Publishers from 31 Countries Gather in Seoul for K-Book Copyright Export Market

Ministry of Culture to Host K-Book Copyright Market from June 22 to 24
1,850 Consultations Scheduled Between 200 Domestic and Overseas Companies

Publishing and content companies from 31 countries around the world are gathering in Seoul to seek the rights and intellectual property (IP) of Korean books.

Photo of the 2025 K-Book 1:1 Export Consultation Site. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on June 22 that, together with the Korea Publishing Industry Promotion Agency, it will host the '2026 K-Book Copyright Market' at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, until June 24.

This year marks the eighth edition of the K-Book Copyright Market, a B2B consultation event supporting the overseas expansion of Korean publishing content. In 2026, 100 overseas companies from 31 countries and 100 domestic publishing and content companies are participating, with plans to hold more than 1,850 one-on-one export meetings.

At the venue, activities include export consultations between domestic and international participants, expert consulting sessions, and networking events. Interpreters are provided for overseas publishers by language group. Investment attraction briefings for domestic companies and overseas seminars were already conducted online, allowing the on-site program to focus on consultations and networking.

Last year’s event saw participation from 99 Korean companies and 98 overseas companies. There were 1,708 consultations, with deals totaling approximately USD 86.2 million. As a result, overseas contracts were concluded for works such as "Seongsonyeon" by Lee Hee-joo, "Jeolchang" by Koo Byung-mo, "Plant-Like Optimism" by Kim Geum-hee, "Marigold Heart Laundry" by Yoon Jeong-eun, and "Welcome to Hyoenam-dong Bookstore" by Hwang Bo-reum.

This year’s overseas participants include major English-language publishers such as Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Hachette, as well as Japan’s Shogakukan and Gakken, Italy’s Rizzoli, France’s Albin Michel, and Russia’s Eksmo. By continent, the event features 57 companies from 12 countries in Asia and Oceania, 34 companies from 14 countries in Europe, 6 companies from 3 countries in North and Central/South America, and 4 companies from 2 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Guatemala, the Czech Republic, Portugal, and Lebanon are new participants this year.

The scope of participation has also expanded. In addition to traditional publishers and agencies, broadcasters, online video service (OTT) providers, webtoon and web novel platforms, and content production companies are also taking part. Consultations now extend beyond literature and children’s picture books to include nonfiction, comics, and digital publishing.

On the last day of the event, overseas participants will visit the Seoul International Book Fair to explore additional business opportunities with Korean publishers.

Kim Jaehyun, Director General for Cultural Media Industry Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "As K-Book, the foundation of K-Content, gains greater international recognition, we hope this event will lead to tangible export successes and further expansion into various content forms such as movies and dramas."

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