K-Book Export Drive at Frankfurt Book Fair: 15 Companies and 89 Global 100 Titles Participating

Export Consultation Pavilion Runs at the World’s Largest Publishing and Copyright Marketplace, October 7–11
From Literature and Picture Books to Web Novels: First Joint Korean Pavilion by Publication Industry Promotion Agency, Creative Content Agency

Korean publishing content, from literature and picture books to web novels and webtoons, is gathering at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, the world's largest market for publishing and copyrights.

A bird's-eye view of the Korean Publishing Content Export Consultation Center operated at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany from the 7th to the 11th. A dedicated space will be set up to introduce 89 books selected for the 'K-Book Global 100 Project' along with copyright consultations for 15 domestic publishers. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea announced on October 7 that they will operate an export consultation center at the '2026 Frankfurt Book Fair' held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, from October 7 to 11 to support overseas expansion of Korean publishing content.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's largest publishing market, where publishers, agencies, writers, translators, as well as content industry professionals from films, games, and other sectors come together to negotiate copyright transactions and discuss collaborations. Last year, over 4,350 organizations and publishers from 131 countries participated, and the event drew about 238,000 visitors, including 120,000 general readers.

This year, the export consultation center, occupying 120 square meters, will host 15 Korean publishers including Dasan Books, The Pinkfong Company, Munpia, Munhakdongne, Mirae N, Book21, Wisdomhouse, Changbi, and Kinderland. The center will introduce books from various genres—literature, humanities, picture books, web novels, and webtoons—and facilitate copyright export consultations with overseas publishers and agencies.

Consignment consultations will also be offered for publishers unable to attend in person. One hundred and three books submitted by Korean publishers for consultation will be showcased separately, with a specialized agency holding meetings with overseas publishing professionals. At last year's Frankfurt Book Fair, 299 export consultations were held between Korean publishers and international counterparts at the consultation center.

This year also marks the launch of the 'K-Book Global 100 Project', which aims to identify Korean books with strong competitive potential in overseas markets and provide comprehensive support—from translation to marketing—tailored to the characteristics of each language and market.

In a separate booth, 89 titles selected by 20 publishers and agencies including MunhakgwaJiseongsa, Minumsa, SAKYEJEOL Publishing, Changbi, Wisdomhouse, and Safehouse will be featured intensively. The lineup includes projects focused on global expansion, such as 'Munhakdongne Book-to-Film Top 5', Korean fantasy literature, K-graphic novels, and award-winning picture books.

On October 9, a special investment promotion event will be held where three companies—Ahn Graphics, Uri School, and TC Agency—will directly introduce their major works to international publishing professionals. The goal is to convert copyright export consultations into actual contracts and follow-up business opportunities.

For the first time, overseas promotion for Korean publishing-related organizations at this year’s book fair will be consolidated into a single space. The Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, Korea Creative Content Agency, and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea will jointly operate a unified 'Korea Pavilion' under the theme 'Crossroads of Stories'.

By integrating previously separate institutional booths, the pavilion will offer a one-stop showcase for the diverse Korean narrative content—including literature, humanities, picture books, as well as web novels and webtoons. On October 8, a networking event will also be held with the Korean Cultural Center in Germany, bringing together publishing professionals from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, and other countries.

Kim Jaehyun, Director General for Cultural Media Industry at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "This will be a crucial opportunity to introduce the diversity and competitiveness of Korean publishing content to the global market and to achieve tangible business results." He added, "Beyond K-Book copyright exports, we will strengthen the foundation for global expansion to ensure various content intellectual properties (IP) from Korea can continue to generate added value in world markets."

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