"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. As soon as you enter a question, it immediately spits out an answer. On the 24th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the readers were the exact opposite. They searched for the end of the line in front of Hall A and Hall B1, received their entry wristbands, checked the schedule for author signings, and repeatedly refreshed the reservation screen for lectures. Some took a day off from work, some squeezed the visit into their lunch break, and others, as always, waited for the doors to open on the very first day. “I took a day off work just to come here today. Buying books online is easy, but at the book fair, there's a joy in discovering books I never would have thought to pick up,” said Kim Seoin, an office worker in her 30s whom 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, the theme of the Seoul International Book Fair is “Declaration of Humanity: Homo Duduri.” In an age when AI delivers answers at lightning speed, the fair focuses on humans who continue to ask questions. The welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony and the declaration of the theme emphasized humanity, contemplation, imagination, and the value of books. Yet, what was most visible on site were not abstract concepts. It was bodies waiting in line, hands scanning spines of books, hands picking up and putting down limited editions, and hands opening wallets at the merchandise counter. On this day, humans moved before any declaration was made.

The 68th Seoul International Book Fair runs until the 28th at COEX Halls A and B1. A total of 538 publishers and related organizations from 18 countries are participating, and there are 415 programs including lectures, seminars, exhibitions, and signings. As with last year, the publishing industry expects about 150,000 visitors this year. From the morning of the first day, the area around the ticket booth and the entrance corridors were crowded. The book fair’s website also alerts visitors to possible waiting lines and entry delays on site.

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’s interesting is that readers didn’t come just for the books. Of course, books are at the center. New releases that are hard to find in regular bookstores, limited editions available only at the fair, author signings, and publisher-specific curation are still major draws. However, this year’s excitement on the ground extended to experiences surrounding books. Reading platforms, online bookstores, and food and lifestyle brands all set up booths, and readers often engaged in experiences before reading books. They listened to voices being read, scanned barcodes, walked through spaces decorated like a home, and received merchandise like completion medals. Books were not confined to paper. They spread into lines, photos, experiences, consumption, and social proof.

That’s why this year’s questions at the book fair have become more complex. “Are books still important in the AI era?” This question alone cannot describe the whole scene. The more accurate question might be this: In an era when AI writes, summarizes, and recommends texts, why do readers still come all the way to COEX to touch books, stand in lines, and wait for authors?

The answer was simple. The screen is fast, but the physical venue is slow. Search is accurate, but chance encounters are rare. Algorithms narrow one’s tastes, while the book fair disrupts and expands them. Pausing in front of a small publisher’s booth, picking up a book because of its cover and then being unable to put it back because of the table of contents, or glancing at a book chosen by the person next to you and reaching for another—none of these have been automated yet. Readers do not come to the book fair simply to buy books. They come to rediscover how they encounter books.

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 French Pavilion, the guest of honor, was part of this flow as well. This year, to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, programs were organized to introduce French literature, art, and publishing culture. French authors such as Bernard Werber and Pascal Bruckner participated, and the French Pavilion featured a variety of books and cultural programs. The fair’s international aspect was made clearer not by the scale of each country’s pavilion, but by the moments when readers paused before unfamiliar languages. Even in front of books they could not read, people looked at the covers, touched the formats, and took photos.

The crowds are a testament to the fair’s vitality, but also pose a challenge. Issues of capacity that surfaced last year after all tickets sold out have continued into this year. “It’s great that so many readers come, but booth space and the flow of visitors are an ongoing concern. If the event only highlights the big publishers, small publishers have a hard time meeting readers,” said a representative from a small publishing house.

Lack of space, the concentration of attention on large publishers, and debates about the public and commercial nature of the fair continue. Starting on the 25th, the “Seoul Jaedaero Book Fair” will be held at Nodeul Island with the theme “Leisurely, Long, and Close,” featuring a book market and reader participation programs with 51 publishers, bookstores, and authors. This is why the energy inside COEX alone cannot explain the entire book fair.

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 at the scene on the first day. The crisis of books did not appear as their absence. On the contrary, it appeared in the overwhelming number of people gathering in front of books. Contrary to talk of a “non-reading era,” readers lined up to buy books. But what they waited for was not just the pile of paper. It was the time spent choosing a book, the time meeting an author, and the time mingling among people who share the same tastes.

This year’s book fair adopted the slogan “Declaration of Humanity.” Declarations are usually made on stage. But on this day, most declarations were found offstage—in the eco-bags people carried, the crumpled entry wristbands, the expressions on faces turning away from “sold out” notices, and the phone screens checking the time for the next lecture. AI delivered answers, and readers stood in line. The 2026 Seoul International Book Fair continues until the 28th. On the closing day, the 28th, visiting hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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