Book fest features Yi Sang, digital medium
By Chung Ah-young
Around this time every year, Hongdae, the hustle-and-bustle clubbing area near Hongik University, turns into a special venue for an outdoor book extravaganza.
The 6th Wow Book Festival, one of the biggest book fetes in Seoul, will take place from Sept. 7 to 12 in various places around Hongdae such as parking lots, streets and cafes.
This year, it will offer 70 cultural programs including meetings with authors, film screenings, exhibitions, fairs, performances and a street book market, in which some 100 publishers will participate.
The children’s section is one of the most popular parts of the festival in which both children and their parents can participate in, including a book reading session of fairy tales and performances such as mimes and cultural shows.
At a flea market for books, people can sell their own books. As a side program, novelist Lim Chul-woo will hold a reading of his new book “Say Goodbye on Valley,” while comedian-turned-painter Lim Hyuk-pil will share ideas with his fans through his book “Travel to Seoul’s Historic Spots.”
Lee Chae-gwan, head of the organization, said that the book fest can offer cultural diversity on a comparatively low budget. “The festival presents diverse stories and thoughts through the various books. I hope many people join us and enjoy the festival because it is free,” he said.
Some 200,000 to 250,000 people on average attend the festival. “Every year, the number of visitors increases due to the easy accessibility of the area. This year, the size of the festival will be expanded to Sangsu Station. So we are expecting more visitors to come to the festival,” an organizer said.
Yi Sang commemoration
The festival will particularly commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of poet and novelist Yi Sang (1910-1937) in a special section.
Yi’s literary works are renowned for blurring the boundaries between poetry, fiction and essays, using experimental language. His quest for literary passion and psychological complexity are intermingled in his works. Most of his works were written in the 1930s under Japanese colonial occupation. He died from tuberculosis at 27.
Like other genius artists, Yi was never recognized for his writing during his lifetime. Only in the 1970s, did his works become highly appreciated in modern terms. His most famous work is a short essay called “The Wings.”
Veteran singer Cho Young-nam, 65, will hold a lecture on his book “Yi Sang was More Than Yi Sang” to explain how to appreciate Yi’s poems and analyze his works using a modern artistic outlook.
Cho, also known as a painter, examines Yi’s literature in his book with Cho’s unique views and offers insights into the late poet in time for the centennial anniversary of his birth.
Aspiring artists will portray Yi through paintings while an audio performance inspired by his poems will be presented. Some 45 typographic artists will visualize Yi’s works and hold an exhibition of their creations.
Digital book show
As the paper-oriented industry is shifting to a digital era, the festival organizers are quick to follow the trend, offering a space for digital devices and content to experience the e-publication industry.
Under the title the “Digital Book Show,” the organizers said that it should not delay combining digital publications with the book festival any longer as readers are already embracing the e-book trend.
During the show, some 10 booths for various kinds of e-book devices will display their products and visitors can see how to operate digital devices such as the i-Phone and i-Pad and try reading content using them.
Participants can experience the “one-man” publication ― from writing to printing for oneself ― through diverse programs. In a colloquium section, professionals and festival-goers can share opinions on the future of digital books. Authors will talk with the audience about their e-writing experiences and digital publications.
The organizers expect this program to encourage tech-savvy young consumers to become more interested in the publishing industry.