SIBF 2025 18-22 June, 2025 l COEX Halls A & B1
Archive
Book Talk Program
◼ An Encounter with the Era
Imagine the end of our world.
Narratives we’d always believed were true have fragmented, casting unexpected shards into the spotlight.
What new narratives will unfold before us now?
Join us as we experience our era afresh and craft new narratives alongside writers who have never stopped pondering the world and existence.
Life in the Face of the Climate Crisis
Every era has countless keywords that define it. While some are fleeting, others stay with us for years, settling into our routine or even setting the course of our lives. In that sense, the term “climate crisis” makes us reflect upon the direction of our lives. As we continue to confront the climate crisis, what kind of life should we lead, and what values should we uphold in our daily lives? Life amid the climate crisis will be the topic of this conversation between Kim Juhea, author of Beasts of a Little Land and the founder and editor of Peaceful Dumpling, an online magazine that deals with a sustainable lifestyle and ecological literature, and Kim Gyeo-ul, a writer who pursues a vegan diet and dreams of a simple lifestyle.
l Speaker: Kim Ju-hea (Author and Advocate), Kim Gyeo-ul (Writer)
- Date/Time: June 17 (Sat) 17:00–18:30
- Location: Book Salon
New Definition of Labor, Robots
Due to the rapid development of robotics and artificial intelligence technology in recent times, there is an increasing possibility that we will live alongside robots capable of autonomous decision-making in the not-so-distant future. This anticipated future paints a picture of our lives being significantly different from what they are now. Moreover, the widespread adoption of self-driving robots is not a far-off concept but rather a near future that will soon unfold. As robots become more integrated into our daily routines, our perception of human labor will undergo gradual changes. In the forthcoming era of artificial intelligence and robots, we invite you to join us in a time of gathering and collective wisdom. Let us strive to ensure that this transformation brings about positive changes to human existence.
l Speaker: Han Jae-kwon (Professor of ERICA robotics engineering at HANYANG UNIVERSITY)
- Date/Time: June 18 (Sun) 13:00–14:00
- Location: Readers Hall 1
The Asian Diaspora and American Literature
The success of books such as Pachinko and Crying in H Mart attests to the growing force of writers of Asian descent in contemporary American literature. This trend serves as the backdrop for exploring the present and future of colonial, immigrant, and diasporic literature. Joining us to speak about the Asian diaspora and American literature is Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Symphatizer. His novel will serve as the basis for the eponymous HBO series that is slated to be the next project for Korean director Park Chan-wook.
l Speaker: Viet Thanh Nguyen (Writer)
l Moderator: Kwak Yung-bin (Art Critic)
- Date/Time: June 18 (Sun) 14:30–16:00
- Location: Readers Hall 1
◼ Special Book Talk
Imagine the end of our world.
Narratives we’d always believed were true have fragmented, casting unexpected shards into the spotlight.
What new narratives will unfold before us now?
Join us as we experience our era afresh and craft new narratives alongside writers who have never stopped pondering the world and existence.
Kim Ae-ran X Choi Eun-young: Exclude the Exclusion
We should think of things that fall into the category of 'non-human'. Naturally, we draw everything that is not human, such as animals, plants, and the environment. Furthermore, there are humans who are excluded and cannot enjoy human rights, who do not receive human treatment. Let's listen to the stories of those who are marginalized, excluded from the 'normal' category created by someone in power, the minorities.
l Speaker: Kim Ae-ran (Novelist), Choi Eun-young (Novelist)
l Moderator: Yang Kyung-eon (Literary Critic, Professor of Chosun University Department of Creative Writing)
- Date/Time: June 15 (Thu) 17:00–18:30
- Location: Book Salon
Kim Choyeop X Cheon Seonran: The Starting Point of Science Fiction
Within the science fiction genre, readers momentarily step outside of human-centric thinking and engage in different perspectives. When looking at humans through beings that resemble us but are fundamentally different, such as AI and robots, we finally rediscover the limits and possibilities inherent in ourselves. In the world of science fiction, what kind of stories can humans and non-human entities share? Let's stand side by side at that starting point and explore.
l Speaker: Kim Cho-yeop (Novelist), Cheon Seon-ran (Novelist)
l Moderator: Lee Da-hye (Writer, Cine21 Journalist)
- Date/Time: June 16 (Fri) 12:00–13:30
- Location: Book Salon
※ Please note that text interpretation is provided for this lecture.
