KOTRA Successfully Concludes 'K-Content Experience Center' in Germany, Attracting Over 1,000 Local Fans

Experience IP-Based Products Such as Merchandise, Stationery, and Food & Beverage
Accelerating the Expansion of K-Webtoons and Characters into the European Market

K-pop, dramas, and webtoons are creating a new wave in Germany, a country renowned for its classical music and literature. A comprehensive K-content experience and promotional event targeting local youth demand has successfully concluded.

KOTRA announced that it operated the "2026 Germany K-Content Experience Hall" for two days starting from the 10th (local time) in Frankfurt, Germany. The photo shows local consumers exploring and experiencing K-webtoon and Artbox goods products. Photo by KOTRA

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on July 13 that it operated the ‘2026 Germany K-Content Experience Center’ at K-Pocket in Frankfurt, Germany, for two days starting July 10 (local time).

This event was organized to transform the rapid rise in popularity of K-dramas, webtoons, and K-pop in Germany—fueled by online video services (OTT) and social networking services (SNS)—into tangible business opportunities. As the tendency to experience and consume IP-based products—such as merchandise, stationery, and food & beverage—beyond simply enjoying content is spreading, especially among younger consumers with strong purchasing power, the event allowed local consumers to directly experience content from seven domestic companies holding relevant IP. Through this, the aim is to accelerate the entry of Korean content into the German market.

During the two-day event, approximately 1,000 local fans and consumers visited the experience center. The exhibition spaces and photo zones, designed to highlight the concepts of the works and characters, as well as SNS events, IP collaboration merchandise, and food & beverage offerings, were met with an enthusiastic response from visitors.

Among the participating companies, Artbox—which was selected for the ‘2026 Overseas Expansion Support Program for Retail Companies’ organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA—demonstrated strong potential for entry into the German market by showcasing a wide range of unique character IP, stationery, and fancy products.

Steiner, a manager at Papertoons, a German distributor specializing in K-webtoons who visited the event, said, "In Germany, one of Europe's largest comic markets, demand is rapidly expanding not only for online webtoons but also for collectible print volumes, and the popularity of Korean webtoons is unrivaled. I hope that, with this experience center, which allowed local consumers to directly engage with webtoon universes, there will be further opportunities for collaboration on characters, merchandise, and other IP in the future."

KOTRA also integrated a shared growth program linking the K-Content Experience Center with corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of this promotional event. Artbox donated 200 sets of character school supplies worth 6 million won to the Stiftung Waisenhaus, a children's welfare facility in Frankfurt. Through a donation ceremony, KOTRA supported the social contribution activities of Korean content companies and promoted cultural exchange and local community cooperation between Korea and Germany through the Korean Wave.

This event was part of KOTRA’s ‘2026 Service Base Support Project’ to assist the overseas expansion of service companies. This project utilizes major KOTRA offices worldwide as bases for service companies to enter new markets, supporting local marketing and buyer discovery. The K-Content Experience Center is expected to contribute to the expansion of K-webtoon and character IP in the rapidly growing European market.

Kim Yeonjae, Head of KOTRA’s Europe Regional Headquarters, stated, "In Germany, K-content is evolving beyond emotional consumption through viewing and listening, and is now emerging as a key driver for exports of consumer goods such as merchandise and retail. This marks a significant change in Europe’s traditionally conservative cultural market. We will actively utilize our European offices as 'forward bases for K-service expansion' and provide close support to help promising companies establish themselves in the European market."

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