The Seoul International Book Fair will run from June 18-22 at COEX Mall in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. Shown is a scene from the 2024 edition. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

The Seoul International Book Fair, the largest event of its kind in the nation, will run from June 18-22 at COEX Mall in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District.

About 530 publishers and related organizations from 17 countries including Korea will participate. The domestic section will hold a book market featuring some 430 publishers as well as book exhibitions, lectures and autograph sessions.

The international section will have booths run by some 100 publishers and organizations from 16 countries including Germany, the U.K., Thailand, Saudi Arabia and France.

The theme of this year's edition is "The Last Resort," the idea of finding someone, someone or somewhere to believe in amid a growingly difficult reality.

Because the fair's guest country of honor is Taiwan, around 30 Taiwanese authors including renowned novelists Chen Xue and Kevin Chen, writer-illustrators of picture books, cartoonists, and 26 publishers and organizations will attend.

Four hundred books under the fair's theme "The Last Resort" will be featured based on recommendations by writers and readers, with a focus on the "Best Book of Korea"

The Book Talk Program will feature Kim Juhea, who won last year the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award (Tolstoy Prize) of Russia, and novelists Kim Keum Hee, Kim Choyeop, Bora Chung, Cheon Seon-ran, Han Yujoo and Kim Dongsik.

Film director Park Chan-wook, picture book author Baek Heena, and novelists Kim Ae-ran, Yoon Sung-hee, Sohn Won-pyung, Choi Jin-Young, Jung Dae-gun, Jang Ryujin, Kim Kitae and Kim Ho-yeon will be at the Writers Program.

All tickets are sold out, attesting to the fair's huge popularity. More information is available on the event's official website (https://sibf.or.kr).

jihlee08@korea.kr