By Koh Hyunjeong

A festival based on literature and featuring reading events and performances will be held nationwide for five days.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Arts Council Korea announced they will hold Literature Week 2024 from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1 nationwide, including at Marronnier Park in Seoul.

Marking its ninth edition this year, the festival is a venue for writers from around the nation to participate and discuss the meaning and values of literature with audiences.

Held under the theme "Spin-off," Literature Week will cover stories behind the creation and combination of literature with other genres and various stories, including the reinterpretation of novel characters. The event is held so that participants can rewrite the stories of their own lives.

The opening ceremony on Sept. 27 will feature a discussion between writers Kang Woo-geun and Shin Mina on the theme of "Remaining in low and destitute places," while singer Harim will also perform.

Talks on literature and reading events will be held on Sept. 28. The events will cover rare literature sources from the National Museum of Korean Literature, including “Samguk Yusa” (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) and “Yongbieocheonga” (Song of Dragons Flying in Heaven).

The culture ministry's director of art policies, Shin Eun-hyang, said, "As Korean literature is on the rise abroad, we need strong support for it domestically."

"We will cooperate with various organizations next year so that Literature Week can become a leading literature festival in Korea."

hjkoh@korea.kr