Chaekbang Onul in Seochon (@onulbooks_in_seochon, Instagram) The independent bookstore once run by Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang closed Tuesday after eight years in business.Chaekbang Onul (Bookstore Today), in Jongno-gu, Seoul, announced the closure on social media."On July 7, 2026, three years after we left Yangjae-dong and began welcoming visitors in a small alley in Tongui-dong, Seochon, we will have our final day of business in this space," the bookstore said in a post ahead of its final day of business."It has been a deeply meaningful journey. We rented and renovated this space of just over 10 pyeong, filled it with books, introduced our curation every season, and hosted readings and workshops while sharing the space with wonderful people."After beginning preparations in July 2018, Chaekbang Onul opened in Seoul's Yangjae-dong that September before relocating to Tongui-dong in central Seoul in 2023."Now, eight years later, we are pausing the bookstore's journey for now. We have not yet decided when or where we will reopen."When it first opened, Han was known to have taken an active role in curating books and planning author talks.After Han won the Nobel Prize in literature in October 2024, people flocked to the tiny bookstore as its ties to the author drew widespread attention. The surge in visitors forced the roughly 3.3-square-meter shop to temporarily suspend operations.The bookstore later posted a notice on its social media saying Han was no longer involved in its day-to-day operations. She has since remained listed only as a director.According to the publishing industry, the building that houses the bookstore has been sold. Property prices in the surrounding area reportedly rose sharply following Han's Nobel win and the surge of public interest it generated.