The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) organizes various Korean literature events throughout the year in Korean Cultural Centers (KCCs) worldwide to support the overseas expansion of Korean books(K-books).

Last month, notable achievements elevated the prestige of K-books, including the poetry collection Phantom Pain Wings by KIM Hye Soon, the first Korean 2023 National Book Critics Circle Awardee, along with children’s author LEE Geum Yi being shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. According to the 2024 Overseas Hallyu Survey, a survey on the perception of Korean Wave abroad, the favorability toward Korean publications increased from 64.6% in 2018 to 70.3% in 2023. In response to this growing interest, MCST is hosting various cultural events with KCCs while strengthening cooperation with domestic and international cultural institutions to promote K-books overseas.

Korean Cultural Center in Sweden, With High Reading Rates, Showcases Over 80 Korean Picture Books

From April 5 to April 30, KCC Sweden is holding an exhibition, “Imagine the Stories,” in cooperation with the Korean Picture book Association. This exhibition introduces over 80 Korean picture books as the interest in K-books continues to rise in the country. Authorial events in Stockholm (March 14) and Umeå (March 16) for the Swedish release of HAN Kang’s new work, I Do Not Bid Farewell, were fully booked. Moreover, Korean children’s literature garnered significant interest after BAEK Heena became the first Korean awardee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to children’s literature.

Korean Cultural Centers in LA and Poland Present Various Korean Literature at Local Book Festivals

The KCC Los Angeles is hosting a booth at the 2024 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April, with over 150,000 attendees annually, to introduce Korean books and culture, including a lecture and book signing by CHUNG Bora, author of the 2022 International Booker Prize shortlist Cursed Bunny. The KCC Poland will invite author CHEON Myeong Kwan to the Conrad Festival in Kraków, a UNESCO City of Literature, in October to celebrate the local release of Whale. The Conrad Festival is recognized as a prestigious literary event in Central and Eastern Europe.

Sydney and UK Korean Cultural Centers Strengthen Cooperation with Local Bookstores and Cultural Institutions

The KCC Sydney is organizing a “Korean Literature Week” in July at Gertrude & Alice, a prominent local bookstore near Bondi Beach in Sydney, showcasing Korean literature and hosting reading groups. Meanwhile, the UK KCC is collaborating with the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea and Foyles Charing Cross branch in London to hold a “Korean Culture Month” in October. These collaborations are expected to further enhance communication with the public in various countries.

Starting in April, more Korean literature events will be held, including the Korean Literature Theater Festival by KCC Vietnam, a meeting with author KIM Hye Jin to celebrate the Spanish release of Listening by KCC Spain, and a Korean–Filipino traditional storytelling session by KCC Philippines. From July to December, a Korean–Mexican picture book translation contest by KCC Mexico will be held, and an exhibition titled “K-Book: A New Future of Hallyu” by KCC Indonesia will be held in October.

The Deputy Minister of the International Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Office at MCST stated, “The foundation of K-culture lies in stories that resonate globally, which can also foster and enhance readers’ imagination. These stories, found in K-books, shape a new trend in Hallyu. To introduce various K-books globally and support Korean authors’ international endeavors, we will strengthen cooperation with related domestic institutions, overseas bookstores, festivals, and cultural and arts institutions centered around the global network of Korean Cultural Centers.”