Libraries become 'hot spots' as living costs rise, but readers complain about noise, monopolized seating
Published: 24 May. 2026, 07:00
![The exterior of the Son Kee Chung Culture Library in Jung District, central Seoul, as seen recently. [HAN CHAN-WOO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/24/09c481b1-2f07-48bf-9148-f63c12e6b878.jpg)
The exterior of the Son Kee Chung Culture Library in Jung District, central Seoul, as seen recently. [HAN CHAN-WOO]
Young people in Korea are flocking to public libraries in search not just of books but also of aesthetics, as they seek distinctive yet inexpensive places to work, study or simply hang out amid soaring living costs.
However, the surge in popularity has also sparked complaints from traditional readers about noise and overcrowding.
One example is the Son Kee Chung Culture Library in Jung District, central Seoul, where most of the library’s 130 seats were already occupied by 11 a.m. on May 14, despite it being a weekday morning.
The library has gained popularity on social media for its cozy interior and picturesque wooded grounds, which include a fountain. Staff say finding a seat on weekends — or even weekday afternoons — has become increasingly difficult.
Jeon, a university student who visited the library on a date, said she was surprised by the turnout.
“I was shocked by how crowded it was even on a weekday,” she said. “The scenery around the library is beautiful, and it’s comfortable to read inside, so I plan to come back.”
A library employee attributed the surge in visitors partly to events held last month, including Library Week from April 12 to 18 and World Book Day on April 23.
“The library was especially crowded last month as events continued throughout Library Week and World Book Day,” the employee said.
![A bookcase display at the Jeongdok Library in Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 14 [HAN CHAN-WOO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/24/25c2113e-3199-4a4c-b1b8-94e63e7ffa34.jpg)
A bookcase display at the Jeongdok Library in Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 14 [HAN CHAN-WOO]
The rise in visitors has become so pronounced that the library recently posted signs banning indoor photography after an influx of people seeking social media content.
A similar pattern has emerged at the library inside the Seoul Museum of Craft Art in Jongno District, central Seoul. Daily attendance, which had previously ranged between 100 and 200 visitors on weekdays, has climbed to around 800 since earlier this year.
Social media posts about “library tours” have proliferated, with some users writing comments such as, “The weather’s nice, and I’m broke, so I guess I should try a library tour.”
Government data suggests the trend extends beyond a handful of viral locations.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s 2025 public library visitor statistics, released last month, total visits to public libraries reached 224.2 million last year, up 10.8 percent from a year earlier. The average number of visitors per library also rose by around 8 percent.
“The perception of libraries as solemn spaces is changing,” the ministry said. “Libraries appear to be evolving beyond simple reading spaces into cultural spaces that attract people.”
Yet libraries’ growing popularity has not necessarily translated into more reading.
According to the ministry’s 2025 national reading survey, the adult reading rate — defined as the share of people over the age of 18 who read at least one paper book, e-book or audiobook over the previous year — fell to 38.5 percent last year from 72.2 percent in 2013.
The survey found that six in 10 adults had not read a single book over the previous year, while average reading volume dropped sharply from 7.5 books in 2019 to 2.4 books last year.
![A poster inside Jeongdok Library in Jongno District, central Seoul, informs visitors that laptops cannot be used in the reading room behind the glass door. [HAN CHAN-WOO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/24/0b1e0f7f-3821-4568-8c82-47e222291f06.jpg)
A poster inside Jeongdok Library in Jongno District, central Seoul, informs visitors that laptops cannot be used in the reading room behind the glass door. [HAN CHAN-WOO]
Some regular library users say the rise of leisure-oriented visitors has made libraries less conducive to reading.
Complaints have grown about visitors monopolizing seats for extended periods and about noise from laptops and other electronic devices.
The Mapo Central Library in western Seoul recently introduced laptop-free seating areas after complaints about typing noise increased.
The Jeongdok Public Library in Jongno District likewise introduced designated seating in some areas late last year and adopted room-specific laptop policies in response to user feedback.
Kim Min-seok, a library user in his 20s, said laptop noise frequently disrupted his reading.
“If people need to use laptops, it seems better for them to move to designated seating areas so they do not disturb others,” he said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN CHAN-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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