Korea in Focus at Bologna Children’s Book
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Korea will take part in the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2009, which will be held March 23-26, as the Guest of Honor, showcasing its diverse publishing content and cultural events under the theme of ``Round and Round in a Circle.''
``It will be a good opportunity for Korea to promote its diverse content and culture to overseas markets,'' the Korean Publishers' Association (KPA) said in a statement.
According to the KPA, Korea's book market ranks among the 10th largest in the world, with over 40,000 new titles published each year.
Among them, children's books make up about 19 percent of the market, which reflects not only the high enthusiasm that Korean parents have for their children's education but also the efforts of highly imaginative and innovative bookmakers and writers.
The Guest of Honor programs will feature Korean children's books and illustrators and the exhibition of their original paintings.
More than any other trade show, the fair is expected to play an important role in the emergence of Korean children's books, as visitors to the Korean events will discover the fascinating roots of the stories and images found in Korean children's books, which remain less recognizable in Europe.
The event will also present the Korean Illustrators Exhibition, the Korean Collective Stand, and various cultural events to be held at various venues around the city, highlighting over 60 illustrations and 1,000 books from Korea.
The Korean Illustrators Exhibition will be set up inside the Bologna Fair Center's Illustrators Cafe, displaying original paintings by 31 leading illustrators from Korea.
The Korean Collective Stand will be located in Hall 29 with 35 publishing houses and organizations participating.
Many cultural events featuring hangeul ― the Korean alphabet ― illustrated books from Korea, Korean traditional arts as featured in contemporary books, Korean films, Korean comics, Korean treasures, Korean traditional music, a Korean traditional percussion quartet and Taekwondo are also scheduled outside the Bologna Fair Center in venues around the city.
Among the cultural events, ``Manhwa (Korean Comics) ― Pioneering the New Digital Continent'' will be held from March 23 to April 5, organized by the Korea Culture & Content Agency (KOCCA), aiming at offering an overview of the present and the past of manhwa, a genre that for the past century has been growing amidst many changes in the lives of the Korean people. The highlight of the display will focus on digital animation, which has seen much progress in Korea thanks to its advancements in digital media.
Also on display will be various new trends in Korean comics and animation, with works by major Korean comic book artists and animators featured under the title "Korean Comics Today - Masters of Manhwa" and some by young artists leading the new trends and styles in Manhwa. It will also serve as an opportunity to get a glimpse of the cultural impact of Korean digital animation.
Korea has introduced and received enthusiastic responses as the Guest of Honor at the Bangkok International Book Fair in 2004, the Taipei International Book Exhibition in 2005, and the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2005.
The Bologna Children's Book Fair sees more than 70 countries and 5,000 participants gather in the city every year.