’re looking for book cafes with a quiet place to study, the 9th floor is the place to go (you must take off your shoes to enter, however). If you’re looking to chat with friends or take in the views of the Han River, the Check Grow Garden on the 8th or 6th floor is the place to be.
Every Saturday morning there is a book club, where you can read something from the announced book lists and discuss the book freely. Do note that each floor has slightly different opening hours.
🕒 Daily from 10am until 10pm (9F), 9pm (8F), or 8pm (6F)
📍 31, Mapo-daero 4da-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea
5. Yokmang Book Cafe
This place is run by YouTuber Jacheong, who has become famous for content on how to start a business or do business. Yokmang Book Café is a place where you can enjoy books, drinks, and desserts in one place, and it provides free wireless stands, reading tables, blankets, vitamins, earplugs, and hair ties to provide the best environment for reading. The books are divided into two categories: books for reading and books for sale. You’ll also find a list of books recommended by volunteers who have achieved financial freedom, and staff recommendations.
The drinks are also very good, and the bulletproof coffee with butter is their signature drink. On the third floor, you’ll find the rooftop, which is a nice change of pace from the indoors. Book talks and book clubs are often organized, so check out their official Instagram to see upcoming events.
🕒 Daily 10am – 10pm
📍 45, Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
6. Coffee and Library
This is a place for books, coffee, and relaxation, and as the name suggests, you can enjoy coffee and books together. It’s a perfect space, especially if you’re someone who thrives on studying in cafes. There are plenty of spaces designed for different purposes, including reading rooms, open spaces, window seats, and group study areas, so you can sit wherever you like without being noticed.
The way to use it is a little different from other book cafes: you pay a fee of 4,000 won for two hours, and then you can use the Wi-Fi, have a free drink, and read any of the books available. In addition to individual use, you can also rent rooms by the hour at an affordable price for studying, meetings, and more – 2, 4, 6, or 12-person rooms are available. You can also get a discount if you prepay for 2 or 4 weeks, or 30 to 200 hours, depending on your usage pattern.
Another plus is that they’re open 24 hours a day! Perhaps because it doubles as a study café, you can enjoy it 24/7. If you need to stay up late to study, have a meeting or study session, find a Coffee and Library. They have locations in Seoul and Gyeonggi.
📍 Yangjae Branch: Baekgwang Building, 13 Nambusunhwan-ro 363-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
📍 Gyodae Station Branch: 4th floor, 35 Seochojungang-ro 24-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
7. Chogo
Chogo (meaning ‘rough draft’) is a book café with a unique concept: you can drink alcohol, and the café is known for its signature drink called the Literary Cocktail. If you choose a cocktail with a book title, they’ll serve the cocktail and the book together, so you can read the book while you sip and savour the cocktail.
There are many books on display throughout the store, and they’re categorised as for sale or for rent, so pay attention to the signage on the shelves. The store is open during the week and hosts various book concerts on the weekends, and you can check out the Instagramfor more information. In addition to wine, whiskey, and other beverages, there are plenty of options to pair with your meal. It feels more like a bar than other book cafes.
🕒 Closed every Wednesday. Open 5pm-midnight on weekdays, and 4pm-midnight on weekends.
📍 30 Dokmak-ro 2-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
8. The Forest Post Bookstore
The Forest Post Bookstore, located at the foot of Inwangsan Mountain, was originally used as a police post, but has since been remodelled into a book café. Due to the nature of the location, the view from the wide terrace is especially beautiful, and the interior is made of glass, so you can enjoy the surrounding nature to the fullest no matter where you sit. It also won an architecture award.
There are a variety of sample books that you can freely take and read, and there are many types of bread and desserts, making it a great café. The Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum is about a 13-minute walk away, so if you are a book lover, I recommend visiting these two places together. In addition, how about taking a tour of Inwangsan Mountain’s footpath, which is considered one of the easiest mountains to climb among the mountains in Seoul.
🕒 Open daily 8am – 9pm
📍 172 Inwangsan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea
9. Sojeonseolim
Sojeonseolim is a bookstore that focuses on the essence of ‘reading while sitting in a comfortable chair’. This white brick building is a forest of books, offering a relaxing place to read. There is a separate seating area for one person for solo reading and contemplation.
As a literary library, various programs focusing on classical works are held here to help more people become familiar with the classics, as well as book talks and after-parties. For more information about Sojeonseolim’s programs, check out their official Instagram.
📚 Read more about Sojeonseolim here.
🕒 Closed Mondays, open Tue-Sun 11am to 9pm.
📍 b1F, 23 Yeongdong-daero 138-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Annual membership 100,000 won (3 free hours daily, 10 additional hours earned)