Where Campus Freedom Meets Intellectual Joy: 2025 Fall Reading Festival concludes at the 'Book-Loving Chung-Ang Square'

[한국대학신문 이정환 기자] Chung-Ang University’s Library held the 2025 Fall Reading Festival on October 1 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Chung-Ang Square of the Seoul Campus. Following last year’s overnight reading event, this year’s festival featured a variety of programs aimed at promoting a reading culture and fostering engagement with the local community.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Mr. Sang-ho Cho, Deputy Director of the Library, and proceeded in the following order: △Introduction of distinguished guests △Welcome speech by President Sang-gue Park △Congratulatory remarks by Student Council President Min-jung Lee and poet Ji-in Choi △Event overview. This was followed by a celebratory performance by Chung-Ang University’s club Rubato, a prize draw, and a commemorative photo session, all of which were met with an enthusiastic response from the participants. Around the event venue, various booths were set up, including reading experience stations, photo zones, and new book exhibition and exchange programs, providing students and faculty with an open space to freely read and share books.

The event was honored by the attendance of many distinguished guests, including President Sang-gue Park, Provost Kwang-yong Park, Vice President for Research Maeng-je Seong, Dean of Academic Affairs Shin-jae Rhim, Director of the Library Seong-hee Kim, and Director of Planning Hang-bae Chang. This was followed by congratulatory remarks from President Sang-gue Park, Student Council President Min-seong Lee, and poet Ji-in Choi, adding significance to the festival. Poet Ji-in Choi, an alumna of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Theater and Film, is the recipient of the 2013 World Literature Newcomer Award and the 40th Shin Dong-yeop Literary Award in 2022 and her major works include 『Isn’t Your Sin Mine?』 and 『Working, Working, and Loving』. After the opening ceremony, a book talk event with poet Ji-in Choi took place at the Book Talk Zone.

At the event venue, various side programs were held, including an outdoor reading area, a book curation session displaying recommended books selected by the library’s librarians, a book flea market where new books could be purchased or exchanged, a sobriety and smoking cessation experience program for university students, a photo booth, and coffee truck vouchers. The prize draw that followed drew great attention as a large stuffed Puang was given away, and the opening ceremony concluded with a commemorative photo session, after which participants enjoyed outdoor reading and a book talk session.