Seoul: The Seoul International Book Fair opened to an enthusiastic reception, with the Taiwan Pavilion drawing significant attention as Taiwan takes center stage as the guest of honor. The event started at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center, marked by a lively performance from the Taiwanese Hokkien rock band Tsng-kha-lSng, which set an energetic tone for the proceedings.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan Pavilion’s strategic placement at the entrance of the main hall contributed to its popularity among visitors. Yoon Chul-ho, president of the Korean Publishers Association, which co-hosts the fair, commended Taiwan for its dynamic contributions to the Asian publishing industry and praised the collaborative efforts between Taiwanese and South Korean publishers. Yoon expressed optimism that the fair would foster deeper mutual understanding between the two regions.

Yoon also touched on political themes, reflecting on the restrictive martial law declaration by former South Korean President Yoon Suk-ye
ol in December last year and expressing hope that the new President, Lee Jae-myung, would champion policies supportive of the publishing sector.

Locus Publishing Co. Publisher Rex How spoke about the growing popularity of “Taiwanese sensibilities” among South Koreans, a term he said elicits warmth and friendliness. With this in mind, the Taiwan Pavilion team aims to present various facets of Taiwanese culture to their South Korean audience, focusing on themes of reading. The pavilion showcases 550 books covering Taiwan’s history, literature, lifestyle, graphics, folk culture, tourism, and cuisine, as highlighted by a statement from the Taiwan Creative Content Agency.

Among the 23 featured artists, Chen Xue stood out, particularly for her novels addressing gender issues and same-sex marriage, which received considerable coverage from South Korean media. A press release from the Taipei Book Fair Foundation noted that Chen’s works, such as “Skyscraper,” “Ten Years in a Same-Sex Marriage,” and “Writing Class,”
have been translated into Korean. Chen also participated in events at the Taiwan Pavilion and was interviewed by major Korean news outlets, including the Chosun Daily, Yonhap News Agency, and Korea Economic Daily.