Taiwan Named Guest Country at Jeonju Picture Book Festival; Jimmy Liao to Dialogue with Kim Dong-sung

The intangible power of cultural exchange often transcends the barriers of borders and languages, and picture books—serving as a medium that combines both literature and visual arts—act as an essential bridge for promoting international understanding. The Jeonju International Picture Book Festival, a flagship cultural event in South Korea, is officially set to open tomorrow (the 2nd). Marking a major highlight of this year's edition, the festival has specially invited Taiwan to be the Guest of Honor Country. This is not only a high recognition of Taiwan's booming development in picture book creation and illustration in recent years, but it also establishes a prominent international stage for deep dialogue between Taiwan and South Korea in publishing, art, and the cultural and creative industries, allowing the world to witness Taiwan's abundant cultural energy.

As one of the main highlights of this year's Jeonju International Picture Book Festival, an in-depth dialogue between representative creators from Taiwan and South Korea is highly anticipated. Jimmy Liao, Taiwan's internationally renowned illustrator, will engage in a fascinating cross-national conversation with prominent South Korean illustrator Kim Dong-sung. For years, Jimmy's works have been celebrated for their delicate and warm artistic style, as well as their poetic and touching text. His creations are not only popular across the Chinese-speaking world but have also been translated into multiple languages, healing the hearts of countless adults. Kim Dong-sung enjoys a prominent reputation in South Korea's children's book sector for his poetic strokes imbued with oriental aesthetics and his profound observations of nature and humanity. The intersection of these two masters, who possess distinct styles yet share a proficiency in conveying emotions through imagery, is expected to spark deep artistic resonance on site, exploring the sources of inspiration in contemporary picture book creation, the transformation of visual language, and how creators build spiritual connections with readers through text and illustration.

Beyond the master-level dialogue, the arrangement of designating Taiwan as the Guest of Honor Country at this Jeonju International Picture Book Festival carries significant practical industrial exchange value. During the event, illustrators, picture book authors, independent publishers, and representatives from major publishing houses from both Taiwan and South Korea will gather to engage in a series of intensive professional exchanges and copyright negotiations. Such large-scale international book fairs and art festivals are not only windows for showcasing works, but also crucial opportunities to promote cultural trade, copyright exports, and transnational co-productions. Through physical interactions and panel discussions, Taiwanese publishers can directly introduce outstanding emerging and veteran Taiwanese picture book creators to the South Korean market, gain deep insights into the latest trends and reader preferences in South Korea's children's book market, and consequently expand broader international cooperation spaces while enhancing the visibility of Taiwanese original works in the global publishing landscape.

Jeonju, as a renowned cultural and historical city in South Korea, has always vigorously promoted international exchanges in culture and arts, and the international picture book festival it hosts holds a pivotal position in the Asian children's book sector. Entrusting the responsibility of Guest of Honor Country to Taiwan highlights the remarkable achievements of Taiwan's picture book prowess in its internationalization process in recent years. Taiwan's picture book creation has blossomed in recent years, covering subjects ranging from traditional folklore, natural ecology, and daily emotions to social issues and philosophical contemplation, demonstrating a high degree of inclusivity and freedom. Many Taiwanese picture books have repeatedly won prestigious honors at major international book fairs and illustration awards, gradually establishing a unique brand image. South Korea's picture book market has also thrived in recent years, frequently winning major international picture book awards while its ultimate pursuit of visual aesthetics and unique narrative styles are widely acclaimed. Both Taiwan and South Korea share similar underlying Eastern cultural foundations in picture book aesthetics and cultural backgrounds, yet each has developed distinct modern interpretations, making the exchanges between the two regions exceptionally complementary and inspiring.

From the perspective of long-term cultural strategy, Taiwan serving as the Guest of Honor Country at the Jeonju International Picture Book Festival is not merely a single cultural event, but an important practice in extending Taiwan's cultural soft power outward. Through a medium like picture books—suitable for all ages and capable of transcending age groups and borders—Taiwan is able to present its diverse, open, and creative social profile to the international community. Local readers and professionals can further understand Taiwan's local customs, human geography, and the dimensions of contemporary artists' thoughts through these wonderful Taiwanese picture books. This form of public diplomacy centered around culture and art can most directly touch people's hearts and build lasting, profound friendships. As the event officially gets underway, it is expected to attract widespread attention from the South Korean public and international media, writing a new and deeply meaningful page for future cultural exchanges between Taiwan and South Korea.