2025 Seoul International Book Fair: Showcasing Korea's new book culture and literary power

Seoul is currently hosting its annual book fair which began 71 years ago to offer book writers book makers and book readers a venue to come together.

And the enthusiasm for the event this year has been even greater.

Our Choi Soo-hyung tells us why.

The rich, nostalgic scent of ink and paper fills the venue.

Crowds have flooded the hall, reading, touching and experiencing books up close.

The 2025 Seoul International Book Fair opened on Wednesday, June 18, and tickets were all sold out even before the event started.

"I come every year out of habit, but it really feels like there are more people each year. It's just so nice to see that so many people in Korea truly love books."

Under this year's theme The Last Resort, the fair has invited visitors to find their own peaceful "last resort" in books.

Beyond books, book-related goods, merchandise, and open-to-all book talks and author lectures are major crowd-pullers, especially attracting young people eager to enjoy book culture.

"Although the publishing industry faces challenges, I keep seeing that many people still love books themselves. There's a reason why a book needs to be a book, even with so much digital content out there. We put effort into creating books that people want to buy, own, and read by finding designs that best complement the text."

"We wanted to show how book culture extends beyond paper into many content formats, like merchandise. And a new generation is rediscovering the power of books and freely expressing their identity through them. Our goal is to create a space where everyone can enjoy and celebrate that culture."

International interest in discovering Korean authors and literary content is heating up as well.

"Korean literature is in the global spotlight, thanks to novelist Han Kang's winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. That buzz is fueling a record turnout at this year's Seoul International Book Fair, with around 150,000 visitors expected by this weekend."

Over 530 publishers from 17 countries, including Taiwan, France, Germany, and Thailand, are taking part in the event.

A German publisher participating in the Fair for more than 20 years says Korean literature stands out for its modern blend of history and pop culture.

"We had a new trend worldwide with young adults, fantasy, romance, and Korea is very strong in that. Korea is very strong in contemporary works. Strong fantasy, which goes back into history but also uses elements of all other popular culture, the integration of popular culture into literature, I think it is a phenomenon from Korea."

The Seoul International Book Fair runs until Sunday, June 22.

Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.