South Korean municipalities host regional reading culture festivals

Various municipalities in South Korea recently concluded large-scale reading culture festivals aimed at promoting literacy and community engagement through diverse cultural experiences.

In Daedeok-gu, the ‘2026 Daedeok-gu Reading Culture Festival’ was held at Yongjeon Neighborhood Park and Songchon All-Weather Gateball Court. The event featured a ‘Book Picnic’ where residents could read in an outdoor library setting, book-themed craft booths, and a book donation program involving 500 volumes. A book talk with author Jeong Ji-ah was also a highlight of the program.

Namyangju hosted the ‘2026 Book Festa’ at Dasan Cultural Park in front of the Jeong Yak-yong Library. The three-day festival included a book market featuring local bookstores and independent creators, outdoor movie screenings, and lectures by author Jeong Mun-jeong. The city plans to expand such programs in preparation for hosting the 2027 Korea Reading Grand Festival.