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The Series Mania Forum has officially named the Republic of Korea as its inaugural Country of Honor. This announcement is part of the larger Series Mania Festival, scheduled to take place in Lille, France, from March 24 to March 26. The event is expected to draw a significant delegation from Korean entertainment companies, reflecting the country’s expanding influence in the content industry.
Korea has increasingly showcased its talents at the Series Mania event, which celebrates excellence in television and content creation. The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), a government organization dedicated to promoting Korean content, will lead a delegation of eight prominent industry players, including Channel A Corporation, CJ ENM, EO Content Group, KBS Media, MBC, SLL Joongang, Studio S, and Whynot Media.
Korean content at Series Mania Festival
The festival will prominently feature Korean contributions to the global content landscape. A key highlight includes a session titled Coming Next from Korea, where various Korean representatives will engage in panels and discussions. Moreover, networking opportunities will allow for cultural exchange and collaboration.
A historic celebration
This year’s recognition of Korea aligns with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, dating back to the 1886 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. This designation serves as a reciprocal gesture following France’s recognition at last year’s BroadCast Worldwide event, Asia’s largest content marketing forum held in Seoul.
Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania, shared her excitement about this milestone, stating, “This is the first time we are highlighting a country at our event, and we are thrilled that it is Korea, whose excellence and creativity in film and audiovisual production are widely recognized.” The festival runs from March 20 to March 27, providing numerous opportunities for industry professionals to connect and collaborate.
Korea’s growing content market
The Korean content market has reached remarkable heights, with a valuation of $43.1 billion in, reflecting a growth of 5.7% from the previous year. This positions Korea as the eighth-largest content market globally. Notably, the viewership of Korean content in France has more than doubled on platforms such as Netflix, while traditional French broadcasters increasingly showcase Korean productions.
Strengthening cultural ties
Moonju Kim, general director of KOCCA France, highlighted the agency’s role in enhancing the international reach of Korean storytelling, referencing successful series like Squid Game and Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. She expressed hope that the Series Mania Forum would deepen understanding and promote sustainable cooperation between Korea and France, facilitating co-production and investment opportunities.
Since its inception in 2018 in Lille, Series Mania has rapidly become a premier event in the television series landscape, attracting over 108,000 attendees and welcoming around 5,000 professionals from more than 75 countries to its forum. With 84 exhibitors and 25 international delegations participating, the event continues to grow in significance and impact.