◼ Writing in Daily Life
Each individual's daily life flows, examining the intersections where each life intersects.
And there, we find writing.Writing in daily life heightens the sensitivity and intricacy of our experiences.
It can be a comforting pat on the back, offering solace, or a reaching out of hands, urging us to protect our shared routines.Within the repetitive routines of daily life, literature warmly greets us.
Praise of old age
In this Book Talk, author Lee Ok-seon, who published her first book in her mid-70s, talks about the life and joy of old age. Her daughter, Kim Hana, also a writer, joins in to discuss their mother-daughter relationship and how Lee Ok-seon's positive and curious attitude has influenced her. Through their conversation, we catch a glimpse of the delightful scenery of old age and explore where Lee Ok-seon's perpetual positivity and curiosity stem from. We also learn about the impact of writing on her life and the joyful landscape of old age.
l Speaker: Lee Ok-seon (Writer), Kim Ha-na (Writer)
l Moderator: Hwang Sun-woo (Author, Podcaster of Yeodultok)
- Date/Time: June 16 (Fri) 17:00–18:30
- Location: Book Salon
The Texts Emerging from the Labor Site
Labor extends throughout all aspects of life. It often becomes the focal point of our daily routines, yet we rarely find time to discuss it together. In this gathering, we encounter vivid stories and experiences from beyond the realm of 'normalcy,' delving into the life and work of professionals. These experiences and imaginations converge into publishable texts.
l Speaker: Kang Min-seon (Writer, Imsijebonso Publisher), Kim Ga-ji (Kim Ye-jee)(Writer), Cheon Hyun-woo (Writer)
l Moderator: Kim Hyun (Poet)
- Date/Time: June 17 (Sat) 16:30–18:00
- Location: Readers Hall 1
◼ Different Possibilities of Exsistence
Think about the numerous worlds that remained unrealized by choosing something.
Lectures below discuss the beings that have been hidden for a long time due to dualism, and the world created by its limitations.
Let's freely erase and deconstruct the boundaries between human and non-human.
In order to freely cross over, we take the first step together towards the different possibilities of existence.
Cosmic Horror: On the Horror of the Unknown
Cosmic Horror deals with the helplessness and terror that humans feel when faced with the unknown. In Lovecraft's novels, which initiated this genre, people of color were often depicted as objects of 'inhuman' terror that humans couldn't comprehend. So, what are the strange entities that make us feel the horror of the unknown today? Writers who seek to redefine modern Cosmic Horror provide an answer.
l Speaker: Kim Bo-young (Writer), Jeon Gun-woo (Novelist), Hwang Mo-gwa (Science Fiction Writer)
l Moderator: Cho Woo-ri (Novelist)
- Date/Time: June 15 (Thu) 12:00–13:30
- Location: Readers Hall 2
Art, Exclusion, Censorship
Subjects that have been erased within the system or pushed outside of it as targets of censorship. How do the artistic works of those who are
l Speaker: Kim Sun-oh (Poet), Shin Jae (Theater Director), IBANJIHA (Contemporary Artist, Writer)
l Moderator: Son Hee-jung (Research Professor, Institute for Comparative Culture Studies, Kyung Hee University)
- Date/Time: June 15 (Thu) 14:30–16:00
- Location: Readers Hall 2
※ This lecture will be provided with text interpretation.
About the Authenticity of ‘Companionship’(with ELLEVOICE)
The animals that were once called
l Speaker: Kwak Min-ji (Writer), Park So-yeong (Journalist, Writer), Jo Ji-hoon (Pet Loss Counselor)
l Moderator: Lim Hyun-joo (Announcer)
- Date/Time: June 17 (Sat) 10:30–11:30
- Location: Book Salon
※ This lecture is presented in collaboration with Elle Voice.
※ A small gift will be provided to attendees.
