Authors Kim Ae-ran and Seong Hae-na to lecture; independent publishers join the 'Text Hip' reading culture celebration
Twenty-two local Gangdong-gu cafes and bakeries gather in one place for a taste of neighborhood coffee and bread
The Gangdong Cultural Foundation in Seoul will hold the "2026 Gangdong Baramkkot Festival × 17th Gangdong Book Festival" at Gangdong Arts Center on Saturday.
This year's festival combines "Text Hip" — the trend of treating reading and journaling as a personal lifestyle and cultural pursuit — with "Art Hip," the idea of weaving art into everyday life. Books, art, music, performances, exhibitions and local cultural content will all come together under one roof.
The festival's theme is "Read, Drink, and Make Art." Programs have been designed to help visitors discover their tastes through books, sample Gangdong-gu's coffee and bread, and experience live performance and visual art up close.
Lectures by novelists Kim Ae-ran and Seong Hae-na are also on the program. Kim's "Annyeongi-ra Geuraesseo" and Seong's "Honmono" became bestsellers after their 2025 releases. Kim has since published the essay collection "Geuraetdago Jeogeotda" this year, while Seong released her first collection of strange tales, "Inbian."
Seven independent publishers will also take part, showcasing distinctive self-published works. Dedicated sessions will give readers a chance to meet and talk directly with the creators.
"Itbook-In Gangdong," a local reading-culture brand connecting Gangdong-gu authors, bookstores and publishers, will join the festivities as well. Local writers, publishers and neighborhood bookshops will together introduce the diverse book culture of the district.
Gangdong-gu's coffee and bread scene will also be on full display. A total of 22 local brands will participate — 11 cafes and tea brands alongside 11 bakery and dessert businesses. Visitors can sample offerings from cafes and bakeries scattered across the district, all in one place, and enjoy a leisurely autumn afternoon with a book in hand.
Performances and visual art programs will unfold throughout the festival grounds. A DJ set played entirely on vinyl records will open the event at 10 a.m. World music group Mistura, singer-songwriter Kim Pil-seon, soul and R&B musician Junguk, and cellist-singer-songwriter Park Chan-young will follow on stage.
The circus-comedy show "Chair, Table, Chair" — blending live music, circus and mime — will also be performed. The production combines music, movement and acrobatics to offer audiences an unexpected spectacle.
Off the main stage, a series of participatory art programs will run throughout the day. Fourteen teams of young Gangdong-gu artists, 15 teams of local artists and 11 teams from the Social Economy Support Center will present works and hands-on experiences spanning drawing, calligraphy, webtoon art, folk painting, ceramic painting, ink wash painting and contemporary folk art.
In addition, a collaborative installation piece titled "Today's Artifact" will be on offer. The work draws a connection between the comb-pattern pottery of prehistoric Korea and today's disposable containers; participants craft their own fluorescent-colored objects, which are then assembled into a single installation. Under UV light, the finished objects form a "city of light," illustrating how everyday items — from ancient comb-pattern pottery to modern single-use containers — become the relics of a new era.
The cooperative "Saram-i Areumdaun Dongne Bookstore Cooperative," Ilhwa Co. and Fridatz Co. will also take part, contributing to the vitalization of local culture and arts and expanding residents' opportunities to enjoy cultural life.
"The Gangdong Book Festival, which has grown alongside residents for 17 years, has now joined with the Gangdong Baramkkot Festival to expand into a celebration where books, coffee, performance and art can all be enjoyed together," said Kim Young-ho, chief executive of the Gangdong Cultural Foundation. "Just as our theme says — read, drink and make art — I hope everyone has a day filled with books, the flavors of Gangdong, and art close to their everyday lives."
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