Seoul's Geumcheon-gu will host a book concert featuring actor and novelist Cha In-pyo, bringing residents together for a conversation about books and life.
The district will hold the second lecture of its "2026 Geumcheon-gu Book Concert" with Cha on Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. in the main auditorium of the Geumcheon-gu District Office.
This year's book concert series runs two sessions under the themes of science fiction and science, and the humanities. Author Kim Cho-yeop opened the series on Sept. 5 with a lecture on science fiction and science; Cha will follow with a session on the humanities.
Cha has consistently built a literary career alongside acting. He made his debut as a novelist in 2009 with the full-length novel "Jalgoyo Eondeok" and later saw his novel "If Someday We Look at the Same Star" selected as a course text for Korean studies at the University of Oxford. Cha also received the 14th Hwang Sun-won Literary Award's emerging-writer prize in 2025 for "Mermaid Hunt."
The lecture will draw on his recent work "Our Neighborhood Library" and center on the theme "We are all authors writing our own stories." Cha plans to share with residents how reading can prompt reflection on one's own life and what meaning each person's story holds.
Before the lecture, a theater piece incorporating AI will take the stage, followed by a dramatic reading featuring Cha and a guest actor. Live piano music will run from the start of the event through its close, adding a warm atmosphere to the concert.
Residents can register on a first-come, first-served basis through the Geumcheon-gu District Office's integrated reservation website until Monday. Those unable to register online may also sign up in person on the day of the event.
Geumcheon-gu District Mayor Choi Ki-chan said he hopes residents will meet the author at the book concert and experience the joy of reading and the pleasure of culture, adding that the district will continue to offer a range of programs to help residents engage with books and culture in their daily lives.
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