Korean libraries, reading spaces grow multilingual amid demographic shift, tourism boom

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Korean libraries, reading spaces grow multilingual amid demographic shift, tourism boom

Published: 28 May. 2026, 09:00

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Visitors read books at the Seoul Outdoor Library along Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

As Korea grapples with changing demographics and a post-pandemic tourism boom, public libraries and municipal spaces are aggressively expanding their multilingual book collections.

Driven in part by the country's ongoing "text-hip" trend — where reading is embraced as a fashionable lifestyle — the broader policy shift aims to foster a more inclusive environment for international students, expatriates and tourists by ensuring access to publications in their native languages.

For Seven, a 21-year-old from the United States, who asked to be named only by her first name, libraries are a mandatory stop whenever she travels. Having previously worked at a library back home, she views these public spaces as a unique lens for experiencing local culture while also seeking a comforting sense of familiarity.

“I always try to look at the library when visiting a city in a new area,” Seven said while walking around the newly opened Yeouido Brighten Library in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Friday afternoon.

“I looked through the [English] books here, and there were far more than I expected.”

Local authorities are steadily increasing foreign-language acquisitions in traditional brick-and-mortar facilities, while municipal flagship programs, such as the Seoul Outdoor Library initiatives, are intentionally placing multilingual texts into the hands of international visitors.

According to data from the National Library Statistics System, Korea’s public libraries have aggressively scaled up their overseas collections over the past decade — from 3.3 million in 2015 to 6.9 million in 2025 — to meet shifting demands, with nationwide visitors per public library averaging 173,593 last year, a significant recovery from 115,016 in 2021.

English-friendly hub in Yeouido

Despite having opened its doors less than a month ago on April 28, the pristine, sunlit halls of the Yeouido Brighten Library were packed on Friday afternoon. The crowd spanned generations, from energetic kindergartners to financial professionals taking a break from the surrounding corporate buildings.

English-language books are displayed on the shelves at the Yeouido Brighten Library in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

Located in an underground space covering approximately 3,305 square meters (35,583 square feet) in the heart of Seoul’s financial hub, the library features a distinct layout. Rather than isolating foreign books to a distant corner, English titles are integrated directly alongside Korean volumes. There was also a dedicated zone for English fiction and nonfiction curated with literary quotes and photographs.

“When we first opened, we started with around 5,400 English books out of a total collection of some 27,000,” a Yeongdeungpo District Office official told the Korea JoongAng Daily. “That number is continually growing as we purchase more volumes.”

According to library data, roughly 3,000 of these English titles are targeted at adults, while the remainder are aimed at younger readers in a specialized children's zone called the English Kids’ Cafe.

While books in languages other than English are not currently displayed on the shelves, the district office noted that visitors can request specific international titles via an online procurement system on its website.

English-language books are displayed at the Yeouido Brighten Library in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

Between its opening day and the third week of May, the library drew around 70,000 visitors. While primarily serving residents, it has become a popular midday destination for office workers and weekend crowds filtering in from nearby landmarks like The Hyundai Seoul and Yeouido Hangang Park.

An 'accidental encounter' for tourists

For short-term tourists and international residents looking for an outdoor experience, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Seoul Outdoor Library project has become a major seasonal fixture.

This year, city organizers boosted the proportion of foreign-language books across the outdoor venues to 20 percent of the total display, doubling last year's 10 percent allocation. Notably, the selection extends well beyond English to include Japanese, Chinese, French, German and Arabic.

“I was surprised to see books in Japanese out here,” said a tourist from Japan who was visiting the Seoul Plaza area in central Seoul with her family on Friday. She noted that seeing the familiar scripts displayed in the open air was what made her realize the public installation was a functional library.

Visitors read and relax at the Seoul Outdoor Library installation at Seoul Plaza in central Seoul on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

Operating across three primary downtown locations — Seoul Plaza, Cheonggyecheon and Gwanghwamun Square — the outdoor reading zones remain heavily trafficked despite the early summer heat. On Friday, the seating areas along the Cheonggyecheon were the most popular spots for locals and foreigners alike.

“Our overarching theme is a 'coincidental encounter with books,'” said a Seoul city official overseeing the project. “Most of the foreign titles are mixed into the reading baskets alongside Korean books. However, if visitors want a deeper selection in a specific language, our staff guides them to dedicated international collection zones.”

When selecting texts, the city focuses heavily on translated editions of contemporary Korean literature to promote local culture globally, while also tracking acquisition trends from major overseas institutions, such as the New York Public Library, to source popular international titles.

A basket of books, including English-language publications, is placed next to a seat at the Seoul Outdoor Library at Seoul Plaza in central Seoul on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

The Seoul Outdoor Library is scheduled to run through Nov. 1. To further engage the international community, the city offers dedicated guided tours for foreign residents, students and tourists every Sunday, excluding the peak summer months of July and August. Advanced registration is required.

The momentum is equally evident in neighboring indoor public spaces. The Seoul Metropolitan Library, located right next to City Hall at Seoul Plaza, has become an iconic stop for tourists and foreign residents alike. The library operates a specialized section on its fourth floor called the Global Collections Room, dedicated entirely to foreign-language materials.

According to library data, the number of these foreign-language books has surged by 24.6 percent from 47,050 in 2021 to 58,646 as of Tuesday.

"As the number of foreign visitors continues to grow, we are consistently reinforcing our collection of foreign-language books," said Oh Ji-eun, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Library.

Academic spaces follow suit

The trend is also evident on campuses across the country, partly driven by a nationwide surge in international students.

English books are displayed on shelves at the Seoul Metropolitan Library in central Seoul on May 22. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

According to Hanyang University, its library on the Seoul campus has steadily expanded its English-language collection to cater to its growing foreign student population, purchasing around 9,000 additional English books between 2021 and 2025. This aligns with the university's rising international enrollment, which climbed from 7,866 students in 2023 to a record high of 8,919 in 2025.

A similar shift is visible at Kyung Hee University, where the number of foreign-language books grew to 678,884 in 2025, up 5.4 percent from 644,259 in 2023, according to Higher Education In Korea, a government-run university information disclosure service. The trend extends well beyond the capital region. In North Gyeongsang, Kyungpook National University saw its collection of foreign publications rise by 2.9 percent from 1,163,190 in 2023 to 1,197,183 in 2025.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]

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Korean libraries, reading spaces grow multilingual amid demographic shift, tourism boom

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