Suwon Starfield Library – Is it Worth Visiting in South Korea? 

If you’re travelling to Seoul, then you can’t miss the beautiful Suwon Starfield Library.

It’s currently the largest library in South Korea, with over 70,000 volumes stacked in 72-foot bookshelves which span four floors.

As a book lover, I’ve had this library on my literary bucket list since it first opened. It was just as magical as I hoped it would be.

However, this bibliophile’s paradise often goes viral on social media. So, there are some things you should know before you visit.

Here is a complete guide to Starfield Library Suwon, including how to get there and important travel tips. 

What is Suwon Starfield Library? 

Suwon Starfield Library is the largest and prettiest library in South Korea, located inside Starfield Suwon shopping mall. 

It’s a bibliophile’s paradise with four floors (4th to 7th floors) of bookshelves standing at over 72 feet (21 metres). 

This is 8 metres taller than the book towers in Seoul’s COEX Mall. But it sees a fraction of the crowds. 

As it’s located inside a shopping centre, there are plenty of cafés around the library to relax and take in the views, including the famous Vinyl Café.

Suwon is also an easy day trip from Seoul, with lots of things to do like Hwaseong Fortress. 

It’s less than an hour away by public transport, so it doesn’t require a huge amount of effort to visit. 

How to Visit Suwon from Seoul 

Suwon is located around an hour away from Seoul by train, and you can visit by using the Seoul metro. 

Take Line 1 from Seoul Station to Hwaseo Station. Then, take exit 1 and walk through the underground passage to Starfield Suwon. 

Once you enter the shopping centre, head up to the 4th floor to Suwon Starfield Library. It will be signposted the entire way. 

What are the opening times and entry fees?

Unlike Seoul COEX Mall, this shopping centre isn’t a public thoroughfare. So, the opening hours are strict. 

You can visit Suwon Starfield Library any time between 10 am and 10 pm daily. 

It’s also completely free to visit this book paradise, so it makes a great budget activity on your day trip. 

When is the best time to visit? 

As the Starfield Library Suwon often goes viral on social media, you can expect it to be busy each day.

The best time to visit would be either for opening time on a weekday or later in the evening before closing. Weekends can be very busy in Suwon. 

But any time is fine, really. It doesn’t see a fraction of the visitors that Seoul’s Starfield Library in COEX Mall does.

Arriving at Starfield Library Suwon

As soon as I stepped off the mall escalators, I gasped when entering Suwon Starfield Library. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. 

I stood on the ground floor, dead in my tracks, with my jaw on the floor as I looked up at the humungous bookshelves filled with volumes. 

It’s a literary paradise in South Korea. Even though it’s free to visit, I felt rich to see this place with my own eyes.

As someone obsessed with reading and fantasy worlds, I felt that I had found my version of heaven on earth. 

Exploring four floors of bookshelves

There are 70,000 books in Suwon Starfield Library stacked on four storeys, or 22 metres, of bookshelves. 

There is also a children’s library, 600 magazines and 10,000 LPs in the Vinyl Café. 

There were volumes as far as the eye could see, and plenty of seating to relax and enjoy reading the books on all four floors. 

Just note that most of the books are in Korean. So, if you’re not familiar with the dialect, you’ll have to pretend to read them instead ;).

“The Planets” installation

Another thing I loved about Suwon Starfield Library was the art installation above the bookshelves. 

It’s called “The Planets” by Canadian designer and novelist Douglas Coupland.

I’m obsessed with anything celestial, and so I enjoyed taking a closer look at this colourful solar system from the upper floors. 

Take a seat and grab a coffee 

After you’ve finished taking photos from the 4th & 5th floors, you can also explore the 6th & 7th floors. 

There are plenty of seating areas, reading zones and desks to relax and study.

I loved having a rest on the upper floors, grabbing a book and people-watching the chaos below. 

There are plenty of cafés where you can grab a coffee with views of the library. 

Starbucks is on the 6th floor, and the 7th floor has a food court called Eatopia. 

You can get some great views of the planet installation on the ceiling from the upper floors as well.

Suwon Vinyl Café

A popular place that people visit next to the library is Suwon Vinyl Café, on the 5th floor. 

This does cost 18,900 won to enter (approx £12 / $14), but this comes with a free drink. 

There are sofas set up overlooking the library with turntables and headphones. They have over 10,000 records to choose from.

You can chill out, sip a coffee, listen to music with epic views of the library. What could be better? 

Photography tips

Beyond being a book haven, Suwon Starfield Library makes a fabulous photography location.

I have had this place on my bucket list for a good while after seeing countless photos and videos of it on social media.

The best places to stand for photos are on the ground floor (4th) as you enter the library and on the 5th floor from an upper balcony. 

But I have to emphasise that this library is packed with visitors throughout the day. 

Admittedly, it’s not as busy as the Seoul Starfield Library, but it’s still crowded.

I did feel sorry for people trying to read while others were bellowing at their friends to film them doing viral trends (please don’t do this, keep it quiet). 

My advice is to visit early in the morning if you want to get photos and videos without too many people in them. 

I was the first to enter this library that day and had it to myself for around 10 minutes. Then, a huge tour group came in. 

If you can’t face the early wake-up call, come armed with a little patience.

Are the books in Suwon Starfield Library real?

A wild rumour circulating on social media is that most of the books in Suwon’s Starfield Library aren’t real.

After my recent visit, I can confirm that these books are most definitely real. Even the ones on the very upper shelves. 

Some may just be there for decoration, but they are physical books, not stickers or painted on.

This book trove is an active library and an important local resource. So, you’ll find many people sitting down and enjoying the books.

How they clean the books at the top is a mystery, but they are definitely there. 

Is Suwon Starfield Library worth visiting?

Yes, Starfield Library Suwon was one of the prettiest libraries I’ve ever visited. 

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It felt like a book trove I could only dream up from reading one of my fantasy novels. 

As someone obsessed with books, I was in paradise, and I couldn’t believe this library was free to visit.

Yes, it’s in a shopping mall, and no, it’s not a sanctuary where you can read in peace.

But it’s still a spectacular literary location that I would visit again in a heartbeat. 

Don’t skip Suwon Starfield Library; it makes a fabulous day trip from Seoul. 

More things to do in Suwon

After you’ve finished exploring Starfield Library Suwon, I wouldn’t rush back to Seoul just yet.

Suwon makes a great day trip in South Korea, as there is plenty to do here for all interests.

Make sure to grab some lunch at the London Bagel Museum in the mall before getting a bus to Hwaseong Fortress.

You can take a walk along the city walls and visit panoramic coffee houses such as Paletscent on the way. 

Loop around Gwanggyo Lake Park before checking out the mural villages filled with vibrant artwork or chasing some K-Drama filming locations. 

I also highly recommend stopping by Cafe Dohwa Haenggung. It’s located in the Suwon Cultural Heritage Centre and feels like stepping back in time. 

Don’t forget to visit the Seoul Starfield Library 

If you’re a reading lover, then you have to visit the Starfield Library in Seoul COEX Mall.

This is another literary oasis that has 13-metre-tall book towers holding over 50,000 books.

It’s smaller than Suwon’s library and can be seriously crowded throughout the day, especially on the famous escalators.

But don’t let that put you off visiting. As an avid reader, I consider this my version of heaven on earth. 

Make sure to read my ultimate guide next, with important tips for beating the crowds.

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Save Suwon Starfield Library for later