Books on the beach: Gwangalli Beach Book Fair, Oct. 23–28

A third beachside fair

The 2026 Gwangalli Beach Book Fair runs from Friday, October 23, to Wednesday, October 28, around Mannam Square, with overall hours of 13:00–21:00 KST. Suyeong-gu hosts and organizes it, with the Busan Publishing Culture Industry Association as co-planner. The program includes a book market, reading lounge, author talks and curated exhibitions.

Participating publisher Sanzini says the fair began in 2024 and is now in its third year. Fifty participants, including publishers, bookshops, writers, reading communities and creators from Busan and across Korea, are taking part.

Busan publisher Sanzini

Sanzini was founded in Busan in February 2005. Its introduction states an aim of supporting cultural decentralization and cultural democracy through publishing.

“Daegu vs Busan” talk

At 17:00 on Friday, October 23, Park Chang-hee (박창희) and Lee Min-hye (이민혜) discuss “대구 vs 부산” (“Daegu vs Busan”). The publisher’s latest announcement describes the book as forthcoming. It compares the two cities’ history, food, language and culture through family experience and dialogue between generations.

“Uncomfortable Trends” talk

Do Woori (도우리) discusses “불편한 유행,” descriptively “Uncomfortable Trends,” at 16:00 on Sunday, October 25. Published by Sanzini on June 8, 2026, the 232-page work of pop-culture criticism examines the conflicts and exclusions within light entertainment such as MBTI culture and fast-moving consumer trends.

At an earlier Seoul International Book Fair conversation, the author said the book collects columns written from late 2022 to October 2025, with topics chosen for their social significance as well as their popularity.

Talks on the printed book

The paper-themed talks list Kim Hwa-jin (김화진) at 17:00 on Saturday, October 24, on making room within fiction, and Kim Ae-hyun (김애현) at 17:00 on Sunday, October 25, on paper books navigating a digital sea. These English phrases describe the Korean session titles.

Handling display copies depends on each stall, and books and displays should not be photographed without permission.

Registration and perks

The author and paper-themed talks fall on October 23–25. The official form accepts advance applications through October 20, first come, first served per session. Sessions run about 50 minutes, and the first 15 registrants per author talk and 30 per paper-themed talk receive a KRW 1,000 book-market discount. Companions must apply individually.

The editors suggest one to two hours to browse and attend one talk.

Getting there and enquiries

Map searches should use “광안리 만남의광장” (Gwangalli Mannam Square); the event address is 29 Millak-ro 6beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan. The Korea Tourism Organization gives a walk of about ten minutes from Exit 3 or 5 of Gwangan Station on Busan Metro Line 2 to the beach.

The official listing does not give general admission charges or stall operating dates, and books cost extra. Programs are in Korean, and English or Japanese interpretation has not been confirmed. Enquiries go through the official links or +82-70-7309-1947. The registration form’s introductory date and weekday line contains errors, so individual session times apply. Rain or strong wind may change plans.

The photographs are archival day and night views of Gwangalli and do not show this year’s fair or the current state of its shops and lighting.