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

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 the interior of Chaek Bar in Mangwon-dong, Mapo, Seoul. The bar is known as a space where patrons can enjoy both drinks and reading, embodying the "Text Hip" trend. Korea Times photo by Lee Hyun-joo

Reading is cool

But how has this literary enthusiasm blossomed in a country where six out of ten adults read less than one book a year, according to the 2023 National Reading Survey, which reports an overall adult reading rate of just 43 percent?

Experts say that the Text Hip trend began with K-pop idols and other celebrities sharing their reading experiences. For example, NewJeans' Minji was seen reading Edith Wharton's classic novel "The Age of Innocence" in a music video, and IVE's Jang Won-young mentioned in an interview that she reads works by philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and "The Analects" by Confucius during her downtime, both of which have sparked the interest of younger generations.

In the digital era dominated by video platforms like YouTube, print and old media are offering a surprising sense of freshness.

Cultural critic Ha Jae-geun said, “Like the trend of posting retro items like cassette tapes, CD players, video recorders and cameras on social media, books and text serve as a unique means to assert one's individuality.”

Minji, a member of the group NewJeans, is seen reading the classic novel "The Age of Innocence" in the music video for "Bubble Gum." Captured from HYBE's YouTube channel

Cultural display of intellectual vanity?

Text Hip culture often appears on social media platforms like Instagram, where people post photos of books they're reading, and on X, where users share extensive reading lists to show off.

Some provide recommendations on books “you should read if you want to look cool.” Thus, while some view Text Hip as a new cultural trend, others see it as a temporary craze and dismiss it as pretentious.

However, many experts argue that even if Text Hip has an element of pretension, there's no harm in it.

Well-known novelist Hwang Sok-yong, appearing on MBC's Son Suk-hee's talk show "Questions" in August, responded to a question from an audience member asking if it was okay to blindly read classics just because a celebrity did. Hwang said, “It's good. Better than a Dior bag.”

Literary critic Kang Dong-ho says, “There's always an element of vanity in the desire to identify and express oneself or to show that one can enjoy something refined. But this vanity plays a role in expanding, advancing, and transforming culture.” He also emphasized that, unlike luxury consumption, reading is far more beneficial and equitable.

Books are relatively affordable and accessible compared to other cultural products, with public libraries offering easy entry points regardless of social class. “In Korea, when something becomes a trend, people often follow it en masse, creating hierarchies within it," Kang said. "But if books are accepted as a medium that enhances personal value and the dignity of life, it could lead to a more diversity-respecting society.”

For Text Hip to grow across generations, sustained effort is needed. In fact, adult reading rates reveal a generational divide: while 74.5 percent of adults in their 20s read last year, the rate fell to 47.9 percent for those in their 40s and 36.9 percent for those in their 50s. Today's teenagers, accustomed to visual media, could also face challenges in developing good reading habits.

Han Ki-ho, director of the Publishing Marketing Research Institute, said, “Kids are already drifting away from text. We need a wide variety of ‘priming books' to help ease them into reading. If we don't cultivate readers like this, it's unrealistic to expect that children will just start reading as they grow up.”

Shin Ji-young, a professor of Korean Language and Literature at Korea University, said, “After author Han Kang's Nobel Prize nomination, her books sold over a million copies — an incredible achievement in Korea's current publishing industry. I hope this opportunity serves as a wake-up call for us to boost our national reading rate, fitting for a country that has produced a Nobel Prize-worthy author.”

A person is carrying multiple books by Nobel Prize-winning novelist Han Kang at the Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun branch in Jongno, Seoul. Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.