VOL.77/2024.12

A Korean Publisher Growing With the World

An endless adventure for artistic completion...40 years in just picture books “Borim Press”

 

2017.7.28

 

Korean publishers are expanding their presence in the offshore publication market. At this time when foreign publishers taking increasing interest, here are two unique Korean publishers we personally visited to hear their diverse stories.
Curiosity grows when one hears a publisher has insisted on making only picture books for more than 40 years. When that particular publisher is known for their willingness to take on challenges and adventures while adhering to the utmost artistic perfection, you can't help but look further.
Borim Press has been forging its own path from 1976 with the motto, "Picture books are works of art". Of its published works, 90 percent are picture books. However, these books are not solely meant for children as the publisher aims to create creative picture books that carry artistic value, according to Kwon Jong-taek, the head of Borim. Borim's The Collection series mirrors this attempt to create books that surpass age and generations. In the case of books for children, this can be seen in Borim's Artivity (Art+Activity) series.

 

△ Borim Press' The Collection series

 

In recent years, Borim Press has received much attention from overseas making it one of the hottest South Korean publishers. So far it has exported roughly 60 books to 24 countries in Europe, Central America, South America and Asia. Eun-young Cho received the prestigious Grand Prix Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava in 2011 for her book Run Toto! The same year, Ju-yeon Yoo received the BIB Golden Apple, one of the world's top three awards for picture books for her book One Day.

 

△ Cover art for Eun-young Cho's Run Toto!

 

△ Cover art for Ju-yeon Yoo's One Day

 

Borim was also granted the honor of being selected as this year's best publisher in Asia at the 54th Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy this April. It was the first Korean publisher to receive the award, which is given to publishers recognized for their creativity and adventurous book-making ventures.

Q. We see the word 'adventure' pop up often linked to your company's name

A. We went a road unforged in the 1970s when we laid our hands on picture books at a time when there was no concept of children's products in South Korea. There were no writers specializing in children's books nor were there guides on how to create them. We had to create our own market and also strive for artistic perfection, which in hindsight, was a true risk.

 

Q. Why don't you think picture books should solely be for children?

A. This comes from the thinking that picture books can be read by people from ages 0 to 100. They say people read picture books three times in their lifetime - when they are young, when they are parents and when they grow old. We are trying to express that through our picture books so all generations will be able to feel something from them.

 

Q. What is the reason behind your wanting to achieve artistic perfection through picture books?

A. There is nothing better to expand a child's emotional boundaries than that. Our ultimate goal is to deliver art through our books to readers, more than morals or messages.

 

Q. What do you think is the reason behind Borim's success overseas?

A. The thoughts and storytelling used in picture books are universal, so they appeal to many readers around the world. I'd also like to point out our company has a separate picture book team in our children and teens section.

 

△ Le Petit Theatre de Rebecca - A picture book translated into Korean with laser-cut images

 

 

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Written by Young-jong Lee (Reporter, Joongang Ilbo)