'Reading Seoul Plaza' Opens on May 4
Outdoor Libraries Expand to Districts and More
With the arrival of spring, the Seoul Outdoor Library will open at locations such as Seoul Plaza, Cheonggyecheon, and Gwanghwamun. During the opening week, events featuring meetings with "star authors" like Kim Choyeop and Park Sangyoung will be held, along with a variety of musical performances.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on April 21 that the Seoul Outdoor Library, now in its fourth year, will begin operations on April 23, which marks World Book and Copyright Day. Gwanghwamun Book Yard at Gwanghwamun Square and Clear Stream Where Books Were Read at Cheonggyecheon will open on April 23, while Reading Seoul Plaza at Seoul Plaza will open on May 3 to celebrate Children's Day. All three Seoul Outdoor Library locations will operate three days a week?Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The operation period is divided into two sessions: from April to June, and from September to early November.
Silent Book Staring held at Cheonggyecheon 'Clear Stream Where Books Were Read' in Seoul. Photo by Seoul City
This year, for the first time, the city will recruit 10,000 members for the "Hip Book Club," a community for enjoying reading at outdoor libraries. Members can participate in reading activities such as "Reading Mob" and "Nomad Reading," and accumulate mileage points through activities like transcription and reading completion certification, which can be redeemed for tiered benefits.
The locations hosting the outdoor libraries will also be expanded. Fourteen districts, including Gangseo, Gwangjin, and Seongbuk, will operate additional outdoor library spaces. Parks and outdoor yards in front of libraries will be utilized. The city will also launch the "Seoul Popup Outdoor Library," lending out around 1,000 "Booknic Kits"?which include books and picnic mats?to schools and cultural facilities across Seoul.
Gwanghwamun Book Yard and Clear Stream Where Books Were Read at Cheonggyecheon, both opening on April 23, will offer a wide array of activities. At Gwanghwamun Book Yard, "Chwihyang Store" will take the stage from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and a meeting with author Kim Choyeop will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. From 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., "Beatpella House" will present a celebratory performance. At Clear Stream Where Books Were Read, performances by the accordion jazz trio "Ensemble Terres Celestes" and the French classical jazz quartet "La Petite France Quartet" will take place from 7 p.m. onward.
Opening week events will continue until April 27. At Gwanghwamun Book Yard, a meeting with author Park Sangyoung will be held at 7 p.m. on April 24, and the Moonlight Romance Theater will screen the films "The Intern" and "Secret That Cannot Be Told" at 7 p.m. on April 25 and April 27, respectively. At Clear Stream Where Books Were Read, a meeting with author Jo Yieun and booktuber Kim Gyeoul will take place from 7:30 p.m. on April 25.
At Reading Seoul Plaza, which opens on May 4, the "Lego Library," a reading play space in collaboration with Lego Korea, will be available. In partnership with the British Embassy, a "Travel Library" booth will allow visitors to try on Harry Potter costumes. In addition, from May 4 for three days, various performances will be held, including the Seoul Universal Youth Orchestra, Seoul Ballet Theater, "Mikaela" Kids Opera, and "Big Tight" Cheerleading.
Information about opening week events and more can be found on the Seoul Outdoor Library website and official Instagram account.
Ma Chaesook, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Culture Headquarters, said, "The Seoul Outdoor Library, which has been loved by countless citizens every year, has returned this year with an even more evolved and 'hip' reading culture. We will continue to discover a variety of new attractions and experiences that lead innovative reading culture."
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