Han Kang's bookstore closes after final day of business... "I’m grateful to have done this for eight years"

[Financial News] The independent bookstore opened by Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Han Kang has closed after eight years.
On the 8th, the independent bookstore Bookstore Today said on social networking service that it was grateful to the customers who helped complete the store over the past eight years. It also thanked everyone who had offered support and encouragement.
Earlier, the bookstore said on the 20th of last month that it would hold its final day of business at this location on July 7, 2026, exactly three years after welcoming customers in the alley of Tongui-dong, Seochon, after leaving Yangjae-dong.
It added that it had been a meaningful time to rent and renovate a space of just over 33 square meters, light it up, bring in books and meet customers, introduce a seasonal "writer's bookshelf," and host readings and workshops with good people.
The bookstore said it had begun preparing in earnest in July 2018 and first opened in September, so it was now pausing its journey at the eight-year mark. It added that the timing and location of a possible reopening had not yet been decided.
Bookstore Today first opened in September 2018 in Yangjae-dong, Seocho District, Seoul, before moving to Tongui-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, in July 2023. Han Kang personally handled the early curation and planned various events herself, showing a deep affection for the bookstore's operations. She later stepped back from management and is said to have served as an inside director.
When Han Kang was named the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, crowds flocked to the bookstore and business was temporarily suspended. The bookstore later posted on social networking service that Han Kang was no longer involved in its operations.
In an interview with Yonhap News TV, Han Kang reflected on the decision to end operations.
She said, "When I first came to this space, it felt strangely like going back to the beginning, because it was empty and the bookshelves had just been installed, right before the books were placed on them."
She continued, "I wanted to keep it going longer, but the bookstore building was sold and all the tenants had to move out. It is sad to close this space after eight years, but right now I want to be thankful for having done this for the past eight years rather than feel sad about it."
Han Kang added, "For the time being, I am not in a position to take on such a demanding task, so we are stopping here for now. If time passes and I regain the strength and conditions I need, maybe I can do it again then." She also said, "I am grateful to the customers who came every day, chose books, and read here, because they completed our bookstore."
Meanwhile, Han Kang became the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024.
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Su-yeon Reporter