The bewilderment I felt when I realized that 'Bookstore 2nd Floor' was actually on the first floor. It seems I am not the only one. According to the bookstore owner, even though the address reads “1st Floor, Left Side, 48 Dalgubeol-daero 393-gil, Daegu,” people still crane their necks and linger in front of the building for quite a while. The owner says they watch those who cannot find the bookstore, even though it is right in front of them, with a look that is half apologetic and half pity.

“It clearly says ‘1st floor, this is the 1st floor’ in the notice, so why don’t they check?”

The owner spoke to me in a tone that suggested he didn't quite understand. The words "Well, that's because the bookstore's name is Bookstore 2nd Floor" rose to the tip of my tongue, but I barely managed to swallow them. It was because I sensed an untainted innocence in the owner's question. People don't pay close attention to notices. Even less so the fact that Bookstore 2nd Floor is on the first floor... Just in case, I asked why the name was "Bookstore 2nd Floor." The answer I received was simple.

It used to be on the second floor. But we moved to the first floor.

Hmm, I was hoping that wasn't the only reason... But the second floor doesn't simply mean height. Using the character '異' (yi), meaning 'different, ' creates a new meaning. The bookstore's account and email ID are also 'anotherbooks.' At this point, couldn't a bookstore on the first floor be considered the second? Though, of course, it was on the second floor at first.

The reason I particularly like Chaekbang Icheung among the many bookstores in Daegu is not just because of its slightly unconventional name. Chaekbang Icheung is a bit unconventional, not just in its name, but in most of its composition. First, there is the location. Chaekbang Icheung is situated in Daesin-dong. You could say it is nestled between Seomun Market and Gyesung Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. It is a location that is difficult to explain even to people living in Daegu. There is nothing notable where Chaekbang Icheung is located other than apartments.

On a summer holiday afternoon, I walked slowly toward the second floor of the bookstore from the direction of Seomun Market. It was before the infamous summer of Daegu had begun. The alley was as quiet as a country road. The shops had their shutters down, and a few elderly people sat on plastic chairs placed out in the alley, reminiscing about old memories. Only a bathhouse with a worn sign was open for business.

Why haven't people opened bookstores in bustling areas like Jungang-ro, Gyodong, or Bongsan Culture Street? I simply cannot understand the reason. Even the bookstore owner seemed unaware of the reason. When I asked, they said a spot just opened up here...

The books on the second floor of the bookstore are also a bit unconventional. There isn't a single bestseller here that people typically look for. Nor are there any books that are Instagrammable or offer comfort to the heart. Just because it is a small bookstore doesn't mean it focuses on a single genre or deals exclusively in independent publications. Instead, the shelves are simply filled with books from various fields, curated according to the owner's interests and discerning eye. Literature, philosophy, art, essays, aesthetics, and even children's books. Yet, the scene is neither chaotic nor confusing. A certain texture can be felt amidst these completely different types of books. What kind of texture? If I had to describe it, perhaps it is the texture of someone who truly loves books and is a genuine reader.

Bookstore on the second floor

An independent and curation bookstore located in Daesin-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu. Started in 2015, it introduces books from various fields, including literature, non-fiction, and picture books, selected according to the owner's interests and discerning eye. Contrary to its name, it is located on the first floor.

1st floor, left side, 48, Dalgubeol-daero 393-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu

@_anotherbooks

However, it remains to be seen how this atmosphere will resonate with readers in Daegu. To be honest, Bookstore Icheong does not appear to be doing well. During my visit, not a single customer entered the store, let alone a car passing by on the street. It was even temporarily closed until recently. So why keep running the bookstore despite this? It doesn't make money, it consumes energy, and no one recognizes it. The bookstore owner's answer to this is equally hopeless. “Just… why do I do it?” The words “Sir, you shouldn't be asking me that” were on the tip of my tongue, but I held them back. Samuel Beckett once answered the question, “What use is a poet in this age of scarcity?” with, “I really don't know!” I would likely answer similarly. “What use is a bookstore in the age of artificial intelligence?” “I really don't know!” But I would like to add a slightly cynical remark to that: “But wouldn't it be okay to have something a little different?”

The title is quoted from the “Yvon Lambert Interview ( Daniel Firman , Paris Art, https://www.paris-art.com/yvon-lambert/)”.

Jeong Ji-don

Novelist Jeong Ji-don was born in Daegu in 1983. He left Daegu about 20 years ago and currently writes novels and essays based in Seoul. He began publishing novels after winning the *Literature and Society* New Writer's Award in 2013. His short story collections include *As I Fight*, *We Will Live in Others' Memories*, and *People Who Hate Jokes*; his novellas include *The Night Watchman's Diary*; his full-length novels include *Little Coward, Coward, New Party*, *Everything Was Eternal*, and *...Scroll!*; and his essay collections include *The Joy of Literature* (co-authored), *Film and Poetry*, and *For You, But Not Yours*. If there was the novelist Mr. Kubo who walked and contemplated cities in the 20th century, Jeong Ji-don is the "urban flâneur of the 21st century," often walking and strolling through cities around the world, touching upon something latent within the word "city."