Seoul Gocheok Dome to Open Korea's First Artbook Specialized Space 'Je2chaekbogo'... Opening Next Year

Creation of a 2,500㎡ Complex Cultural Space in the Southwest Region with Limited Cultural Access... A Space for Enjoyment and Mutual Growth
Over 20,000 'Art Books' Including Rare Domestic and International Art Books, Pop-up Books, and Photo Books Gathered in One Place

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A Korea’s first complex cultural space specialized in ‘art books’ will be established at Gocheok Sky Dome in the southwestern area of Seoul, where cultural and artistic infrastructure is relatively lacking.

On the 6th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will remodel the vacant space on the basement first floor of the long-unused Gocheok Sky Dome to create a 2,500㎡ scale ‘Je2chaekbogo (tentative name).’ The goal is to open it next year. This follows the ‘Seoul Chaekbogo’ in Songpa-gu (opened in 2019), which was reborn from an abandoned large warehouse into a treasure trove of used books and has been loved by about 400,000 visitors over two years and six months.

While ‘Seoul Chaekbogo’ is a public used bookstore concept space, ‘Je2chaekbogo’ will be a complex cultural space centered on ‘art books’ where all generations can engage in artistic sensory activities and experiences. It will operate as a hybrid space combining a library, bookstore, activity and experience areas, and relaxation spaces.

About 20,000 volumes can be found in one place, including Korean picture books gaining global attention, famous overseas pop-up books, expensive books that are usually sealed in plastic at bookstores and cannot be opened, independent publications showing the creative domain of books, photo books, and art collections.

The space will be largely divided into service and sales areas, comprising a total of seven spaces. ▲The service area includes a specialized art book reference room ▲collaborative exhibition spaces with artists, writers, and publishers ▲event and cultural program spaces. The sales area includes ▲an art book specialty bookstore sales space ▲curated exhibition spaces by the specialty bookstore ▲a book caf? and open relaxation space ▲activity and experience spaces through art books.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to operate ‘Je2chaekbogo’ under the three core values of enjoyment, coexistence, and change, with the concept of ‘spatialization of art books,’ where books become space and space becomes art books.

The city announced the plan for ‘Je2chaekbogo’ and will hold a naming contest from the 7th to the 24th. Any interested citizen can participate. Participants are encouraged to propose names that combine ‘Chaekbogo’ with other words that harmonize with it, clearly expressing the value and identity of ‘Je2chaekbogo.’ Slogans and partial space names will also be accepted. After external expert review and citizen preference surveys, the final winners will be announced on the 11th of next month.

Joo Yong-tae, Head of the Seoul Cultural Headquarters, said, “‘Je2chaekbogo,’ to be established in the culturally underserved southwestern area of Seoul, is Korea’s first art book specialized space. We hope it will be a place where all generations can experience a new book culture through art books and heal emotions and psychology from the fatigue of daily life.” He added, “We look forward to many citizens’ interest in this naming contest held ahead of the official opening next year.”