New developments at the world's oldest book fair.

The Frankfurt Buchmesse, the world's oldest annual book fair, chose the theme "Stories connect us" this year and took place from October 15-19, 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany, with the participation of more than 7,000 exhibitors from 100 countries.

For a long time, in the global publishing world, Frankfurt Buchmesse has been more than just a book and copyright market event for the publishing business; it's a vast world expressed and reflected through the publishing industry and the lens of knowledge.

The organizers of this book fair are clearly paying attention to and encouraging new players in the publishing industry in Southeast Asia. This year, the Philippines is the guest of honor. Coming to Frankfurt with hundreds of artists, speakers, writers, and researchers to showcase their culture and large booths displaying translated books from recent years, the Philippines aims to demonstrate to the world a publishing industry with strong potential. Following Indonesia, the Philippines is emerging as a new phenomenon at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

A Hungarian book space and the bookshelves of László Krasznahorkai, the author who won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.

PHOTO: NGUYEN VINH NGUYEN

Nobel and a world in turmoil

The aftershocks of the war were quite evident at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The desolate atmosphere of the Afghan Book section was easily noticeable, with its narrow shelves draped in the country's flag.

Meanwhile, this year Ukraine invested heavily in its book space. Not only were thousands of books on display, but nearly 50 seminars and meetings were also held over four days of the book festival. The role of books, culture, women's lives, children's lives, etc., during wartime was a recurring theme discussed throughout the event.

During the book fair, a large screen in front of the Frankfurt Messe exhibition center displayed a portrait of the 71-year-old Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, who won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature. However, within the book section showcasing works from Central and Northern European countries, Hungary's booth wasn't particularly impressive. A shelf held about ten original Hungarian books by László Krasznahorkai. Occasionally, a few visitors would come and take photos next to the shelf.

A meet-and-greet with famous audiobook narrators in Germany.

PHOTO: NGUYEN VINH NGUYEN

Shifts and trends

Technological trends are also changing how readers access books and how they are published and distributed.

While not occupying large spaces with elaborate stages like in China, bookstores from South Korea and Japan, featuring manga comics, gift books, and children's books, still maintain a strong appeal. Comics, games, romance/fantasy books, healing fiction... aimed at the "new adult" community (young readers aged 18-30) have become hot topics of discussion in online forums.

This year, targeting young readers, the final day of the Frankfurt Book Fair promises to be more than just a costume party as usual; it will also feature the TikTok Book Awards, honoring authors, works, creators, and publishers, and recognizing popular BookToScreen adaptations from the #BookTok community in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The event will be held at Harmonie Hall, Frankfurt Messe. According to the digital platform, there are nearly 67 million TikTok posts worldwide with the hashtag #BookTok. This community has established itself as "a driving force in the book industry and is leading more and more young people back to books." While mainstream critics in German newspapers remain cautious or even harshly critical of this review platform, it's undeniable that digital media platforms are shaping the landscape of the publishing market.

One of the major trends in the global publishing market, showcased at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025, is the use of technology in publishing, distribution, and communication. The expansive Hall 3.1 was dedicated to showcasing everything from technology to audiobook experiences, including meeting authors of highly-rated audiobooks and beloved narrators. "Read like you listen" is the slogan for bringing audiobooks to par with print books in an increasingly busy world.

Attending the Frankfurt Book Fair for the licensing market is a key part, but the story that reflects and connects the colorful contemporary world, with its ups and downs through publishing culture, is what draws publishers worldwide to Frankfurt to get a €165 ticket for five days immersed in the world of books.

BRINGING VIETNAMESE BOOKS TO GLOBAL READERS

This year, Vietnam has a presence in five booths in Hall 5.1 of the Asian region, including: Tre Publishing House, Kim Dong Publishing House, Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City, and the Vietnam Publishing Department. In his opening speech at the Vietnamese book space, Mr. Phan Tam, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, reiterated the efforts and aspirations to "bring Vietnamese books to global readers." At the Tre Publishing House booth, information on books by writers Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Nguyen Binh Phuong, Duong Thuy, etc., was introduced to visitors. Works by Nguyen Ngoc Thuan and Nguyen Nhat Anh were displayed alongside books introducing regional cultures by Son Nam, Nguyen Vinh Phuc, and others.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-dich-moi-trong-tiec-sach-lau-doi-nhat-the-gioi-185251020213212214.htm