[Power K Woman] 550,000 Subscribers Have Big Meaning for Publisher: "Growing Into a Platform for Reading People"

Jo Aran, Head of Marketing at Minumsa

Joined Minumsa as the company's first female marketer
Wove together stories of various books and editors' daily lives
Pioneered a paradigm shift in publishing marketing

Proactively took on and crea

In the publishing industry, having 550,000 subscribers is more than just a number. With the number of readers declining and the competition for content intensifying, MinumsaTV has established itself not just as a channel for promoting books, but as a content platform where people come, stay, and engage. Content featuring books from various publishers and snippets of editors' daily lives has revealed new possibilities for publishing marketing. Jo Aran, Marketing Manager at Minumsa, is the driving force behind this transformation. She joined the company as the first female marketer and later went on to launch MinumsaTV, leading a paradigm shift in publishing marketing. I recently met with Jo at Minumsa's headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Seoul.

Joa Ran, Marketing Manager at Minumsa, poses for an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the Gangnam Publishing & Culture Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho

-Publishing has traditionally been viewed as a "quiet industry." However, MinumsaTV is now seen as having transformed the publishing house into a content brand. How are recent publishing marketing trends changing?

▲Since the advent of social networking services (SNS), publishing marketing has also become a content battlefield. In the past, the focus was on how to sell each book more effectively, but now it's about why people should seek out this brand and why they should keep following its stories. There are already plenty of good books and good stories. That's why each publishing house seems to be constantly creating new reasons for audiences to consume their brand. Attempts to build influence through various channels such as memberships, subscription services, YouTube, and Reels have also become much more common.

-One striking aspect of MinumsaTV is that it highlights "the people who make books" rather than the books themselves. What led you to the strategy of turning employees and the organization into content? Many companies and brand channels have since tried to benchmark this approach, but there are still not many cases considered successful. What do you think accounts for this difference?

▲We didn’t start off knowing the right answer. After numerous attempts, we realized that content in which entry-level editors and marketers talk about their work and the process of getting a job received a better response than content featuring famous writers. The "how-to" format that YouTube users love worked well for our channel too, and we developed it in that direction. I believe the secret to our success is autonomy. Minumsa worked with professional producers from the beginning, and there was barely any interference or questioning such as "Why did you post this?" There was a culture of trusting the producers' judgment and planning, and that trust was the driving force behind the channel's growth.

-One characteristic of MinumsaTV is that it draws out tremendous fun from ordinary editors or marketers. What is the secret to drawing out the individuality and autonomy of team members?

▲There is a calm atmosphere in the organization, free of jealousy, envy, and excessive excitement. People often say we've built great characters, but none of them are manufactured—they stem from being themselves. There is no culture of jealousy or excessive reactions when someone gets attention, nor is there a culture of boisterous cheering. In reality, people aren’t particularly interested in one another. That lukewarm indifference actually creates a sense of authenticity. The company also doesn’t go out of its way to give big rewards for achievements, nor does it heavily penalize failures. Contrary to external perceptions, the internal culture is quite subdued, and I think this has contributed to participants being able to showcase their personalities naturally.

Joa Ran, Marketing Manager at Minumsa, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the Gangnam Publishing Culture Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho

-While many company YouTube channels remain focused on delivering information or promoting their brands, MinumsaTV has developed a fan base through natural daily interactions and a human touch. What principle do you consider most important in creating content that "doesn’t feel like advertising"? Have there ever been moments when this principle was shaken or threatened by pressure over view counts, KPIs, or branding concerns?

▲We almost never faced pressure over revenue from the company. At first, I thought having "Minumsa" in the channel name could actually be a disadvantage. There were times when I wondered if there was really demand for reading content, but by running the channel consistently, we found that this honesty became a strength. Minumsa has more of a long-tail structure centered on steady sellers, rather than on new releases. So, managing the brand and series was more important than immediate sales. With the cost of bookstore advertising rising and its effectiveness diminishing, while content remains a long-term asset, it seemed more meaningful to invest in video content for the future.

-Did the world recognize your potential from the start? Is there an unconventional approach you took to make your mark and get opportunities, or an effort you remember as an especially intense struggle?

▲When I applied to Minumsa for my first job, I didn't hear back. So I decided to directly email and call the head of the division at the time to ask, "If nothing else, could you please give me an interview?" Thanks to seeing my boldness in a positive light, I became the first female marketer at Minumsa. After joining, I created my own work. I constantly suggested new things—"What if we tried this?" "I'd like to take this on"—and as I built up these experiences, I earned the organization’s trust. That trust allowed me to be given relatively broad authority when taking on new projects.

-What was the biggest hardship in your life and career so far? How did you overcome it?

▲It was a case of "Eoljuka"—trouble I brought upon myself (laughs). As someone who is always creating new projects, sometimes the scale has grown too large. In the past, I could push forward even when it was tough for me, but nowadays, I have to get many people—sometimes even different teams—involved. That means persuading people and creating motivation and reasons for the project. I thought working longer would mean I would be good at everything, but working with people and especially leading people is still something I’m learning. These days, instead of always adding more, I’m trying to do less but do it better.

Joa Ran, Marketing Manager at Minumsa, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the Gangnam Publishing Culture Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-Sometimes, achievements at work become accepted as the "default" within an organization. Amid growing expectations for ongoing results, what is your biggest current challenge or concern?

▲There is always pressure to keep coming up with something new. Internal expectations are high, and wanting to keep making an impact in the industry naturally means starting new projects. After YouTube, we launched a podcast called "Minumsa Radio" last year, and this year we added new segments. Broadening our influence is still something I enjoy, but it’s also a burden. These days, we receive almost daily offers for brand collaborations, so to run the team effectively, you have to make choices and focus. Striking that balance is the hardest part.

-In a fast-paced digital environment where quick results are expected, the pressure of competing for views or feeling fatigued is significant. What do you most try to avoid in order to build a brand for the long term?

▲It’s about not obsessing over view counts. I avoid using sensational topics or trying to push too hard just because we’re on a roll. Internally, we say, "Let’s not row too hard just because the tide is high." If we overexert ourselves, it’s easy to get burned out internally, and it can also lead to negative external issues. While it might feel like a limitation from a brand perspective, I think that restraint is necessary if you want to last long term.

-What do you think is the most essential quality for female leaders today?

▲I think it’s about learning to be a little bolder. Even today, women are held to a stricter standard in terms of words, actions, and abilities. That’s why women tend to censor themselves more. Of course, taking the lead isn’t always the right answer. But in certain moments, you do need to speak up and step forward. I sometimes remind myself of that too—it’s okay to be a little more shameless at times.

-Is there a book you’d recommend to aspiring female leaders?

▲I’d recommend "Words from Ms. Yoko" by Sano Yoko (published by Minumsa). I like Sano Yoko’s frank and simple prose, but most of all, I’m drawn to her perspective, which neither confronts nor strictly opposes society’s standards, but simply sidesteps them. Her way of treating issues of success, talent, or age without making them heavier than they should be gives a sense of freedom in life, and her detached attitude paradoxically offers great liberation and courage. The book brought me a sense of space and a refreshing outlook on both my life and work.

▶About Jo Aran, Marketing Manager at Minumsa

Born in 1986, she joined Minumsa in 2010 as the company's first female marketer. For nearly 17 years, she has led the planning and operation of MinumsaTV, and she currently oversees the entire brand content strategy as marketing manager. MinumsaTV has secured around 550,000 subscribers, making it one of the leading YouTube channels in the Korean publishing world. More recently, she has also been giving lectures to companies, public organizations, and research institutes on topics such as content marketing and brand communication strategies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.