"Human Declaration" at the Seoul International Book Fair... Readers Stand Before Books Even in the Age of AI

2026 Seoul International Book Fair Opens
Lines and Hands Fill COEX,
Reexamining the Meaning of Books

AI does not wait. Enter a question, and it instantly responds. On June 24, the readers at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, were the complete opposite. They searched for the end of the line in front of Hall A and Hall B1, received their admission wristbands, checked the schedule for book signings, and repeatedly looked at the lecture reservation screens. Some had taken annual leave, others squeezed in time during their lunch break, and some, as always, waited eagerly for the doors to open on the first day of the fair. “I took a day off just to come here today. While it’s easy to buy books online, at the book fair, there’s the joy of discovering books I never would have thought to choose myself,” said Kim Seoin, a thirty-something office worker I met at the venue.

Visitors are waiting to enter the exhibition hall at the 2026 Seoul International Book Fair held on the 24th at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

This year’s theme for the Seoul International Book Fair is “Human Declaration Homo Duduri.” It emphasizes the human act of questioning again in an age where AI provides answers at lightning speed. The opening ceremony’s welcoming address and the theme declaration underscored values such as humanity, contemplation, imagination, and the worth of books. However, what stood out at the venue was not abstract words, but the tangible presence of people waiting in line, hands scanning book spines, picking up and putting down limited editions, and opening wallets at the merchandise counter. On this day, humans moved before any declaration was made.

The 68th Seoul International Book Fair runs until June 28 at COEX’s Hall A and Hall B1. A total of 538 publishers and related organizations from 18 countries, both domestic and international, are participating, with 415 programs including lectures, seminars, exhibitions, and book signings. The publishing industry expects around 150,000 visitors this year, similar to last year. From the morning of the first day, the area around the ticket booths and entrance corridors was bustling. The book fair’s official website also provides information about possible on-site queues and entry delays.

Visitors are touring the exhibition hall at the 2026 Seoul International Book Fair held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 24th. Photo by Yonhap News

What is interesting is that visitors did not come just to see books. Of course, books remain at the center. New releases rarely found in regular bookstores, book fair limited editions, author signings, and publisher curation are still the strongest attractions. Yet, this year’s excitement on site extended to experiences surrounding books. Reading platforms, online bookstores, and food and lifestyle brands set up booths, and visitors engaged in activities before even reading a book. They listened to audio readings, scanned barcodes, passed through spaces decorated like homes, and collected merchandise like marathon medals. Books were no longer confined to paper. They expanded into lines, photos, experiences, consumption, and validation.

This made the key question at this year’s book fair more complex. “Are books still important in the age of AI?” is not enough to capture the entire scene. A more precise question might be: In an age where AI writes, summarizes, and recommends texts, why do readers go all the way to COEX to touch books, stand in line, and wait for authors?

The answer was simple. Screens are fast, but the real world is slow. Searches are accurate, but offer little serendipity. Algorithms narrow preferences, but the book fair disrupts them. Pausing in front of a small publisher’s booth, picking up a book for its cover and staying for its table of contents, or glancing at the book someone else chose and reaching for another—these things are not yet automated. Readers come to the book fair not only to buy books, but to rediscover how they encounter them.

Novelist Jeong Bora is answering questions at the keynote lecture titled "Author and Translator" held on the afternoon of the 24th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul during the 2026 Seoul International Book Fair. Photo by Yonhap News

The Guest of Honor, France, was also part of this current. This year marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, and special programs were organized to introduce French literature, art, and publishing culture. French authors such as Bernard Werber and Pascal Bruckner participated, and the France Pavilion featured numerous books and cultural programs. The international dimension of the book fair became most apparent not in the size of the national pavilions, but in the moments when readers paused before unfamiliar languages. Even in front of books they could not read, people looked at covers, felt the format, and took photos.

The crowds are a testament to the book fair’s appeal but also represent a perennial challenge. The issue of capacity, highlighted by last year’s sold-out tickets, remains this year as well. “It’s great to see so many readers, but we worry about booth space and traffic flow every year. If only the big publishers stand out, it becomes difficult for smaller publishers to connect with readers,” said a representative from a small publishing house.

Ongoing debates continue about space shortages, the focus on large publishers, and the balance between the book fair’s public mission and its commercial aspects. From June 25, the “Seoul Jedaero Book Fair” at Nodeul Island will feature a more relaxed, extended, and intimate marketplace with 51 publishers, bookstores, and authors, as well as reader engagement programs. This is why the entire book fair cannot be summed up by the energy inside COEX alone.

Kim Hye-kyung delivers a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Book Fair held on the 24th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency Photographers from the Blue House Press Corps

Still, one thing was clear on the first day: the crisis of books did not manifest as an absence of books. On the contrary, it appeared as an overwhelming crowd in front of books. Contrary to the claim that “we live in an era of non-readers,” people lined up to buy books. However, what they waited for was not just stacks of paper. It was the time spent choosing books, meeting authors, and mingling with like-minded people.

This year’s book fair is themed “Human Declaration.” Declarations are usually made on stage, but on this day, they were more present below the stage: in the eco-bags carried in people’s hands, the crumpled admission wristbands, the faces turning away from “sold out” signs, and the phone screens checking the next lecture time. AI provided answers, while readers waited in line. The 2026 Seoul International Book Fair runs through June 28, with closing day hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.