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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Pioneering Bookseller Defends Dignity in a Changing Industry

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A review highlights Baek Chang-hwa, owner of 'Forest Small Bookstore,' as a 'godmother' figure for booksellers due to his pioneering and bold ventures in the book industry.
  • Baek's bookstores, including 'Forest Small Bookstore' and the pop-up 'One Year Bookstore,' are known for their unique principles, such as requiring customers to buy a book upon entry.
  • The review praises Baek's unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity of booksellers and the book culture, even when facing industry challenges.

Baek Chang-hwa, the proprietor of the 'Forest Small Bookstore' in a rural village, is lauded as a pivotal figure, a "godmother" to fellow booksellers, for his pioneering spirit and audacious ventures in the book industry. His journey began with 'Gajeong Library' in 2001, followed by operating a small library, and in 2014, he established a unique home-style bookstore and book-stay. More recently, he launched a temporary pop-up bookstore called 'One Year Bookstore' in Jeju.

These endeavors, though ahead of their time and unconventional, have earned him recognition not just as a pioneer but as a guiding force. The entrance to 'Forest Small Bookstore' famously displays a set of rules: "Tourists who only take photos are not welcome, and everyone who enters the bookstore must buy a book." This declaration of a bookseller's dignity has even caught the attention of Japanese book critic Takefumi Ishibashi.

Tourists who only take photos are not welcome, and everyone who enters the bookstore must buy a book.

— Forest Small Bookstore RuleA sign at the entrance of Baek Chang-hwa's bookstore, asserting the owner's principles.

Baek's memoir, 'Forest Bookstore's Thousand and One Nights,' chronicles his life intertwined with books and the challenges of running a bookstore. Despite establishing principles and appealing for "soulful deliveries," the reality proved difficult. Changing culture and systems is a slow, arduous process, often involving compromise. However, Baek remains resolute, stating his intention to continue being a "bad person" to those who "do not appreciate human effort and labor" and who view relationships solely through the lens of power dynamics.

While the bookstore ecosystem is rapidly changing and declining, the work of cultivating a book culture progresses at a painstakingly slow pace. Yet, the existence of a "bad" predecessor like Baek offers encouragement and gratitude, highlighting the enduring importance of principled stands in the face of industry shifts.

people who do not appreciate human effort and labor, and who view the other party only as a relationship between superior and subordinate.

— Baek Chang-hwaDescribing the type of people to whom he intends to remain a 'bad person'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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