All available tickets for the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair, set to kick off next week, completely sold out during the early-bird ticketing period, leaving no option for on-site purchase, according to its organizer, the Korean Publishers Association, on Thursday.
The early-bird tickets, offered at a discount, were part of an initiative to encourage participation and advance reservations.
But overwhelming demand during the presale period means that most walk-in visitors to the fair will not be able to purchase tickets at the venue.
The KPA said exceptions will be made for select groups. Preschool children, individuals with disabilities, national merit recipients, and seniors aged 65 and over will be granted free admission.
“We had anticipated the possibility of early sellouts and did announce that scenario in advance,” the KPA said in its statement. “Still, we assumed that at least weekday tickets would be available for on-site purchase. We apologize for not taking every possibility into account.”
The KPA added that, because the fair is held indoors, organizers had to limit the ticket sales to a number that ensures visitor safety and crowd control.
“We decided to halt sales once attendance reached the level of last year’s Friday turnout to prevent overcrowding.”
Organizers declined to disclose the exact number of tickets sold. Last year, the fair drew approximately 150,000 visitors over the five-day event.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
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