Chung Joon-sung's Yeomindongnak (344) Book Day... 'Neighborhood Bookstore'

There is a Japanese documentary film called 'Village Bookstore' that was released domestically.

'I Visit Kobayashi Bookstore Every Day' deals with the story of a small 30-square-meter-old bookstore that has been in business for over 70 years in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture.

The subtitle is 'There is a bookstore you want to run to whenever you waver,' which is the original work.

The film's content, which gave audiences a gentle sense of emotion, goes like this.

Yumiko, the owner of Kobayashi Bookstore, which has been operating for 70 years in a quiet neighborhood near Osaka.

It has been about 40 years since she inherited the bookstore from her parents, but since it is located in a quiet area, it is not crowded with customers.

However, for her, there is something more important than money.

It is sharing stories with customers.

Rather than books, she operated the bookstore by exchanging thoughts about hope in life, sad things, and the idea that life is worth living when there are difficult times.

As the small bookstore became known as a place connecting people rather than a place selling books, it flourished again.

More people from across the country began visiting the bookstore, and it established itself as a tourist content with a story in the region.

The film weaves this success story together with emotion.

The novel was published about 40 years ago. In Korea, both the novel and film were introduced in 2022.

Unfortunately, however, 'Kobayashi Bookstore,' which had a history of 72 years, closed in 2024.

The cause is said to be the owner's age and health condition, which made it impossible to continue operating the bookstore.

It well represents the reality of Japan, a major publishing nation, where neighborhood bookstores are declining.

It is somewhat different from our situation, where bookstores close due to profitability even when owners want to continue.

In 2026, the number of Korean bookstores was 2,484, down 44 from five years ago (refer to Korean Bookstore Directory).

Meanwhile, there are 10 basic local governments with no bookstores, and 5 regions on the verge of extinction with only one bookstore remaining.

By the number of bookstores alone, it appears that a cultural foundation remains.

However, when looking inside, the perceived temperature is different.

This is because there are countless neighborhood bookstores where only about ten people visit per day.

This is largely due to discount competition between online and large-chain bookstores.

Additionally, an irrational distribution structure where wholesale and retail are tangled is also a factor.

As a result, neighborhood bookstores have long ceased to be cultural spaces and instead become survival battlegrounds.

For bookstores to survive, reading must survive, and for reading to survive, society must maintain its depth.....

April 23 is 'Book Day.'

It is derived from the death anniversary of great writers 'William Shakespeare' and 'Miguel de Cervantes.'

It is reported that the Korean Publishers Association will hold a 'Spring Day Bookstore Outing' on this very day.

Couples visiting participating bookstores on that day will receive roses and books as gifts, so it is worth paying attention to.

'Participating bookstores' can be found by referring to the 'Nationwide Neighborhood Bookstore Network.'