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Classics, niche titles offer ever-reliable 'last resort' at Seoul International Book Fair

Published: 18 Jun. 2025, 18:05 Updated: 19 Jun. 2025, 09:36

LEE JIAN
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Bibliophiles browse through books at this year's Seoul International Book Fair at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Despite the controversies leading up to this year’s Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF), opening day on Wednesday was nothing short of robust. From 10 a.m., the halls of Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, buzzed with excitement as fairgoers queued around booths, arms full of new finds and cult favorites.

Founded in 1954, SIBF is the country’s largest literary fair. This year’s edition, slated to run through Sunday, features some 530 publishing houses and related organizations from Korea and 16 other countries. Former president Moon Jae-in, Cannes Palm d'Or receiving director Park Chan-wook and actor Park Jeong-min are among this year's participants as well.

The theme is “Last Resort,” indicating that people can depend on and find comfort in books even if all else fails, with the hope that the visitors can find their “last resort” amidst tough realities.

“Books are our soul and future, and precious nourishment for moving forward in life,” said Korea Publishers Association (KPA) Chairman Yoon Chul-ho during the opening ceremony of SIBF. “I hope the book fair can serve as a platform for a sharing culture.”

Bibliophiles wait to enter this year's Seoul International Book Fair. [SEOUL INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR]

The period leading up to the fair was marred by pending legal conflicts between the KPA and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as the government accused the association of misusing funds. It also faced backlash for privatizing the fair, lacking transparency through the process and concentrating shareholder power within a small group, including the KPA chairman.

This year’s SIBF is hosted by the usual organizer, the KPA, in addition to the newly established Seoul International Book Fair.

But despite the ongoing controversies, the fair is off to a strong start and tickets throughout the entire fair period have sold out from the early-bird period.

This reporter attended the opening day and tuned into the buzz to discover what’s trending. Here are some books and publishers going viral among bibliophiles at this year’s SIBF.

“Torrents” (2022) by Jung Dae-gun

Copies of "Torrents" (2022) by Jang Dae-gun are displayed at this year's Seoul International Book Fair [LEE JIAN]

The book was an obvious favorite among fairgoers, many of whom were seen holding the special edition around the booth of Minumsa Publishing, one of Korea’s major publishing houses. Set in a countryside town in Korea, Jung Dae-gun's "Torrents" is a coming-of-age love story between two 17-year-olds.

Although originally published in 2022, the novel has seen a remarkable resurgence in sales since late last year, making it onto the top 5 on local bookstore chain Kyobo's best-seller list late last year through February. Propelling the hype were younger readers in their teens and 20s who were drawn to the emotionally intense depiction of love and took to the internet to write reviews.

"The Light of Healing” (translated, 2025) by Kang Hwa-gil

Cover page of "The Light of Healing" (2025) by Kang Hwa-gil [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Kang Hwa-gil is at the forefront of Korean feminist gothic fiction, consistently writing about women and society since her debut in 2012. She received the Munhakdongne Young Writers’ Award in 2020 for the short story "Eumbok" and the Hankyoreh Literary Award in 2017 for her novel "Another Person." Both this novel and "Demons" are available in English.

Her style, suspenseful and gothic, is known to be influenced by 19th-century Western women writers such as the Brontë sisters and Mary Shelley. "The Light of Healing" is set in a fictional Korean community that is tight-knit to the point of being oppressive. Kang explores how spaces such as schools, families, small provincial towns and religious groups affect women and their perception of their bodies.

A representative line from the book: “Why do people love as intensely as they yearn, and hate as much as they love? Why do they long to possess, and if they can’t, want to destroy?”

BulkwangMedia publishing

Books displayed the BulkwangMedia publishing booth at Seoul International Book Fair at Coex, in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [LEE JIAN]

As Buddhism experiences a resurgence among Korea’s younger generation, BulkwangMedia — a publisher specializing in Buddhism-related books — drew large crowds on Wednesday morning.

This religious trend has made its way into memes, fashion and music. In literature, it is reflected in books focused on internal peace, such as "Being Peace" by Vietnamese monk and activist Thich Nhat Hanh, and fresh interpretations of love, like "Sex and Love of Buddha," a collaborative effort by Buddhist monks and adherents.

Pinned publishing

Pinned is a small, relatively new publishing company established in 2022 by the editor of author Han Kang’s "Human Acts" (2014).

Despite its size, the booth at SIBF was filled with fans, as well as with publisher Kim Seon-young herself.

Pinned’s curation, led by Kim, features lesser-known authors from the past — such as Kim Myeong-sun (1896–1951), a pioneering female poet and novelist of the 20th century — as well as newer voices Kim has discovered through her years in publishing.

Pinned also operates a quiet book cafe in Mangwon-dong, Mapo District, western Seoul.

“The House of Children” (translated, 2025) by Bora Chung

Cover of ″The House of Children″ (2025) by Bora Chung [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Best known for her International Booker Prize-shortlisted collection "Cursed Bunny" (2017) Bora Chung returned to SIBF with a new novel released in tandem with the fair’s opening.

"The House of Children" is a mystery-thriller exploring child care and caregiving in a near-future parallel universe. The setting is haunting: robots, artificial wombs and the cries of ghost children who were abused and exploited in life.

An English translation has yet to be announced. Chung's works available in English are "Red Sword" (2019) "Your Utopia" (2024) and "Cursed Bunny."

“What It Means to Cook” (translated, 2025) by Choi Kang-rok

"What It Means to Cook" (2025) by Choi Kang-rok [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Pre-released at SIBF, "What It Means to Cook" is a collection of essays by veteran celebrity chef Choi Kang-rok. A MasterChef Korea winner in 2013, Choi recently re-established his fame through Netflix’s hit 2024 cooking reality show Culinary Class Wars.

Choi is currently on a break from the kitchen, having closed his restaurant, Neo — a Japanese venue in Songpa District, southern Seoul — last December. He has mentioned plans to open a new restaurant in the future.

In the meantime, his new book offers insight into his holistic approach to food. "What It Means to Cook" blends reflections from the kitchen with observations about everyday life and human emotion. It is not just about cooking, but about living thoughtfully through food. Choi also touches on themes such as satisfaction, performance, personal values and the rituals of eating.