Library-style cafes rarely spur reading, but provide new cultural hub
(23 October 2015) The publishing industry might be struggling, but book cafes — library-like cafes that offer a collection of books for people to read and purchase — are thriving. Enter most book cafes in the Seoul area on a weekend afternoon, and you will be hard-pressed to find an empty seat reports the Korea Herald.
The cafes’ popularity, however, does not necessarily signify an equal love for books among the public, it seems. One glance around the cafes shows the majority of customers working on their laptops or poring over textbooks they have brought with them; only a few browse the shelves. For most, the book cafe experience centers less on books and more on the quiet atmosphere the presence of books creates.
Read the story by Rumy Doo in the Korea Herald here.
