Members of Seoul Silent Book Club read quietly at Anthracite Coffee Roasters in western Seoul. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Reading is hardly a social activity. But try telling that to the people at Seoul Silent Book Club (SSBC), an expanding group of avid readers who meet up in a public space a couple times a month and ... read quietly for an hour.
Seen in this photo is a banner for Seoul Silent Book Club at a Han River park. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
"We're definitely a social group, and we love to talk; the difference is that we also enjoy coming together and spending time reading quietly, too," Emily Serby, one of the two main organizers of SSBC, said. "Silent reading can offer a respite from a long week of work for many people, and setting aside time to read alone at home doesn't always work out."
Silent Book Club is a worldwide movement, and Serby runs its Seoul chapter, along with her good friend Natalie Bigelow. The two Americans started the club in order to offer more "third places" to foreign residents. A third place is a social setting that is separate from the usual social environments of home and work. Third places include cafes, bars, libraries, gyms, bookstores, parks and so on.
"After living in Seoul for several years, we noticed a lack of third places," said Serby, a Chicagoan who moved to Seoul in 2018. "Expats especially have a hard time connecting with Korean clubs and struggle to find inviting communities. On top of that, many book clubs in Seoul require a fee to join or are selective of the members they invite. We didn't want to do any of that. We wanted to create a space where like-minded book lovers could gather and form a tight and welcoming community, so Seoul Silent Book Club was born."
Anyone who wants to join can just show up with their own book, enjoy a quiet hour of reading and connect with others. Unlike a typical book club, there is no assigned reading and no structured discussion. As well as books, participants are welcomed to bring literature in other formats, including e-readers and audiobooks (but bring earphones), and in any languages.
Members of Seoul Silent Book Club read quietly at Anthracite Coffee Roasters in western Seoul. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
"During silent reading, we set a timer for an hour and during that time, our members are respectful and avoid distracting each other while reading," Serby said.
But it's not exactly a strict environment. "Honestly, the no-talking bit is not strictly enforced," she said. "In fact, a few of our members — including myself — are also parents and bring their children to our meetings from time to time."
She added that her daughter has become somewhat of an informal mascot of SSBC, and inspired her to open Seoul Children's Book Club.
Joining SSBC is free, but the organizers encourage participants to buy a drink when the meeting is held in an indoor venue.
The club welcomes all readers, both foreign and Korean.
"This is not just a space for foreigners," Serby said. "We have amazing Korean members and want to encourage more to come to our meetings!"
So far, they've held outdoor meetups in Gwanghwamun Square, a few locations along the Han River and Anthracite Coffee Roasters in western Seoul's Hapjeong-dong.
"In order to comfortably host a large number of people, we have stuck to large or outdoor venues," Serby said. "We don't want to settle down in one place, though, because we have too many great ideas for future meetings!"
She added that attendance at SSBC meetings has been growing fast.
"Since starting our book club, we've been expanding like crazy," she said. "Public response to Seoul Silent Book Club has been brilliant, and we're just getting started. It's my little passion project, so I have loved seeing our group grow and meeting all the new faces at our meetings."
People sort through books at a book swap of Seoul Silent Book Club in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square, Sept. 27. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Members of Seoul Silent Book Club read quietly at Anthracite Coffee Roasters in western Seoul. Courtesy of Kim Byeong-mun
Serby hopes that SSBC will be able to meet two times a month throughout 2025. She says the club also holds more structured events, including book swaps, collaborations with local businesses such as Tongbang Books and author book talks.
"Seoul Silent Book Club truly has become the third place I believe Seoul has been missing up to this point," Serby said. "We will continue to host quality events, welcome all new members with open arms and spend quality time reading as a community. If you're hearing about us for the first time, we'd love to read with you!"
SSBC's next meeting is this Sunday at Anthracite Coffee Roasters. The meeting begins at 7 p.m., with silent reading from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. followed by more socializing time afterward.
Follow seoulsilentbookclub on Instagram or join the Seoul Silent Book Club on Facebook for more information. There are also Silent Book Club chapters in Daegu, Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province and Jeonju in North Jeolla Province.