The 2020 Seoul International Writers’ Festival, the largest international literary festival in South Korea, will take place online Nov. 2-8, with the aim of expanding opportunities to enjoy literature while providing a platform for literary exchange.

Eleven writers from 11 foreign countries and 14 Korean writers are taking part in this year’s festival, themed “Writing Tomorrow.” Participating writers include Luis Eduardo Garcia of Mexico and Paolo Giordano of Italy, the youngest winner of the Strega Prize, the most prestigious Italian literary award. Giordano will give the closing keynote speech.

The local authors participating in the festival include Hwang Sok-yong, the author of “At Dusk” and “The Guest.”

A total of 217 writers from 54 countries have been invited to the festival since its launch in 2006, including 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature winner Olga Tokarczuk from Poland.

“Through this year’s SIWF, we will show the power of literature that can console people around the world weary from COVID-19,” said Kim Sa-in, head of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea.

More information and samples of each participating author’s work can be found on the festival’s webpage (www.siwf.or.kr). Reservations can be made on the Naver reservation page.

By Lim Jang-won (ljw@heraldcorp.com)