Arts & culture
Baedari Secondhand Bookstore Alley
배다리 헌책방골목
70-year-old used-book alley, now new-tro
A 70-plus-year-old alley of secondhand bookstores tucked under the Baedari railroad bridge in Incheon's Dong-gu. Peddlers gathered here after the Korean War to sell books off carts; locals later saved it from closure and it's now the "Baedari Culture and Art Street." Go to browse dusty stacks, hunt for a hidden find, and see K-drama and film shooting spots.
What to see & do
K-drama and film locations Hanmi Bookstore appeared in Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Jiphyeonjeon in Extreme Job, and Abel Bookstore's sign in a film.
Decades-old used bookstores Browse long-standing shops like Samseong Seorim, Daecheong Seorim, and Jiphyeonjeon, Incheon's oldest secondhand bookstore.
Treasure hunting the stacks Wander the quaint two- and three-story shops and you might dig a rare find out of the dusty shelves.
Eat & do here
- Cha Book Cafe차북카페 Book cafe furnished with antique tables, chairs, lamps and old vinyl; serves hand-drip coffee and fruit teas made from house fruit extract.
- Ppallaeteo Cafe빨래터카페 A hanok cafe set in a converted inn; named after a 1924 communal washing place ('ppallaeteo') uncovered during renovation.
- Danbi Workshop단비공방 Make or order a custom pet portrait or a stuffed doll of your pet as a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
- Hanmi Bookstore한미서점 Secondhand bookshop known as a Guardian: The Lonely and Great God filming spot.
- Jiphyeonjeon집현전 Incheon's oldest used bookstore, seen as a crime gang's hideout in the film Extreme Job.
- Abel Bookstore아벨서점 A used bookshop over half a century old; its sign was featured in a movie.
- Samseong Seorim삼성서림 Long-running secondhand bookstore that has kept the alley for decades.
- Daecheong Seorim대청서림 Another decades-old used bookstore lining the alley.
Source: Korea Tourism Organization, “Korean Streets & Alleys” (2024). Rewritten for DealSeoul; details may have changed since 2024, confirm hours and openings before you go.
