For children, books serve as a window onto the world. Beyond that window awaits a world of endless dreams, a world in which anything is imaginable. The 1st Busan International Children’s Book Fair is proud to present theme lectures by the authors of best-loved picture books and children’s and young adult literature in Korea. These lectures offer anexcellent opportunity to explore the world of Children book’s infinite possibility.
The Wide Rainbow of Children
There’s a universal humanity we all share, but we also have our own distinct personalities—as distinct as our own names. The picture books of Lee Su-zy feature characters the likes of whom we see everywhere we go, as well as some characters of a kind unlikely to be seen anywhere at all. This lecture shares insights about the diverse yet distinctive characters that are the chief joy of Lee’s books.
ㅣspeaker: Lee Su-zy (Picture Book Artist)
- date/time: Nov. 28 (Thu) 13:30–15:00
- location: Sky Island
Gulliver in Laputa
In the tale of Gulliver’s Travels, the people of Laputa spend so much time debating news and politics. They have trouble sleeping due to their fear of a meteor crash or the sudden collapse of the nation. Perhaps we today are not so different. Set forth on a journey to Laputa with Kim Yeon-su and Kang Hye-sook, who have rewritten Gulliver’s Travels from the perspective of modern-day Koreans.
ㅣspeaker: Kang Hye-sook (Picture Book Artist), Kim Yeon-su (writer)
ㅣModerator: Cho Yeon-ju (Publisher)
- date/time: Nov. 28 (Thu) 16:00–17:30
- location: Sky Island
A World Made of Lines and Planes
The world may be said to essentially consist of lines and planes, and our stories. Any kind of world can be created from lines and planes. They can change shape depending on our perspective, just as in children’s fertile imagination. Join author Jung Jin-ho in opening picture books that explore the infinite potential of lines and planes.
ㅣspeaker: Jung Jin-ho (Picture Book Author)
- date/time: Nov. 29 (Fri) 13:30–15:00
- location: Sky Island
Children and Fantasy
If light travels faster than anything else, what could travel farther than a child’s imagination? An unchained mind has a mighty reach that empowers us to experience things of wonder. How do such wonderful experiences impact children (or grown-ups who were once children)? Artist Beak Hee-na is here to talk about the relationship between children and fantasy, introducing her new book.
ㅣspeaker: Baek Hee-na (Artist)
- date/time: Nov. 30 (Sat) 13:30–15:00
- location: Sky Island
The Reason We Should Still Read Books
In today’s digital era, it’s hard to even imagine a world without the internet. When the world moves faster than we do, perhaps what we need is not a faster stride but the courage to pause for a moment. Reading can provide the time to catch our breath and find the pace that’s right for us.
ㅣspeaker: Hwang Sun-mi (Writer, Professor at Seoul Institute of The Arts)
ㅣModerator: Kim Yoo-jin (Critic, Poet)
- date/time: Dec. 1 (Sun) 11:30–13:00
- location: Sky Island