Book Fairs

Autumn book festivals will be held from September 22 to 24 in Seoul and Busan.

In Seoul, the “Wow Book Festival” will be sponsored by the Korean Publishers’ Society in the parking lot alley area of the lane in front of Hongik University. In its second year, the Wow Book Festival will attempt to dispel the stereotype of reading as a passive activity and mingle books and culture on the street as its concept. Books, plays, and meetings with authors are scheduled. Authors who can be met during the festival are: novelist Jung I-hyun of “My Sweet City,” Han Bi-ya, relief team leader at World Vision Korea who wrote “Walk Outside the Map,” the novelist Choi In-ho who wrote “Yurim,” and cartoonist Hong Seung-woo of “Bibimtoon” among others.

In the Eoul Pavilion in the park in the parking lot alley, public artists will be designing a book playground. On September 23 and 24 at 1:00 p.m. the children’s performance “Girl Jumps on Stage” will be held, and at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. during the entire festival, adult book club members will be reading books. In addition, programs for children such as sculpturing with picture books and drawing activities will be held.

People interested in making books can join the corner “Stories of Books of My Creation,” conducted by star editors such as Kang Malk-shil, CEO of Sagyejeol Publishing Inc., and Jeong Eun-sook, CEO of Maeumsanchaek Publishing Inc. More specific information can be found at the homepage (www.wowbookfest.org).

At the “Books Should Live” (www.bosubook.co.kr) event to be held in the Bosu Book Street in Bosu-dong, Busan, events such as the “500 Won Day” where books can be bought for 500 won, “Experiencing the Bookstore Owner,” street performance of classical music, traditional music performance, and a poetry recital will be held.

susanna@donga.com