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| Poster for World Book Day Festival in Seoul |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gwanghwamun will become an open library for all those who love to read books at a two-day festival on April 22 and 23 to celebrate World Book Day.
World Book and Copyright Day, also known as World Book Day, is a yearly event on April 23, organized by UNESCO. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. UNESCO designated April 23 as World Book Day in 1995 to pay a tribute to books and authors and to encourage people to discover the pleasure of reading.
In Korea, World Book Day events have been held at Cheonggye Plaza, but were moved to the larger Gwanghwamun Square this year to accommodate more people.
It is part of the Year of Books 2018 program, declared by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) in March. This is the first Year of Books in 25 years and the ministry hopes to boost the publishing industry and encourage reading among Koreans.
The festival offers a variety of events to enjoy reading on a patch of green grass.
"Tables and chairs will be installed at the lawn, providing a resting and reading area in the heart of a dreary concrete city," a culture ministry official said. "The concept is 'lifrary,' which is coined by combining life and library, and any place can be a library or reading room."
The "lifrary" will travel around the country after the festival.
The festival will also introduce 20 independent bookstores, which have unique features, suggesting an alternative to online bookshops.
Authors of hit books including Shin Byung-ju of "A Walk to Joseon Kingdom" and prosecutor-author Kim Woong will meet readers.
At the special stage in front of King Sejong's statue, food critic Hwang Gyo-ik will talk about culinary literature on April 22. Hongik University architecture professor Yoo Hyun-joon will discuss humanities in the urban space on April 23.
On April 23 at 12:30 p.m., culture minister Do Jong-whan and other officials will give books and roses to 423 citizens to mark World Book Day.
"The festival is the first public festival kicking off the year-long event and we hope citizens who enjoy the festival will continue reading in their daily lives," the official said.
Visit book2018.org or readin.or.kr for more information.
