"Simply Because I Like It (書)"... Over 10,000 Events at Libraries and Bookstores Nationwide in September

1,572 Institutions Including Libraries, Bookstores, and Publishers Join

From Kim Aeran Book Talks to Outdoor Libraries, Midnight Bookstores, and Reading Expeditions

Youth Culture & Arts Pass to Raise Book Purchase Limit Up to 70,000 Won
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On September 1, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that, in celebration of "September Reading Month," it will be hosting over 10,000 reading culture events nationwide in collaboration with 1,572 institutions, organizations, and companies. This year’s Reading Month slogan is “Simply Because I Like It (書).” As part of the nationwide reading culture campaign "Korea Reads" and in partnership with local bookstore programs, a wide variety of book-related events will be presented throughout the month.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is conducting over 10,000 reading culture events nationwide in collaboration with 1,572 institutions, organizations, and companies to celebrate the "September Reading Month." This year's slogan is "Simply Because I Like It (書)." Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Libraries, local governments, and offices of education across the country will host author meet-and-greet events, lectures, performances, exhibitions, and book-sharing activities. The National Library of Korea will hold a session with author Kim Youngmin to discuss the themes of his works, and the National Library of Sejong City will feature author Kim Aeran, focusing on music in literature. The National Library for Children and Young Adults will run experience programs utilizing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robots.

Distinctive regional programs are also planned. Outdoor libraries will be operated in Seoul, Daejeon, Jeonbuk, and Jeju, while Chungnam will host a "Book Olympics." In Busan, there will be a major board game festival combining creativity and convergence, and the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education will run the "Classic Remedy Bookstore," a mental wellness program centered on classical works. In Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, there will be a program inviting participants to walk the Seonseong Waterside Path while listening to audio books, and in Gongju, Chungnam, various events such as an outdoor library and a post-reading art competition will take place.

Literary events will also be concentrated in September. The "Korea Literature Festival" will be held from September 11 to 20, centered on Insadong, Daehakro, and local literary museums in Seoul and other regions. The "Seoul International Writers’ Festival" will run from September 11 to 16, and "Literature Week" from September 16 to 20.

Private bookstores and the publishing industry are also taking part. Kyobo Book Centre, together with Jinjin Films, will hold “Reading Flow: Gwanghwamun ” on September 5, combining books, film, and music. Yes24 will run its "Midnight Reading Club" from September 2 to 8, and the Korean Publishers Association and Seoul Book Repository will jointly host the exhibition "Series Around the World: Literary Series" featuring flagship series from eight leading domestic publishers, including Minumsa and Munhakdongne, which will run through November 29.

The core event of Reading Month is the "2026 Korea Reading Festival," to be held September 18–20 at the Kim Youjeong Literature Village in Chuncheon and along the Gongjicheon Trail. Chuncheon, designated as this year's "Book City of Korea," will present a lineup of activities under the theme "Waves of Books, Chuncheon Stroll (冊)," including author sessions, a local publishing and small library forum, a book market, and exhibitions. Additional offerings will include book talks featuring authors such as Ko Myunghwan and Kim Cho-yeop, 69 book fair booths, 19 experience programs, a library concert, the Kim Youjeong Literature Vending Machine, and an under-the-stars book camp.

In celebration of the "September Reading Month," various reading culture events will be held across the country with 2,539 events in Seoul, 1,734 in Gyeonggi, and 1,094 in Gyeongnam, among other regions. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The opening ceremony will also feature the presentation of the 32nd Reading Culture Awards. Lee Jooyoung, executive director of the Children's Culture Solidarity, who has donated books to elementary school classrooms nationwide and developed reading activities that combine reading with children's songs and drama, will be awarded the Presidential Commendation. The Jigwaon Foundation, which has established “Jigwaon Book Lounges” in 11 locations across 6 regions including Ulsan, and Song Seunghun, a teacher at Uijeongbu Gwangdong High School who has contributed to fostering reading culture in schools, will receive the Prime Minister’s Commendation. A total of 22 Ministerial Awards will also be presented.

A reading tour program called "Book Expedition" will be run as well. In Gongju on September 11–12, there will be nighttime reading sessions and neighborhood bookstore excursions. In Chuncheon on September 18, participants will board a "literary train" departing from Yongsan Station for author meetings and to experience the Reading Festival. Additional programs include "Booklog Certification," which recognizes online reading activities such as transcription and book reviews; "Check-in," a stamp tour of must-visit bookstores and libraries; and "Onbookbang," a digital bookstore providing free access to e-books and audiobooks.

Book purchase support for young adults will also be expanded. Through the "Youth Culture & Arts Pass," the book purchase allowance for 19- and 20-year-olds, which also covers tickets for performances, exhibitions, and movies, will run through the end of the year and increase from 30,000 won to 50,000 won in the Seoul metropolitan area, and from 40,000 won to 70,000 won in non-metropolitan regions.

Kim Jaehyun, policy chief at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "We hope that people across the country will participate in book culture programs that suit their tastes and experience the joy of engaging with books, and we will provide multifaceted support to spread a culture of reading seamlessly integrated into daily life."

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