KOREA FOUNDATION

From August 10 to 31, the KF ASEAN Culture House will host the 2023 ASEAN Bookstore at the Project Rent Old Town Store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. At this three-week event, we will be showcasing video clips of 10 books (each representing a different ASEAN country) selected in cooperation with regional art book fairs in ASEAN. Sojanggak, a publisher specializing in ASEAN books, will be recommending a list of carefully curated books, which visitors can enjoy with food and coffee from ASEAN. The venue will be decorated with super-normal items that will vividly immerse guests in the daily culture of ASEAN.

From August 12 to 13, a two-day seminar will be held with five regional art book fair directors from ASEAN (Piyakorn Chaiverapundech, Bangkok Art Book Fair; Marc Gabriel, Cebu Art Book Fair; Januar Rianto, Jakarta Art Book Fair; Chee Keong Loo, Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair; and Renée Ting, Singapore Art Book Fair). The five directors will discuss trends and the creative environment of the art book market in their respective locations in ASEAN.

By featuring ASEAN books and publishing, this event stands out from other ASEAN-themed fairs in Korea that have primarily focused on tourism or food. As soon as visitors step into the venue, they will feel as though they are inside the pages of books. Guests can also watch videos of authors introducing their books, allowing for an experience of these works even for those who have yet to read them. Come make lasting memories at the 2023 ASEAN Bookstore, the first ASEAN art book pop-up store in Korea.