From used bookstores to free shipping imports, here are the steps I take to obtain cheap English books in Korea.
As a family that reads a lot of English books, I’m always on the hunt for used, cheap, or affordable English books in South Korea. We’ve borrowed books from local libraries. I’ve bought used books from second-hand stores like Beautiful Store, Aladin, or yes24. We’ve bought new books through Book Depository before it closed and redirected to Amazon (RIP free international shipping). And we’ve ordered dozens of books through Coupang’s Rocket Jikgu service, which brings overseas products to the domestic market without additional international shipping.
I get asked a lot about how I source English books for my kids and also for myself, so here’s a step by step guide on how I navigate different Korean sites to find the best price for English books in Korea.
Buy used on Aladin and yes24
When I can, I love buying books used. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible with newer or more obscure titles, but it’s always worth a check. Before you look on typical booksellers, check the big two book retailers that also offer a used selection online, Aladin and Yes24. Keep in mind that the books you can order to be delivered are ones that are made available online by the retailer or by third-party vendors who list their used books on these platforms.
A. Search for the title in the 온라인중고 menu on Aladin.co.kr (yes, Korean Aladdin only has one “d” in the name). This is the direct link to used foreign books on Aladin.
B. Search for the title in the 중고샵 menu on yes24.com. This is the direct link to used foreign book on yes24.
Buy direct from US distributors via Coupang Jikgu
If it’s not available domestically in any of the used shops, I usually turn to Coupang. This is because Coupang almost always offers the lowest prices on English books shipped directly from the US, and they do not charge additional shipping fees. Coupang’s Rocket Jikgu (롯켓직구) works directly with distributors in the US and you’ll receive the books directly from their US warehouse. This is the direct link to their Rocket Jikgu of foreign books. Be prepared to include your passport number (foreigners) or personal customs clearance code (Koreans) at checkout.
Note: I often find books and titles miscategorized on Coupang, so rather than browsing by category or filter, I find it most effective to start with a master search first on the main Coupang search window.
Buy through price comparison on Naver Books (Naver Shopping aggregator)
If the book I want is not available used, I usually search on both Coupang Jikgu and Naver, specifically Naver Books (네이버도서), a sub-category of Naver Shopping (네이버쇼핑). Because Naver aggregates information available through all domestic booksellers, you can get a breakdown of prices including shipping at one glance.
In Korea, the publisher’s suggested retail prices of books are enforced equally across online and offline stores. For imported English books, however, the price can vary wildly. I always look at the price as well as the shipping cost, which is usually around 2,500 KRW for books that are available locally in Korea.
You’ll also find that you can often find the same English book from the same retailer, but at different prices. Check the product details and tags carefully and often you’ll see there are English books that are already in Korea (often called 외서, or foreign books), and English books that are shipping directly from overseas (수입/직수입, or import/direct import). You can usually tell what’s already in Korea and what’s shipping from overseas because books in Korea arrive within a day or two whereas overseas shipping take 10+ days and are pricier because the cost of shipping is built into the display price.
Leveled book series for learning
Lastly, for kids that devour serials or for emerging readers who need leveled books, nothing beats the price and same day ship out of JJ컴퍼니. JJ is a random online English book seller I discovered when I was looking for simple, short leveled books as I was teaching my daughter and neighborhood kids how to read. Keep in mind, however, that the print quality of their books can be spotty. Some of the book sets I’ve ordered from them is fine, some had pixelated text or darkened colors.