[Beanie Recs] Dramas for bibliophiles
by DB Staff
Ahoy, Beanies! It’s time to gather your collective genius for a recommendation series that features you and your drama knowledge. Each week we’ll drop a drama conundrum and leave it up to you to provide a drama rec, and the appropriate rationale behind it, be it long or short. Respond below!
The library featured in Summer Strike is such a quaint setting, and as someone who has had literal fantasies about living in a library, I’m super jealous that Seolhyun’s character got to spend the night there. Can you suggest any other dramas that feature libraries or bookstores as a main setting?
Have a very particular drama itch that needs scratching? In need of a Beanie Rec? Email us at hello @ dramabeans.com and we’ll feature your topic in a future post.
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Tags: Beanie Recs, Drama recommendations
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1 Kurama
November 30, 2022 at 6:01 AM
In One Spring Night, the FL is a librarian. There are scenes with her colleagues, about her work and with the ML. (they have an interesting room :p)
In When the Weather Is Fine, his house has a library on the ground floor and he lives on the first floor. The book club is reuniting there. The scenes were soothing and cozy.
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jerrykuvira
November 30, 2022 at 6:10 AM
Oh! The ML owned a library in Weather. I guess I was fond of the book club more.
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Kurama
November 30, 2022 at 6:42 AM
It was his job. There was a scene where he bought books, he was sending them to his clients, etc.
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2 panshel
November 30, 2022 at 6:02 AM
The Starfield Library is the most beautiful library and featured in Record of Youth.
https://www.creatrip.com/en/blog/5130
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welh
November 30, 2022 at 6:28 AM
When I was in Korea, the COEX mall was the first place I visited. I was surprised by the huge library in the middle of a mall. It is very cool.
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Kurama
November 30, 2022 at 7:01 AM
There are some beautiful places.
soompi did an article :
https://www.soompi.com/article/1518007wpp/8-gorgeous-k-drama-libraries-that-wed-love-to-study-in
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bbstl 🧹
November 30, 2022 at 8:11 AM
Oh my gosh, what a fantastic article! I’m partial to Forest of Wisdom after seeing it in so many dramas but reading this makes me want to spend a week at the Songpa Museum. Thanks!
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Elin~auditor
November 30, 2022 at 9:49 AM
Aha! I recognized the Songpa Museum right away as being in Fanletter, Please - I think it's the hospital library. I'm bookmarking it for a someday trip to Seoul. I could easily spend a week just hanging out in libraries.
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bbstl 🧹
November 30, 2022 at 11:42 AM
And I like how they’re all so beautiful while being completely modern and unlike the ornate, old famous European libraries you read about.
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3 jerrykuvira
November 30, 2022 at 6:08 AM
For a book setting, I highly suggest Romance is a Bonus Book. I like what it did with the behind the scenes of how a book come to be.
I'll Come to You When the Weather is Nice is a very good one. But instead of a library setting, they come together to discuss books read over the weekend. The little food for thoughts dropped here and there from the books discussed in Weather are a to-look-forward-to.
Similar to Weather is Sky Castle in that it is an avenue to discuss books read over the weekend. Underneath the book discussions lies something else. Even from the wave Sky Castle brought you'll know what else the Book Club stood for.
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4 Unaspirated
November 30, 2022 at 6:44 AM
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryeong is the first one that comes to mind for me. A bookstore features prominently, the ML is an author, the FL becomes an historian (obviously), and much of the drama takes place in the recording room/records library of the palace. One of the most pro-freedom of the press shows I've ever seen.
One where books are less featured but that I can't recommend enough is Our Beloved Summer. Both leads are absolute bookworms and find a haven in libraries, despite one of them being the worst student in his high school class. The drama also just feels bookish to me, from the wistful memories of their relationship in the past to the documentary setting in the present.
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hacja
November 30, 2022 at 7:18 PM
I totally agree with both your picks! Rookie Historian is one of my favorite (my only favorite? sageuks, but don't want to say that too loud on Dramabeans or if I ever was in Korea talking kdramas (Don't think that's going to happen, sadly.) Beloved Summer has the ML totally unexpectedly reading Nietzsche. Interesting choice that I've thought some about since. Plus the proposal comes in a library. Why didn't they show it--why only audio?!? That somewhat spoiled it for me, which isn't too bookish of me, I know!
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5 am1993
November 30, 2022 at 6:58 AM
It's Okay Not to Be Okay
The female lead is a children book author. Each episode features a beautiful animation of her fairy tales and the books also had amazing illustrations. I also enjoyed the stories themselves. There were a few scenes at a bookstore too.
Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
Even in Joseon, they had libraries and bookstores! Goo Hae Ryung was not only a historian, but she also was a storyteller who would read books to other women for money. She often visited the town's bookstore too.
