“The Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library was built through the earnest love of a father who hoped that the name of his daughter, now a star, would remain as a precious light.” Inscription on the interior wall of the library
“The building with the most beautiful name,” “the most beautiful library,” “a library with a heartbreaking story,” “the first donation-based library in Korea” . . . These are the nicknames of the Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library, located beside the Seodaemun Prison History Museum.
Then, who was Lee Jin-ah, and what is the story behind the founding of this library? Jin-ah was a cheerful second daughter who dreamed of becoming a simultaneous interpreter and making her parents proud. But in June 2003, while studying English in Boston, United States, she passed away in a tragic accident. Just two weeks before the accident, her father had visited the States on a business trip. He and his daughter had enjoyed a musical and a baseball game together. The sudden news of her death left him in total darkness. After collecting himself, the father decided to prepare a final gift, hoping that the traces of his daughter would remain forever. Because she had always loved books, he chose to build a library in her name. And so, on September 15, 2005, what would have been the 25th birthday of the late Lee Jin-ah—the Lee Jin-ah Memorial Library opened its doors. The father’s final gift, which transformed unbearable grief into a beautiful act of giving, went on to win the Seoul Architecture Award in 2006.
From 2009, it was selected for four consecutive years as an Outstanding Library, continuing to inspire countless people with dreams and hope.