Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan Library to Hold Cultural Events Commemorating the 2026 World Library and Information Congress in Busan

내용

Busan Metropolitan Library announced that it will host a series of special cultural events this summer for both Busan citizens and library professionals from around the world to celebrate the successful hosting of the 2026 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC), the largest international conference in the global library community, and to create a vibrant cultural atmosphere.

The cultural program has been designed to connect with international audiences by combining Korea's unique cultural heritage with the dynamic local culture of Busan.

The first event will be an invited book talk featuring singer Lee Juck on July 4 at 2:00 p.m. at Modeullak Theater in Busan Metropolitan Library as part of the advance promotional program for the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC).

As both a musician and author, Lee Juck will share reflections on everyday life and his musical journey through his essay collection, Words of Lee Juck, while engaging in meaningful conversations with the audience.

The event will be moderated by Busan-based musician Kwon Noonseop, adding further significance to the program. The combination of the literary inspiration of a widely recognized artist and the fresh perspective of a local musician is expected to create a distinctive cultural exchange bridging the local and national cultural scenes.

The celebration will continue on August 8 with IEUM, a crossover Korean traditional music performance that connects tradition and modernity, Korea and the world, through music.

The performance will feature Gugak Band Biwon, a creative ensemble that reinterprets traditional Korean performing arts with a contemporary sensibility and presents beautiful sounds that transcend the boundaries between traditional Korean and Western musical instruments.

Featuring a total of ten artists, the performance is expected to provide a venue where library professionals from around the world and Busan citizens can come together beyond national boundaries through books and music.

Through August, Busan Metropolitan Library will also operate a global exhibition space where visitors can experience both Korea's traditional spiritual values and the historical identity of Busan as Korea's maritime capital.

The exhibition hall on the second floor and the Busan Aeddeul space, in collaboration with the Korean Studies Institute, will feature the Korean Confucian Printing Woodblocks, recognized as a shared heritage of humanity, along with traditional minhwa paintings. The exhibition will introduce the essence of Korea's documentary heritage while also presenting a special exhibition on the Joseon Tongsinsa, highlighting Busan's historical significance as a hub of cultural exchange in East Asia and showcasing the global value of both Korean culture and Busan's local heritage.

The library's specialized spaces, including the General Collection Room, will also feature exhibitions of works that have received major international literary awards, including the world's three most prestigious literary prizes.

In addition, the WLIC International Cooperation Corner in the Bookmaru Reading Room and Bookflix, a curated display comparing original-language literary works in the Chaeknuriter Reading Room, will be operated in an integrated manner to welcome library professionals from around the world.

Meanwhile, the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC), organized by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), will be held in Busan from August 10 to 13. It is the library community's premier international conference.

Approximately 3,000 library and information professionals from more than 100 countries are expected to participate, creating a global knowledge network and platform for exchange. The event will return to Korea for the first time in 20 years since it was held in Seoul in 2006, generating great anticipation.

Park Eun-a, Director of Busan Metropolitan Library, said, "Ahead of this international event, which will showcase Busan's status as the maritime capital to the world, we will present the most authentically Korean and uniquely Busan experiences through the invited book talk with singer Lee Juck, the traditional Korean music performance, and the special exhibitions. We will also make every effort to ensure that this congress serves as a turning point for Busan's libraries to grow into global knowledge hubs and for Busan to emerge as a leading international city of knowledge and culture."