Colorful Reading Culture Events Held on 'World Book Day'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomibeum] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in celebration of UNESCO's designated 'World Book Day,' will hold various online reading culture events from the 18th of this month until the 3rd of next month in collaboration with the Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency.

First, from the 18th to the 23rd, six authors will each present one theme, delivering the value of reading and writing through a total of six themes in the 'Online Author Meeting.' It can be viewed daily at 12 PM on the Publication Promotion Agency's YouTube channel. Kim Min-young, author of 'I Also Go to Book Clubs Today,' will discuss 'The Meaning of Reading Books Together,' and Jung Ji-eum, author of 'The Sadness of Young ADHD,' will hold a non-face-to-face dialogue on 'Writing as Healing from the Perspective of a Young Author.'

The 'Our Neighborhood Bookstore and Publisher Cultural Live,' involving 49 bookstores and publishers nationwide, will be broadcast live via each bookstore and publisher's social media (SNS) from the 18th to the 24th. The publisher 'Asian Hub' will prepare a meeting with readers on the theme of 'Multicultural Education Using Picture Books and Workbooks,' and the bookstore 'Jjeom-o Bookstore' will host 'A Time to Appreciate Old Paintings by Author Lee Jong-su.' Other online cultural event plans by bookstores and publishers can be found on the '2022 World Book Day' website.

On the 29th, an online video event to start and end the day with books will be held. In the morning, Kim Yoon-sun, author of the yoga essay 'Yoga Before Emotional Damage,' and 'Miracle Reading,' who practices yoga, will participate, and in the evening, Kwon Ki-bong, author of 'City Walk,' will share concerns in the 'Goodnight Listening' session waiting for readers. Event participants (25 people each session, total 50 people) will be selected by lottery from applications received between the 18th and 21st.

On the 2nd and 3rd of next month, the 'Book Pharmacy,' where authors listen to readers' stories and prescribe books, will be operated. Twenty participants will be recruited through applications from the 20th to the 22nd. On the 2nd, Park Yeon-sik, author of the poetry collection 'Autumn in the Pocket,' and on the 3rd, Jung Ji-don, author of 'For You or Not Yours,' will conduct non-face-to-face counseling and gift comforting books.

Social media events and experience kits are also prepared. Those who watch the 'Our Neighborhood Bookstore and Publisher Shopping Live,' participate in satisfaction surveys, and upload certification photos on their social media will be entered into a draw to receive online gift certificates (gifticons) for 60 people. After watching the 'Online Author Meeting' or 'Our Neighborhood Bookstore and Publisher Cultural Live,' viewers who certify their viewing according to the '2022 World Book Day' website guidance will be entered into a draw to receive one of two kits: a bookmark-making kit or a Yun Dong-ju poetry transcription notebook kit, for 50 people. Applications for participation in the '2022 World Book Day' reading culture events and more detailed event information can be found on the official website.

Additionally, the 'World Book Day' commemorative ceremony will be held on the 23rd at 2 PM at the 'Hangeul Love Sejong Book Culture Center' (4th floor of Sejong City Hall), a complex space for book culture in Sejong City. At this ceremony, attendees can experience the 'Online Book Dream' event, where readers exchange kind words via online video conference, and the 'Book Dream' event with 12 citizens attending in person. Before and after the ceremony, meetings with authors (book concerts) will take place. Before the ceremony, poet Oh Eun, author of 'Poetry Collection for People Eating Lunch Alone,' will host, with author Jung Moon-jung of 'How to Smile at Rude People' participating, and after the ceremony, author Yoon Go-eun of 'Night Travelers' and the couple Kim Hyun-young (ceremony host) and Hong Seok-nam, co-authors of 'It Was Definitely a Honeymoon,' will participate.

The commemorative ceremony and author meetings will be broadcast live online via the Publication Promotion Agency's YouTube channel. Especially for online viewers who join the live broadcast, the '2022 Book Dream' event will be held. By applying to participate in the event through the YouTube comment section as announced, a total of 423 people will be selected by lottery to receive a book, a rose (soap flower), and a bookmark as gifts.

A policy official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "We hope that through the '2022 World Book Day' online reading culture events, the public will find comfort for their weary hearts due to COVID-19 and share the joy of reading books together with family and friends, not alone."

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