National Library to showcase Korean literature read by BTS

▲ Police stand guard around the stage for a free concert by K-pop group BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 16, 2026, with the group set to put on a comeback concert at 8 p.m. on March 21. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- The National Library of Korea said Thursday it will introduce a curated collection of Korean literary works read by BTS through a special exhibition, "BTS Bookshelf."

The exhibition will run from March 20 to April 12, featuring 47 titles that have drawn attention after being mentioned by BTS members in media reports or on social media, as well as books themed around the group’s fandom, ARMY.

Among the featured works are "Human Acts" by Han Kang, who became the first Korean and the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, and "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982" by Cho Nam-joo.

The collection also includes "Poems for Small Things," a prose work by poet Na Tae-joo inspired by BTS lyrics, along with English-language materials.

▲ Police stand guard around the stage for a free concert by K-pop group BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 16, 2026, with the group set to put on a comeback concert at 8 p.m. on March 21. (Yonhap)

In addition, the library will present a media art exhibition, "Author’s Notes," which reinterprets modern Korean poetry through digital installations.

Visitors will be able to experience visual interpretations of poems such as "Until the Peonies Bloom" by Kim Young-rang, "Green Grapes" by Yi Yuk-sa, "Boy" by Yun Dong-ju and "Glass Window 1" by Jeong Ji-yong.

Interactive features will allow visitors to trigger visual effects -- such as blooming peonies or ripening grapes -- by touching walls or moving within the space.

▲ The main page of the media art exhibition, "Author’s Notes," which reinterprets modern Korean poetry through digital installations. Photo courtesy of the National Library of Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

A library official said the exhibition will offer a unique opportunity to rediscover the value of Korean literature through digital technology.

The bookshelf display and media installations will be available at the "Path of Knowledge" section on the first basement level of the library’s Digital Library.

▲ The main page of the media art exhibition, "Author’s Notes," which reinterprets modern Korean poetry through digital installations. Photo courtesy of the National Library of Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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