Substitute for cheap Korean notebooks
November 4, 2022 8:23 AM Subscribe
Where to get Korean 연습장-like notebooks in the U.S.? They're typically B5 size notebooks made of cheap unlined paper.
When I was going to school in Korea I always had 연습장 (literally 'practice notebook'). They're typically B5 size notebooks made of cheap unlined paper, such as newsprint, and you use them to solve math problems (or your various attempts trying alternate approaches), or repeatedly write down stuff you want to memorize, etc. I find these notebooks great for brainstorming or putting initial thoughts down on paper. I am running out of my Korean supply, and as I don't expect to be visiting Korea soon, would like to find something similar in the U.S. I've looked into ordering them from Korea but the shipping costs are prohibitive, for notebooks that are typically under $1 or $2 at current exchange rates (e.g. I paid 1800 won for a 110 page notebook, about $1.28, with thinner notebooks being cheaper).
So my requirements are that it be cheap and unlined, with paper size A4 / B5 / U.S. letter.
One thought I've had is to get a block of newsprint (example) and have it cut and bound into notebook form. Is this something that places like Staples or Kinko's would handle?
Or is ordering from Muji my only affordable U.S. option?
When I was going to school in Korea I always had 연습장 (literally 'practice notebook'). They're typically B5 size notebooks made of cheap unlined paper, such as newsprint, and you use them to solve math problems (or your various attempts trying alternate approaches), or repeatedly write down stuff you want to memorize, etc. I find these notebooks great for brainstorming or putting initial thoughts down on paper. I am running out of my Korean supply, and as I don't expect to be visiting Korea soon, would like to find something similar in the U.S. I've looked into ordering them from Korea but the shipping costs are prohibitive, for notebooks that are typically under $1 or $2 at current exchange rates (e.g. I paid 1800 won for a 110 page notebook, about $1.28, with thinner notebooks being cheaper).
So my requirements are that it be cheap and unlined, with paper size A4 / B5 / U.S. letter.
One thought I've had is to get a block of newsprint (example) and have it cut and bound into notebook form. Is this something that places like Staples or Kinko's would handle?
Or is ordering from Muji my only affordable U.S. option?
These are A5, ~$1.50 / 60pp. Not sure if that is in your parameters.
posted by grobstein at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2022
posted by grobstein at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2022
I buy my stationery supplies from this Etsy shop; shipping is free.
posted by toastyk at 8:56 AM on November 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by toastyk at 8:56 AM on November 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I am terrible at making pretty links, so I’ll just report that the unlined Kokuyo Campus notebook Semi B5 is $2.60 and appears to be meant for practicing writing in ink.
posted by saltykitten at 8:59 AM on November 4, 2022
posted by saltykitten at 8:59 AM on November 4, 2022
I quite like Muji's A5 unlined notebooks -- they're under $1 each. It looks like they also have ring-bound plain B5 notebooks.
posted by ourobouros at 9:35 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ourobouros at 9:35 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Kokuyo Campus Calculate Pad seems to match your description.
posted by stopgap at 9:54 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by stopgap at 9:54 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You can buy an artist’s newsprint pad (the one you linked to has lines), cut and fold the sheets to get the size you want, stack them together, wrap a sheet of (heavier) cover stock around them and staple through the center crease in two or three places. (Staple with the stapler opened up flat and layer some cardboard underneath, then bend the staple ends over and hammer flat) You can also stitch the fold line with a sewing machine or by hand (look up “sewing signatures”). But yeah, Staples or Kinko’s probably have a long arm stapler for “saddle-stitching”. Do not recommend their plastic “comb” binding. Even the spiral binding will untwist. Wire-o is best.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:57 AM on November 4, 2022
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:57 AM on November 4, 2022
I can confidently say if you ask the counterperson at Kinkos or Staples, they will cut down any notebook for you for under $5 but only if the cover isn't a hardcover.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 10:08 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 10:08 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just a note that A5 is half the size of A4. The question is asking for A4.
posted by needled at 10:46 AM on November 4, 2022
posted by needled at 10:46 AM on November 4, 2022
Best answer: Not sure about Staples or Kinkos, but I'm sure your friendly local independent print shop would do this. When I ran a print shop, I used to make custom or odd-size notebooks all the time. Sometimes just saddle-stitched, sometimes spiral bound, sometimes wire-o bound, sometimes perfect bound (paperback book). There was a bit of economy of scale, like, your per-notebook price would work out to be a lot less if you ordered 20 or 50, vs. ordering 1, because the setup was a significant part of the job cost.
