Everyone needs a certain amount of time to think. How about having some time alone in a quiet bookstore? Let’s stop doing housework on our day off and enjoy some leisure time! If you look around Seoul, there are unique bookstores that you inadvertently passed by. Buying books on the Internet is more common these days and it’s often cumbersome to go to the bookstore to buy books. However, if a bookstore selling books has its own special space, concept or culture, it can feel exciting to shop there. Pharos would like to introduce several bookstores in Seoul, where each bookstore has its own character and leaves you with a distinct feelings.

 Schrodinger was located at Seoul Jongno-gu Naksan-gil 19. However, it has been relocated to Noam-gil 42 in Gangneung, the author’s hometown. The operation hours are from 12:00 to 20:00 on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 12:00 to 21:00 on weekends. First of all, Schrodinger is the name of a scientist who used cats in experiments to prove the imperfections of quantum mechanics. Because of this, the name of the cat concept bookstore is Schrodinger. The Schrodinger bookstore is a cat bookstore because they only sell books about cats. Thanks to this, it is famous as a sacred place for cat butlers and is open to all cat lovers. There ar cat props, stationery, and everything related to cats, regardless of genres such as picture books, essays, novels, and poetry. The bookstore was made by remodeling a small bathhouse, so the interior is a little small but charming. Some of the profits are donated to animal protection organizations such as the animal protection civic group KARA and the Korea Cat Protection Association. As a result, you can help cats when you purchase books.

An exhibition of Hwayang Yeonhwa is being held at the place where Schrodinger was located. Hwayang Yeonhwa means the most beautiful moment in our life. Hwayang Yeonhwa is a story workshop where photographic frames of writer Lee Kyung-mo are being displayed. Citing the author, it is said to create a small space with a story of life and a life frame that supports your own life. In addition, it is written that we hope that the memories, records, and traces of life will be contained in our life frame and cherished for a long time as our most brilliant and glorious days.

 Bistake is a popular Hamburg steak restaurant in Meogeun-dong. The main dish is Hamburg steak, but other dishes also taste very good. It is located at Seoul Seodaemun-gu Chungjeong-ro 6-gil, and has a break time from 14:30 to 17:30 on weekdays, and is closed on weekends. Hamburg steak is the main dish, and a special type of spaghetti is prepared for each day. It may seem a little unfamiliar because the soy sauce is embedded in the meat, not the way you normally put sauce on the hamburger steak. However, the crunchy salad with perfectly seasoned onions and sour dressing underneath keeps it from being too greasy. In addition, it is recommended to pop a half boiled egg on top of rice and eat it with rice. Be aware that the waiting time may be long because the restaurant is not It also takes some time for the food to come out because there are few employees.

 Your Mind is located on the right-hand side of Seoul Seodaemun-gu Yeonhui-ro 11-ra-gil. It is open from 13:00 to 20:00 every day and is closed on Tuesdays. It is a small bookstore hidden in a place where you can’t imagine a bookstore being at all, showing off its unique charm. It looks like a family house, so you wouldn’t think it's a bookstore. If you open the iron gate, pass the yard, and go up the stairs, you can see the bookstore. There are a variety of shops, from prop shops to living shops and botanical shops, where cute props are gathered. It is a bookstore that expresses emotions very well, and the most impressive book was a collection of photo cards of old movies. There were a variety of things to see, ranging from small postcards to calendars, stickers, and artistic books. Right next to the bookstore, there is a machine called ‘a small book vending machine,’ selling things from small books the size of a palm to flip books, pins, stickers, masking tapes, and key rings. There were various things in the vending machine. However, it is said that it is primarily for aesthetic purpose because it is a little expensive.

 If you want to eat a sweet dessert, I will introduce a good cafe if you visit the bookstore. If you walk three minutes from Your Mind, Cafe 129-11 is located at Seoul Seodaemun-gu, Yeonhui-ro 11-ga-gil 2. It is open from 10:00 to 23:00 on weekdays. It is said that the address of the house became the cafe name as it was developed by remodeling a house. Whipped-cream croiffle comes with apple jam, which is really sweet and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The cafe layout is good for concentrate as there is a space for people using laptops and studying. The bathroom is also gender-separated and clean.

 Liner Note is located at Seoul Mapo-gu Yanghwa-ro 15-an-gil. It is a neat space where books and music are combined to tell stories about musicians. The actual meaning of the liner notes is a commentary on the music and performers on the album sleeves. The name contains what the bookstore wants to pursue. It is close to Forest Road Park in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. After remodeling in January, it will be shown to people in a new way, so you can look forward to it.

 We have toured three bookstores in downtown Seoul, but still there are many cafes and bookstores for us to check out. When we buy books online, we don’t touch them even though it is quick and easy to shop. But if you go to a store and look around, you won’t be able to come out without buying something. Let’s relieve our fatigue by reading various kinds of books in a cozy bookstore instead of just feeling bored shopping online. If you enjoy the bookstore and it leaves a good impression, you will visit it again next time. I am sure that you will be have plenty of fun exploring bookstores in downtown Seoul.

75th Cub Reporter•CHOI HYUN JEONG•chj010627@naver.com