People enjoy reading and relaxing at a temporary outdoor library set up in Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno District, Seoul, April 21. Reading has recently become a trendy cultural activity among the younger generation. Yonhap By KTimes On the rainy night of Oct.
22, a dimly lit bar was filled with the sounds of classical music. The bar's walls were lined with shelves stacked with books, either for sale or to browse, with chalkboards inscribed with eye-catching quotes, hand-scribbled notes pinned here and there, and green hardcover menus listing cocktails named after literary classics. Beneath soft pools of light, late-night readers were sipping their drinks and reading.
This is the scene at Chaek Bar in Mangwon-dong, Mapo District, Seoul, which has become a popular destination for experiencing the concept of “Text Hip.” This term combines “text” and “hip” to convey the idea that reading is cool. This is a space where you can read, reflect and even create while enjoying a drink.
The main patrons are university students from nearby and those in their 20s and 30s. They’re part of the generation embracing Text Hip as a cultural trend. Chung In-sung, the bar owner, describes it as "where the reading experience begins with perusing the cocktail menu.
" Patrons can enjoy the Moon and Sixpence cocktail, inspired by William Somerset Maugham's characters who drink absinthe, or The Stranger, a cocktail with Camus brandy, after the novel "The Stranger" by Albert Camus. A photo of.