국내 최대 책 잔치 ‘북적’…소규모 도서전도 나란히 열려 / KBS 2026.06.26.

What exactly is there to see at a book fair? Many visitors are flocking to the Seoul International Book Fair held at COEX in Seoul every day. Interest is particularly high among the younger generation; meanwhile, publishers protesting the commercialization of the book fair have gathered to hold a separate, smaller-scale book fair. This is a report by reporter Lee Su-yeon. [Report] Every publisher booth is packed with visitors. Mostly young people in their 20s, they select books they like and enjoy book-themed games. [Kim Gyu-bin / Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do: "I like the book fair because I want to see a wider variety of books, and I get to know several publishers, including some new ones."] The estimated number of visitors for this year's fair, which features over 530 domestic and international publishers, is 150,000. "Book Talks," where famous figures are invited to discuss books, are the most popular. Visitors do not mind waiting in line on-site, or even standing to watch. [Bernard Werber / French Novelist: "Thank you for coming in such large numbers that the venue was packed. I didn't expect this many people to come."] Another book fair was held at Nodeul Island on the Han River. The 'Seoul Jedae-ro Book Fair' aims to bring readers and publishers closer together. About 50 publishers, protesting the commercialization of book fairs, have set up booths of the same size to meet readers. Critics argue that while the Seoul International Book Fair has gained popularity among the younger generation, it has lost its public character. [Kim Jang-seong / Representative of the Publishers' Group Urging the Restoration of Public Character: "(The Seoul International Book Fair) has been quite negligent in accommodating diverse readers and publishers, and has largely excluded them."] The organizers of the Seoul International Book Fair announced that starting next year, they will increase the space by 30% to ensure that all publishers wishing to participate can do so. This is Lee Su-yeon for KBS News. ** Cameraman: Kim Kyung-min / Video Editor: Na Ju-hee ▣ View Original KBS Article: http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?nc... ▣ Send a Tip ◇ KakaoTalk: Search 'KBS제보' ◇ Phone: 02-781-1234 ◇ Website: https://goo.gl/4bWbkG ◇ Email: [email protected] Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, and use (including AI learning) are prohibited. #SeoulInternationalBookFairCOEX #SeoulBookFairNodeulIsland #BernardWerber