Gangbuk-gu Hosts 'Book Culture Festival Gather in the Forest of Fairy Tales'

Festival to be held at Gangbuk Culture and Arts Center Plaza from 11 AM on October 7
Various events including hands-on programs, performances, exhibitions, and book concerts will be held

Seoul Gangbuk-gu (District Mayor Lee Soon-hee) announced that the Gangbuk-gu Public Library, operated by the Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation (Chairman Shin Seung-dong), will hold the "2023 Gangbuk Book Culture Festival Gather in the Forest of Fairy Tales" (hereinafter referred to as the Gangbuk Book Culture Festival) on October 7.

Marking its 11th anniversary this year, the Gangbuk Book Culture Festival is an event where local institutions and citizen activists collaborate to offer diverse programs so residents can enjoy books, performances, and cultural arts. The festival is organized by the Gangbuk-gu Public Library and hosted by Gangbuk-gu and the Gangbuk-gu Urban Management Corporation.

This year’s Gangbuk Book Culture Festival, themed around fairy tales, will be held on October 7 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the plaza of Gangbuk Culture and Arts Center (85 Samgaksan-ro, Gangbuk-gu), featuring various programs including hands-on activities, performances, exhibitions, promotions, and events.

The festival will open with a congratulatory performance by the Gangbuk-gu Youth Orchestra at 11 a.m., followed by ▲ the marionette puppet show "The Novice Carpenter and the Wooden Doll" ▲ a Taekwondo demonstration by Baekdusan K-Tigers ▲ the fairy tale storytelling magic show "The Magician’s Mysterious Animal Bookshop," all running until 4 p.m. Original art prints and book exhibitions, Imagination Workshop equipment and artwork displays, and promotional booths for the public library and participating organizations will also be available at the experience booths.

At 18 experience booths themed on "fairy tales," visitors can participate in various craft and hands-on programs related to fairy tales, such as ▲ making a music box inspired by The Bremen Town Musicians ▲ experiencing classic fairy tale immersive content ▲ creating a Little Prince sun catcher ▲ making a Bluebird happiness bead strap, among others.

From 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., a book concert by author Lee Su-ji, the first Korean recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, will be held in the Happiness Room on the first floor of the Gangbuk Culture and Arts Center. On this day, Lee Su-ji will communicate with participants under the theme "Lee Su-ji’s Picture Books ? The Story Is Yours," and there will also be a sand art performance by artist An Se-ran.

Author Lee Su-ji is recognized for both artistic merit and popularity with picture books such as "Into the Mirror" and "Wave, Let’s Play," and is regarded as a world-class picture book author whose works are widely read by children and adults alike.

Those wishing to participate in the book concert can make reservations through the Gangbuk Cultural Information Library website. The number of participants is limited to 100 on a first-come, first-served basis. Even if online reservations are not made, an additional 50 participants will be accepted on-site on the day of the festival. The book concert can also be viewed via a screen set up in the festival venue seating area.

Additionally, various events to make the festival more enjoyable will be held, including ▲ a healing reading zone with special book curation to enjoy reading ▲ the "Challenge! Forest of Fairy Tales Exploration Team" stamp tour ▲ a Forest of Fairy Tales photo zone ▲ and SNS participation events.

For more detailed information about the Gangbuk Book Culture Festival, inquiries can be made to the Gangbuk-gu Public Library.

Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, "This festival will be a joyful place of harmony where people of all ages can enjoy various experiences centered on beloved fairy tales," adding, "Through the 2023 Gangbuk Book Culture Festival, I hope children can travel into their innocence and adults into their memories."