Korean literature is experiencing a dramatic transformation as publishers increasingly view new works not just as books, but as potential material for movies, TV shows, and streaming platforms. This shift represents a fundamental change in how Korean publishers approach their business, with high-profile book deals now serving as stepping stones rather than final destinations.
Taylor Bradley, co-founder of the U.K.-based publishing house Honford Star, delivered a lecture to the Royal Asiatic Society Korea on September 23, highlighting how Korean publishers are now evaluating manuscripts primarily for their cinematic potential. Speaking at the Seoul Public Activities Center, Bradley explained that the industry has evolved significantly since Han Kang's 2024 Nobel Prize win, which sparked a surge in international sales of Korean titles.
The clearest example of this trend is Safehouse Inc. Korea, a company that Bradley describes as being "designed to sell intellectual property content" rather than function as a traditional publisher. While Safehouse does publish books, Bradley emphasized that its primary business model focuses on selling stories specifically aimed at reaching global markets through various media formats.
Bradley's own publishing house demonstrates the success that translated East Asian literature can achieve internationally. Founded in 2015 after a conversation at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub in London—one of Charles Dickens' former haunts—Honford Star has earned worldwide recognition with two major titles. "Cursed Bunny" by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022, while "Ninth Building" by Zou Jingzhi, translated by Jeremy Tiang, made the longlist in 2023.
The international success of "Cursed Bunny" illustrated this new global mindset perfectly. After the English translation gained acclaim, Bradley recalled how the Korean publisher promoted its international recognition and even redesigned the Korean cover to match Honford Star's version. This experience highlighted a significant shift in thinking among major publishing houses in Korea, who now view new titles as potential global media properties.
Bradley identified three main factors driving the international success of Korean novels, webtoons, and other media that are frequently adapted for films, TV, or streaming platforms: cultural climate, funding, and new professional networks. He pointed to BTS as a key cultural driving force, noting that "BTS is so popular that books that BTS reads become popular in English." The group's leader RM significantly boosted sales of "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982" by Cho Nam-ju after he was photographed reading it in public.
Another unexpected commercial success has been the growing popularity of healing fiction. Bradley explained that these titles typically feature low-stakes, comforting storylines with protagonists who are down on their luck. This genre has gained global popularity, especially in the post-pandemic era, as readers seek comfort and reassurance through literature.
Funding plays a crucial role in K-lit's global expansion, with generous support from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) helping to reduce financial risks for publishers by covering translation costs. Bradley praised LTI Korea as "a key player in getting K-lit out into the public with very few strings attached for publishers." He emphasized that the funding not only provides financial support but also offsets significant risks for international publishers.
The flexibility of LTI Korea's approach has been particularly beneficial. Unlike other countries that may enforce tighter restrictions, LTI Korea allows foreign companies to customize publications based on their local markets rather than dictating which works get translated. This approach has made Korean literature more commercially successful compared to literature from other countries with more restrictive policies.
New professional networks have also expanded the reach of Korean literature. Bradley noted that outward-looking publishers, translators, and agents have entered the field and reshaped the translation space. Translators are now "doubling as their own marketers," with figures like Anton Hur becoming "superstar translators" whose names have become synonymous with quality translation and help drive sales.
Honford Star's own catalog evolution reflects these broader cultural shifts. Originally dedicated to reviving forgotten classics that might otherwise remain unpublished, the publisher has pivoted to focus on science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction—a combination Bradley calls "the sweet spot" for contemporary publishing.
Safehouse Inc. Korea represents the clearest indication of where Korean literature is headed, with streaming deals considered from the very beginning of the publishing process. Two of Safehouse's titles were successfully adapted into the SF8 television series in 2020, demonstrating Bradley's point that the industry is no longer just about "selling books, but selling movies, webtoons, streaming" content.
For Bradley, the globalization of Korean literature isn't entirely new—what has changed is the scale and the emphasis on screen adaptations. He expects Korean literature to experience continuous growth over the next decade, coinciding with increased Korean translations appearing in international markets. As he concluded his lecture, "As translation is a door for Korea into the world, a door has both sides."
In today's publishing market, where a successful adaptation can elevate a novel to global bestseller status, creating stories specifically designed for screen adaptation may represent both the future of Korean publishing and a new blueprint for the industry as a whole.
