VOL.78/2025.01

 

A New Horizon for Korean Picture Book Culture

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Suncheon Picture Book Library

 

2025.01.06

 

 

The Suncheon Picture Book Library, which opened in 2014, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. As the only specialized center in Korea that regularly hosts exhibitions of picture book illustrations, it has been playing an important role in bringing the art of children’s book illustration closer to readers by holding various programs related to picture books, not to mention hosting exhibitions of original works by major Korean and foreign picture book authors. The library also collects original works by picture book authors as part of collecting and passing on books to future generations. It currently owns 213 original works, including The Story of Mount Baekdu (Borim) by Ryu Je-Soo.
In April last year, a special exhibition was organized to celebrate the library’s 10th anniversary, highlighting the representative works of Suzy Lee, a globally acclaimed author. The exhibition attracted more than 16,000 visitors from all over the country and provided a meaningful opportunity to enjoy picture book culture together. Also, until March this year, the library will be hosting a special exhibition of original artworks under the theme of “10 Years of Picture Book Library, 10 Years of Korean Picture Books.” The exhibition will showcase the original illustrations of picture books collected by the Picture Book Library over the years, and highlight some of the most significant Korean picture books of the past decade.

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 37 – Go to the interview with writer Suzy Lee

 

 

The Mecca of Picture Books, Embracing Art Beyond Books

 

The Suncheon Picture Book Library has a unique service structure: about 40% of its services are conventional library services, such as borrowing and returning books, and the remaining 60% is dedicated to the function of an art museum. The library organizes exhibitions of picture book authors two to three times a year, and it opens Picture Book School once a month where citizens and families can meet picture book authors. There are also picture book making classes for children and adults. During school vacations, picture book camps are organized, and in the fall, “Night Picnic” events are held where visitors can meet the author who won the Bologna Ragazzi Award that year. There are also various hands-on programs and puppet shows that tie in with the exhibition.
To bring together world-class authors, the library has created a basic framework for exhibition themes every year since its opening and established policies and criteria for purchasing original artworks. In addition to publishers’ exhibitions, it has hosted exhibitions of domestic artists such as Ryu Je-Soo and Suzy Lee, as well as international artists such as Eric Carle and Anthony Browne. It has been described as “the mecca of picture books” for picture book authors, as it also exhibits overseas picture books from countries such as Poland and France. As such, the Picture Book Library serves as both a library and an art museum for local residents in areas with few art galleries and museums.
In particular, the library hopes to be a catalyst for children to develop their imagination and creativity through exposure to and experience of artistic culture from an early age. The library also hopes to play a fundamental role in helping them grow up to be adults who visit art museums and enjoy art in their daily lives, and to become a space that contributes to the development of a healthy community with many citizens with positive influences.

 

 

A decade of art and inspiration, brimming with exhibitions, programs, and picture books

 

The exhibitions are held two to three times a year. The library strives to lead the Korean picture book culture by curating and operating a series of exhibitions, including the “Exhibition on Mid-career and Senior Picture Book Authors” to establish the history of Korean picture books, the “Exhibition on Discovering Young Authors” to introduce talented young authors through various themes of picture books and gauge the future of Korean picture books, and the “Exhibition on Overseas Picture Book Authors” to establish international exchanges and overseas picture book networks.
Furthermore, the library also runs collaborative programs such as puppet shows and exhibition docents. The puppet show is an exhibition-oriented program that tells the story of the exhibited book through puppetry. When a new exhibition is curated, directors are selected to create a puppet show based on the book by the author of the exhibition. The directors write the script, plan the stage and music, and complete the production. The puppeteer volunteers from the Picture Book Library take on the roles and undergo intensive practice. The first performance takes place at the opening of the exhibition and continues until it ends, providing a rich cultural experience for visitors.
Exhibition docents are programs that help visitors better understand exhibited works. The artist or curator of the exhibition gives two to three training sessions to the docent volunteers about the content of the exhibition, so that they have time to fully understand the exhibition and the artworks. When the exhibition opens, docent volunteers explain the features and meaning of the exhibition and artworks to visitors as well as provide in-depth interpretation.

 

 

Suncheon Picture Book Library has been committed to improving the quality of picture book libraries and maintaining sustainable operations over the past decade. Many people in the picture book industry and authors have recognized the value of the library and sent encouragement for its continued development, which is a great source of strength for the staff. This support will help the library to keep going for another 10 years. We plan to continue to expand the spaces in which we collaborate with picture book authors to develop Korean picture books. By doing so, we hope to spread the value of picture books to more people through various projects.

 

 

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Written by Shin Chun-Woo (Director of Suncheon Picture Book Library)