Cons: Going to be more expensive than a mass-produced item.
Pros: You can probably get exactly what you want. Specify cover type, what kind, color, and weight of paper you want for filler, what ruling you'd like (if any), number of sheets, etc.
I used to make watercolor field journals for a local artist, she wanted a specific size landscape sheet, 300# cold press Arches bright-white watercolor paper, with a heavy board cover and an oversized coil binding for easy page turning.
I also made field notebooks for a local surveyor, with a gridded sketch area in the upper part of the sheet, and an information block at the bottom, printed on synthetic waterproof paper, margin perfed for easy tear-out, spiral bound with plastic covers.
Exactly what each of them wanted, and something they could not buy off-the-shelf.
Side note: The paper market is just an absolute mess right now, several key mills have closed, there are shortages all over, and stock is often not available in certain sizes or even parent sizes. This is a global issue, and is having all sorts of ripple effects. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for right now, maybe try a small quantity of something else to hold you over, and check again in a few months.
posted by xedrik at 11:39 AM on November 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Cons: Going to be more expensive than a mass-produced item.
Pros: You can probably get exactly what you want. Specify cover type, what kind, color, and weight of paper you want for filler, what ruling you'd like (if any), number of sheets, etc.
I used to make watercolor field journals for a local artist, she wanted a specific size landscape sheet, 300# cold press Arches bright-white watercolor paper, with a heavy board cover and an oversized coil binding for easy page turning.
I also made field notebooks for a local surveyor, with a gridded sketch area in the upper part of the sheet, and an information block at the bottom, printed on synthetic waterproof paper, margin perfed for easy tear-out, spiral bound with plastic covers.
Exactly what each of them wanted, and something they could not buy off-the-shelf.
Side note: The paper market is just an absolute mess right now, several key mills have closed, there are shortages all over, and stock is often not available in certain sizes or even parent sizes. This is a global issue, and is having all sorts of ripple effects. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for right now, maybe try a small quantity of something else to hold you over, and check again in a few months.
posted by xedrik at 11:39 AM on November 4, 2022 [4 favorites]
Do you have a Daiso near you? I haven't been lately (and it's Japanese), but they have a good stationary section and I think might have this.
posted by pinochiette at 11:52 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by pinochiette at 11:52 AM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Hilroy, from Canada, has this notebook, and we can sometimes find in dollar stores or pharmacies here. It's called "Hilroy Exercise Book Plain Recycled". I can't search in the US, Google only gives me Canadian results and I don't know how to get only American results! Maybe you'll have better luck. Here it is at staples.ca.
posted by plant or animal at 12:22 PM on November 4, 2022
posted by plant or animal at 12:22 PM on November 4, 2022
Outside-the-box idea -
Sketch paper pads from art supply stores. These usually come unlined and in a variety of sizes, and they often tend to have more pages than the typical notebook.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:30 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sketch paper pads from art supply stores. These usually come unlined and in a variety of sizes, and they often tend to have more pages than the typical notebook.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:30 PM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you for the various suggestions! The Hilroy notebook was the closet to my parameters, maybe I'll figure out some way to get them from Canada.
posted by research monkey at 9:24 AM on November 17, 2022
posted by research monkey at 9:24 AM on November 17, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
ETA I am looking at the site; so far I’m finding lots of lined Korean notebooks at $1.75. Will keep looking.
posted by saltykitten at 8:40 AM on November 4, 2022 [3 favorites]