[Arts & Culture] 2025 Seoul International Book Fair: Showcasing Korea's new book culture and literary power

It's Friday, which means it's time for Arts and Culture.

We have our culture correspondent Choi Soo-hyung in the studio.

Welcome Soo-hyung!

Thank you for having me!

So, what story will you tell us this time?

Just before we start, do you usually read a lot?

I love books, and I try to read as much as I can.

Me too. Today, I have a story for anyone who loves books, wants to love books, or is just interested in them.

The Seoul International Book Fair opened this Wednesday, and its venue was crowded with excited visitors.

Visiting the book fair felt like being part of a cultural trend, and it was a chance to see how Korean literature is valued around the world.

Here's the full story.

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.

What an exciting venue in there.

But Soo-hyung, we often hear that the print publishing industry is struggling, so what do you think is driving such huge interest in the book fair?

An independent publisher said we're now seeing a shift back from digital books to analog reading habits.

People realize that turning pages, feeling paper, and connecting with content physically is something digital books simply cannot replace.

She also mentioned books offer an emotional connection and that may be what's driving the growing enthusiasm around the book fair.

The Publishers Association also said reading is now seen as a proud part of personal identity, a shift from the past.

The fair was designed to help people enjoy that pride.

They said that with this reading culture change, financial support for producing a high-quality book would help the industry.

Indeed, So Soo-hyung, has the global perception of Korean literature changed since Han Kang won the Nobel Prize?

Things have really changed.

Books used to be somewhat overlooked compared to films or cartoons, but Korean publishing has quietly developed to a world-class level.

Han Kang's Nobel Prize win became a turning point, helping the world rediscover the strength and global competitiveness of Korean literature, with great authors and high-quality works.

An official I met at the French booth said her win sparked even greater interest not only in Korean books, but in Korean culture as well.

"In France, poetry books don't sell well, so publishers rarely release them. However, they chose to translate and publish Han Kang's very first poetry collection into French, a bold and groundbreaking move."

France, famous for many Nobel winners, holding a key place in global literature,. is now making more efforts to discover other talented Korean authors thanks to Han Kang.

All right, Soo-hyung, thanks for sharing your report.

Always my pleasure.