Running Oct. 17–18 from noon to 8 p.m., the outdoor reading and culture festival blends books, performances, films and hands-on activities under the theme "Ultimately, People in the Age of AI," featuring a book concert by Professor Kim Sang-geun and a humanities concert by docent Lee Ji-an.
Seoul's Nowon-gu will host the outdoor reading and culture festival "2026 Nowon Outdoor Library — Romance Guaranteed" along the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail near the Hagye 2-dong Community Center on Oct. 17 and 18.
"Romance Guaranteed" is an outdoor festival where visitors enjoy books alongside culture and the arts in a natural setting. This year's edition centers on the theme "Ultimately, People in the Age of AI," spotlighting the experience of people meeting face to face — through books — to talk and connect in an era when technology has permeated everyday life. The festival aims to reaffirm the value of human communication, books and local community that technology cannot replace. Both days run from noon to 8 p.m.
The venue will span roughly 8,800 square meters, encompassing a grass plaza, the Gyeongchun Station Book & Coffee space and the old Gyeongchun Line railway tracks. The grass plaza will feature a main stage, a camping zone and a reading lounge. Throughout the grounds, visitors can read, watch performances, catch a film and take part in hands-on programs.
On the first day, Oct. 17, a series of author meet-and-greets, a book concert and an opera performance will fill the afternoon. At 1 p.m., author Kim A-yeong will meet readers at the bookstore-author booth in the grass plaza, followed at 3 p.m. by a book concert titled "Reading People in the Age of AI" with Professor Kim Sang-geun. Kim will draw on the featured book "Odyssey" to explore the human values and meaning of life that deserve renewed attention in the AI era. A separate meet-and-greet with author Heo Ji-na is scheduled for 4 p.m.
At 5:20 p.m., an opening ceremony will lead into an opera gala show by "Sole Ole." The ceremony will include sign-language interpretation, assistance for visually impaired attendees and wheelchair seating to support participation by visitors with disabilities.
On the second day, Oct. 18, docent Lee Ji-an will present a humanities concert at 3 p.m. titled "Comfort and Romance Found in the Stories of Italian Masterpieces." Lee, an art therapist and exhibition docent, will unpack the stories behind celebrated paintings and introduce the comfort and romance that art conveys. At 4 p.m., a "book-gazing time" will invite visitors to set aside distractions and simply rest with a book.
Throughout the festival, family-friendly shows — including a bubble show and a magic show — and string ensemble performances will run alongside the main programming. An outdoor movie theater, "Romance Theater: Beer Cinema," will operate both afternoons, with a craft-beer cooperative, a CGV pop-up store and food trucks on hand to offer a distinctive experience of films and food along the autumn forest trail.
The Nowon District Public Library will present book curations organized by theme — covering topics such as "Ultimately, People," insects, art, nature and ecology, rest, and health — as well as age-group selections. Shelves and book baskets will hold about 1,000 titles for visitors to pick up and read freely.
Along the Gyeongchun Line tracks, a "Nowon Neighborhood Bookshop Trail" and a fire-gazing zone will be set up. Four local independent bookshops — Bronte Salon, Jigubuljichak, Chaegingam and Ttaengttaengseom — will each showcase recommended titles reflecting their own character. Visitors can read by firelight and soak in the autumn atmosphere of the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail.
Hands-on reading activities will range from making mini-books, emotion dolls and picture books to crafting bookmarks and mini-book keyrings. A mood-light workshop using this year's featured book, "Words I Want to Hear," will also be offered, giving visitors a variety of ways to engage with books.
"The more AI becomes part of daily life, the more precious it is to meet in person and share stories with a book between us," Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-o said. "I hope everyone comes to the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail to enjoy books, performances and films together, savor the feel of autumn, and rediscover the value of people and books."
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