Kyobo Bookstore

Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch opened in 1981 at 1 Jongno 1-ga, the heart of Seoul, as Korea's first large-scale bookstore, based on the founding philosophy of practical implementation of national education promotion, improvement of national spiritual culture through expansion of the reading population, and creation of a cultural space that utilizes social functions. With a total area of 2,708 pyeong, it holds 500,000 titles and 2.3 million books. The single-floor store is fully open-shelf, designed with customer-oriented facilities so readers can easily access books. The store is divided into 10 sections for rational classification and display, making it easy for readers to find books. Equipped with various cutting-edge facilities and a pleasant environment, it has established itself as a comprehensive cultural space in the city center, not just a simple bookstore. In 2010, as 'Dream Square,' a plaza for dreamers, Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch sought another transformation, providing diverse perspectives and methods of reading through Guna and Seojae Samhwanjae, implementing more specialized customer-tailored services through Learning Academy, Reading Magic School, and Book Workshop (POD), and positioning itself as Korea's top knowledge portal by presenting the role and alternatives of a 21st-century bookstore through the establishment of advanced digital devices and conveyor systems.