The Red Sleeves
Didn't Yi San and Deok Im meet in the royal library? I vaguely remember her chasing him away with a broom...
Tree With Deep Roots
Maybe this one is less for the bibliophiles and more for the linguists, but I found every scene about the creation of the Korean alphabet fascinating. It's been years since I have watched it, but I am sure some of the scenes were set in the King's library.
One Spring Night and When the Weather is Fine were my other recommendations.
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6 bong-soo
November 30, 2022 at 7:12 AM
CHICAGO TYPEWRITER (2017) is one of a plethora of dramas which filmed at the Forest of Wisdom public library in Panju Book City.
Take a visit at our own @michh’s great site:
https://koreandramaland.com/listings/forest-of-wisdom-library/
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egads aka Dame Maggie
November 30, 2022 at 6:20 PM
Came here to say this. I still think about that book lined house.
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7 Midnight
November 30, 2022 at 7:26 AM
Romance is a Bonus Book
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8 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
November 30, 2022 at 7:53 AM
The comic book store in 2521.
For libraries, Buffy.
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panshel
November 30, 2022 at 11:18 AM
The manhwa cafes in True Beauty and Today's Webtoon too.
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am1993
November 30, 2022 at 1:49 PM
The manhwa library in Hogu's Love. Hogu was a webtoon artist too!
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hacja
November 30, 2022 at 7:49 PM
Sorry, can't agree. That gave off 90s video store vibes to me. In fact wasn't one of the main plot points that after years of work perfecting video playback technology, the police accused her of bootlegging new releases from Blockbuster and there was an enormous public controversy about a young woman illegally copying films, while her Mom repudiated her on national TV?
Meanwhile her friend/competitor decided to go to Russia to pursue outmoded videodisc technology (big mistake!!) At the same time the FL's boyfriend broke up with her because he was devastated that he hadn't invested in a Blu-Ray player.
While having little to do with books, these bittersweet media rental stories get me everytime!
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9 Tizzy
November 30, 2022 at 9:37 AM
The home library in Chicago Typewriter and You from Another Star facinates me!
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bbstl 🧹
November 30, 2022 at 11:43 AM
Oh man, You From Another Star is a whole ‘nother level 👍🏼
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10 ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
November 30, 2022 at 9:56 AM
Here to spread the Chicago Typewriter agenda.
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
November 30, 2022 at 10:02 AM
But seriously, this show is a bibliophile’s DREAM. Not only featuring a gorgeous personal library, but also very deliberate themes on the role of literature in colonial resistance, the power of the written word to transcend human lifetimes, as well as one extremely sexy author-turned-revolutionary.
Can you guys tell it’s my favourite kdrama of all time?
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blessingwind
November 30, 2022 at 8:03 PM
Totally forgot on this great drama. Gives such a different feel about this drama
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
December 1, 2022 at 1:45 AM
Yes this
Accept no substitutes
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11 lillamy
November 30, 2022 at 11:21 AM
I really liked Moonlight. Not only is the drama centered around books and those who work with books but as someone who spent her teens in different libraries, I especially found the main character's love for books endearing.
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12 Jig
November 30, 2022 at 11:29 AM
I wouldn't recommend watching it and it has nothing actually to do with books but You From Another Star did have a beautiful library: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f9/fa/61/f9fa6178cbd49bd47ee0f904554a07c4--you-from-another-star-the-star.jpg
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13 Babylilo
November 30, 2022 at 11:56 AM
Sungkyunkwan Scandal—
Being set in a university, it’s not surprising that books appear frequently in the story. I recall an incredibly steamy near-kiss in a stuck elevator in a bookstore. In another memorable squee-inducing scene, the ML gleefully watches as the FL browses through books in the the university library, and discovers a series of love notes he left for her between the pages. Be still, my heart!
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Screentime
December 3, 2022 at 3:52 AM
Your's is one of the first comments for a show that included the love of words (bibliophile as in love of books for their stories and words) not just books as a set.
Yes, the library was a repeated refrain, but the joy of, manipulation, and power in the meaning of words was central to the drama's story.
I would argue "The Devil" is also one of the best hidden bibliophile dramas. The everyday Librarian (tick...it has a library) is also the keeper of the book of souls. Where in the entire drama is a recording of one of its stories.
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14 technicat
November 30, 2022 at 5:40 PM
Not really a main setting, but I like the use of the library in Queen In-hyun's Man.
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Screentime
December 3, 2022 at 4:36 AM
I love the the beautiful story circularity to it.
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15 blessingwind
November 30, 2022 at 8:01 PM
Romance is a bonus book comes to my mind
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16 LT is Irresistibly Indifferent, Dame Judi
December 1, 2022 at 1:44 AM
Chicago Typewriter has the writing room to beat all writing rooms with huge bookcases along one entire wall. I want that room.
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