::A Geek in Korea::

In Gwanghwamun (On Subway line 5) in Seoul,  there is a Kyobo bookstore.  This is particular bookstore is close to the iconic Yi Sun Shin statue. I hit this bookstore about half the time I go to Seoul. It’s got a large foreign book section. Like every bookstore in Korea that have a large foreign book collection, it can be rather pricey to pick up a number of books for casual reading. Check out my books.

When we were at the counter, the clerk asked my wife if we had a membership card. We don’t give out personal information to people as a habit, so we weren’t interested. That is, until they mentioned that foreign books (possibly only from the USA?) would be discounted 10% for members. They handed us a membership pamphlet and told us to go to an information center near the entrance by the revolving door to the subway.

We wouldn’t have signed up for the membership card for my wife, because you had to sign over your Korean identification number and lots of other prize information. However, as a foreigner, I had to offer only my name, address, and a phone number. They didn’t even check my identification card to see my name, so I could have even provided even less identifying information (AKA, lied my butt off) if I wanted.

For the effort involved in signing up for the card, and the 10% discount, it was worth it. It even came with a 18k gold bookmark! Nice. It’s not Half Price Books, but it’s better than nothing.

Does anyone know if the bookstore in COEX Mall has a similar program?