The '2026 Paju Fair Book & Culture' wrapped up its 10-day journey on the 18th. Hosted by the Publishing Culture Foundation, the festival ran from October 9 to 18 at the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center and throughout Paju Publishing City, where a total of some 70,000 visitors and readers experienced a variety of book-centered cultural and artistic programs.

■ From Opening Performance to Street Festival... The Entire Publishing City Became a Cultural Space

Early in the festival, stage arts events followed the opening performance featuring singer-songwriter Car, the Garden, writer Lee Seul-ah, and singer Lee Chan-hee, including the indie artist live stage 'MOBBO: Let Me Go,' a youth and teen dance festival, and dance masterclasses by Funky Y and the Kulch team.

The streets also offered plenty to see. The Gwanginsa-gil flea market and live busking, the children's drawing contest 'Book Village Picture Walk,' and the 'Paju, the City Becomes a Museum' project using building exteriors transformed the entire Paju Publishing City into a single cultural space.

■ 280 Companies Join 'Booksori' Book Market... A Venue for Trends in Korean Publishing

During the final three days of the festival (Oct. 16-18), the 'Booksori' sessions were held. At the book market, where about 280 companies participated, including major Korean publishers and independent creators, visitors could observe the current state and trends of the Korean publishing industry. The creator participation events 'Nan-Jang Program' and 'Nan-Jangpan,' book talks by writers, actors, and singers, an exhibition on the spatial aesthetics of the publishing city, and regional mutual-growth programs also continued.

■ IP Business Meetings with 65 Companies... 'About 30 Export Contracts Signed'

The festival also produced notable results in business. To expand publishing originals and advance overseas, the '2026 Global Publishing & IP Business Matchmaking' was held on the 16th. A total of 65 companies participated, including 35 domestic publishing and content companies and associations such as Mirae N, Munhakdongne, Gimmyoung Publishers, and Seoul Media Group, along with 30 overseas publishers and IP distribution companies, holding one-on-one meetings to expand book exports and secondary works such as films, webtoons, and musicals. On-site, about 30 book and IP export contracts and letters of intent for export were signed.

At the international forum held during the same period, strategies and future directions for the overseas expansion of K-stories amid changes in the global media environment were discussed.

■ Chairman Kang Sung-min: 'A Leap to the World's Only Hub for Books and Culture & Arts'

Kang Sung-min, chairman of the Publishing Culture Foundation, said that with programs from about 100 tenant companies and the participation of some 300 publishers and bookstores, young creators, and citizens, the event was held on the largest scale ever. He stated, 'Just as we provided book-loving readers with a special cultural experience and the publishing industry with a bridgehead for advancing into the global IP market, we will continue working to make Paju Publishing City a leap forward as the world's only hub for books and culture & arts.'