15-18 May 2025 Palace of Culture and Science, plac Defilad and Museum of Modern Art

We are proud to announce that the Republic of Korea was the Guest of Honour at Warsaw International Book Fair, held on May 15-18 at the Palace of Culture and Science, the adjacent Parade Sq. and, for the first time, at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw. True to its tagline, “Bridging Worlds Through Words”, the rich and varied programme offered a unique opportunity to explore contemporary Korean literature, culture and art, and discover how much we have in common.

“It is a great pleasure and honour to have the opportunity to attend the 2025 Warsaw International Book Fair as the Guest of Honour, especially following last year’s fantastic news that Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Korean Cultural Center in Poland will host a variety of exhibitions and events like meetings with prominent Korean authors, film screenings, musical concerts, and other cultural activities. These programs will help Polish book lovers experience the essence of the current ‘Korean Wave’ as Korean literature and books are the foundation of vibrant Korean Culture”, said LEE Dangkweon, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Poland.

The Korean pavilion, located at the Marmurowa Hall (No. 135) in the Palace of Culture and Science, hosted authors, experts, publishers and public officials representing the institutions responsible for international promotion of Koran literature, including Korean Literary Translation Institute (LTI Korea), Korean Manhwa Promotion Agency (KOMACON) and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA). Visitors were able to admire exhibitions designed especially for the occasion, including an immersive exhibition symbolizing a literary bridge connecting Poland and Korea, built with quotes from Polish literature published in Korea and Korean literary works published in Poland. Literary ties between Poland and Korea have also inspired the logo of our Guest of Honour: it features an open book with our venue, the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, and Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Korea. The pavilion also displayed the Hunminjeongeum exhibition, dedicated to Hangeul, Korean alphabet, officially established in 1443 and a unique exhibition of Korean design – everyday products inspired by the Korean alphabet. We should also mention the webtoon exhibition. Korea, known as a country of digital innovation, is the birthplace of this digital comic format, designed to be read vertically on smartphones. Selected publications by Korean authors were available for purchase in the pavilion.

The four-day programme of Korean literature and culture promotion offered several dozen events for the general public, including meetings with authors, literary and expert discussions, and the much-loved book signing sessions. There was no shortage of artistic events and cooking shows with delicious Korean cuisine. Meetings with authors, experts on Korean history and culture, and a contemporary music concert “Lyric Echoes: Polish Poem, Korean Timbre” were held in the Kisielewski Hall. The numerous book signing sessions were held at the Korean pavilion and the stands of Polish publishers. Cooking shows and tasting of Korean cuisine was organized on May 17th in the outdoor area in front of the Palace (pavilion No. 29). Additional attractions were available in other venues, for example, Korean movie screenings took place at Muranów Cinema from May 15th to 18th (in the evenings).

The visitors at the upcoming Warsaw International Book Fair had a unique opportunity to meet and greet true literary icons – the authors loved in Korea and beyond. The following authors were invited to meet with the public and talk about their bestsellers and new releases: PARK Sangyoung, CHUNG Bora, JEON Heyjin, KIM Boyoung, Dr Victor D. Cha, Prof. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, KIM Hoyeon, YEON Somin, SHIN Kyungsook and YUN Jungeun. Prof. Justyna Najbar-Miller, a translator, talked about “Greek Lessons”, the new novel by HAN Kang, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. The youngest visitors were able to enjoy “Magical fun with books: little feet and little fingers”, a children’s workshop designed by Filip Danecki.

Korean literature and history were discussed by experts in history, literature and translation, and included a meeting with Prof. Ramon Pacheco Pardo and Dr Victor Cha (“Korea. A New History of South and North”); and a lecture by Prof. Ewa Rynarzewska (“The Triumph of Ideology, Friendship, and the Market: a Short Story about the Polish Translation of Korean Literature”). Dr CHOI Jeongin and Filip Danecki unpacked cultural differences expressed in language in Korean-Polish translations, and Dr LEE Seungik presented “Historical Experience: Where Korea and Poland Meet Despite the Distance”. Visitors were also able to listen to a lecture by Dr YOU Changil on similarities and differences between Korean and Polish thinking, and a panel discussion with Prof. Ewa Rynarzewska, Prof. Anna Diniejko-Wąs, Prof. Justyna Najbar-Miller and Dr CHOI Jeongin (“Translators in Debate: On Korean Literature’s (Un)translatable Limits”).

Those interested in learning more about the official support program for Korean literature translations were able to participate in a seminar organized by the Korean Literary Translation Institute on May 16th: “LTI Korea’s Global Initiatives: Supporting Korean Literature Abroad”. From May 15th to 17th, LTI Korea also ran a G2B (Government-to-Business) consultation desk at The Korean pavilion (No. 135). Publishers and translators interested in publishing Korean literary works with the support of the Korean government were invited to visit the pavilion for more information.

All those who want to spark or step up cooperation with Korean publishers could attend the “2025 K-Book Market Warsaw”, a two-day B2B event organized by the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA). The event was held on May 15th-16th in the Kruczkowski Hall (Level 4) in the Palace of Culture and Science. Polish partners were able to meet representatives of sixteen renowned Korean publishers with diverse profiles – from fiction, non-fiction, business and economics, history, philosophy, education, art, language learning materials, children’s and young adult books to picture books, web novels and webtoons: Wisdom House, Inc., Gloyeon, BOMBYEOTT, BookGoodCome, Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd., YUN EDITION, IYAGIKOT PUBLISHING, Mirae N Co., Ltd., KINDERLAND/BANDAL, Munhakdongne, Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co., Ltd., Clayhouse inc., DARAKWON, INC., KENAZ and SEOSAWON co., Ltd.

The Korean programme would not be complete without an artistic performance. On the opening day, the audience of the Exhibitors’ Evening Gala at the Studio Theatre enjoyed a “New Pansori” concert, inspired by the fusion of Korean and Polish cultures. JANG Seoyoon, a Pansori singer, and Rafał Mazur, a renowned Polish musician, performed their concert with support from a group of artists from both countries. A classic of Polish children’s literature, Maria Konopnicka’s “About Dwarves and Little Orphan Mary”, has been adapted especially for the occasion. Pansori, the traditional Korean art of storytelling, added new dynamics to the well-known tale with expressive singing, rhythmic drumming, and poignant narration.

In the afternoon of Friday, May 16th, the Kisielewski Hall resounded with “Lyric Echoes: Polish Poem, Korean Timbre”, a contemporary music concert inspired by Polish literature and written by Korean composers: LEE Sangjun, a multiple winner of Grand Prix and other prizes in composition competitions, and GIM Youshin, a composer-in-residence of the International Festival of Contemporary Music Poznań Music Spring.

The Korean Guest of Honour programme has been developed by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in Poland.