This year’s Seoul International Writers’ Festival (SIWF), running from Sept. 6 to 11, invites the audience to explore the interplay of contradictions and dualities through the world of literature.

Its theme, “Particles & Waves,” draws inspiration from the dual nature of light in physics, where it behaves both as particles and waves.

“Like light, literature too navigates the coexistence of seemingly opposing forces — its political and ethical responsibilities alongside its aesthetic qualities. Though these aspects may appear contradictory, they are intertwined in a dynamic relationship [that deepens meaning and understanding in each work,]” said Oh Hyung-yup, head of the festival’s 스포츠 organizing committee and a professor of Korean language and literature at Korea University, during a press conference in Seoul, Monday.

“The theme also emphasizes the power of the minuscule. Just as a single photon can produce significant effects when it interacts as a wave, specific events within a story can resonate with profoundly universal truths and themes.”

Hosted by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, the 13th iteration of the SIWF will bring together 24 acclaimed writers from 11 countries at the JCC Art Center in central Seoul.

The festival is set to kick off on Sept. 6 with keynote speeches from two literary luminaries: Chung Bora, whose short story collection “Cursed Bunny” was shortlisted for both the 2022 International Booker Prize and the 2023 National Book Award, and Claudia Pineiro, the renowned Argentine writer and playwright known for titles such as “Elena Knows” and “A Little Luck.”