Sun, breeze and books: Seoul’s outdoor libraries draw 3 million readers this year from all over the globe

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Sun, breeze and books: Seoul’s outdoor libraries draw 3 million readers this year from all over the globe

Published: 28 Nov. 2025, 07:00

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Visitors read books at an outdoor library along Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul in an undated photo provided by the Seoul city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

After welcoming roughly three million visitors this year, Seoul's outdoor libraries have now closed for the season.

This autumn, tens of thousands of readers, Seoulites and international visitors alike, settled into colorful beanbags and chairs under open skies, letting sunlight and breezes accompany their books.

Launched in 2022, the program began with locations in central Seoul, including Seoul Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggyecheon. The idea quickly resonated with the public, and the initiative has since expanded to other districts and even to other cities, including Busan and Ulsan.

More than eight million people have now taken part in this open-air reading experience, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Reading a book while lounging with the sun and the wind, a rare luxury in a crowded metropolis, has become a seasonal ritual for visitors to Seoul’s outdoor libraries.

A visitor looks through a book at the outdoor library in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul in an undated photo provided by the Seoul city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The main sites in Seoul offered a deliberately relaxed atmosphere: beanbags, chairs and shaded spaces, all free and open to the public. Operating from Friday through Sunday, the libraries gave passersby a chance to linger and take advantage of the weather.

“Recently, I unexpectedly spent time reading outdoors, and it made reading feel more intimate and enjoyable,” one visitor wrote in a contest submission reflecting their experiences at the outdoor libraries.

“The moment became a new memory. I realized that a book read in nature can spark new feelings and linger long after.”

Hours shifted throughout the second half of the year. From September through late October, the libraries stayed open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; from late October to early November, they ran from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Across all locations, the libraries collectively held about 12,000 books. Hundreds of baskets, each containing around seven titles, served as the primary system of display.

Instead of searching a catalog, visitors discovered books by chance, a design that encouraged serendipitous encounters. Separate curations aimed at international visitors were also available.

A visitor reads a book at an outdoor library in Seoul Plaza in central Seoul in an undated photo provided by the Seoul city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Despite the open-air setup, only 0.58 percent of books were reported lost this year, according to city data, a figure officials cite as evidence of how users care for the collection.

The expansion has also attracted global interest. Twenty-two institutions visited the libraries this year, including officials from Kyoto and Okinawa in Japan and a group of Penn State University students participating as part of a class.

“For international visitors, we made sure foreign-language books were included in almost every basket,” a city official said.

From September to November, 15 percent of users were foreign visitors; earlier in the year, the figure was 11 percent. In response, the city government added 2,000 foreign-language books to the collection.

The offerings included works not only in English but also translated editions of Korean literature in other languages, such as Chinese, Japanese, German and Arabic.

Roughly 10 percent of the collection was in English, with Nobel laureate Han Kang being among the featured authors.

An area at an outdoor library in Seoul Plaza in central Seoul displays a collection of curated books in an undated photo provided by the Seoul city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The libraries operate in two seasonal sessions and are scheduled to reopen in spring next year. This year’s program ran from April 23 to late June and again from Sept. 5 to Nov. 2; the libraries close in the summer months because of heat and monsoon weather. Beyond the central hubs, outdoor libraries appeared in 14 additional districts, including Gangseo, Gwangjin and Seongbuk.

Smaller “pop-up” versions have also proliferated. Set up in schools and municipal facilities, these 108 pop-ups use kits containing books and camping chairs, allowing institutions to recreate the outdoor reading experience in their own communities.

People dressed in traditional Peruvian costumes pose for a photo at a booth set up by the Peruvian Embassy in Seoul at the outdoor library in Seoul Plaza in central Seoul, in an undated photo provided by the Seoul city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The program has also served as an informal venue for cultural exchanges. Partnering with embassies and cultural centers from 10 countries, including Britain, Ireland, Peru and India, the libraries introduced visitors to a variety of national traditions and literature.

Each country conducted its own programs. The Indian Embassy offered yoga-related sessions, while the Irish Embassy hosted lectures, including a writing class led by author Sinead Moriarty.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]