South Korean Cultural Sector Faces Downturn After Pandemic Surge
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After a period of growth fueled by pandemic-era demand, South Korea’s cultural industries – including webtoons, books, film, and performing arts – are experiencing a significant slowdown. Recent data indicates declines across multiple sectors, raising concerns about long-term sustainability and the need for diversification.
Webtoon and Digital Comic Market Contraction
The digital comics and webtoon market, which saw rapid expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic, has begun to contract.According to the Korea Culture and Film Promotion Agency, the distribution of webtoons and digital comics decreased in the first half of 2025. Specifically, the number of digital comics decreased by 4.5% from the previous year, totaling 4,357 volumes. This marks the second consecutive year of negative growth for the sector Korea Culture and Film Promotion Agency. The agency suggests that diversifying distribution methods is crucial to prevent a prolonged recession.
Book Sales Decline Despite Price Increases
The book market, which benefited from increased readership following author Han Kang’s 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, also experienced a decline in 2025. The korea Publishing Culture Industry Promotion Agency reported that a total of 105,805,373 books were sold, a 2% decrease from the 107,939,22 copies sold in 2024. While book prices increased by 0.7% to 1.7727 trillion won, this increase is largely attributed to higher average book prices rather than increased volume.
Film Industry Struggles to Recover
The South Korean film industry continues to grapple with a post-pandemic slump. In 2025, total movie attendance reached 106,088,871, a 13.8% decrease from the 123,125,371 recorded in the previous year.The industry, which enjoyed seven consecutive years of exceeding 200 million admissions until 2019, is facing challenges as audience habits have shifted. Korean films accounted for 41.1% of the market share in 2025, with 43,576,928 viewers – the lowest figure since 2021.
Performing Arts Sector Hit Hard in Gangwon Province
The performing arts sector in the Gangwon region has been particularly affected. Despite a slight increase in the number of performances staged,ticket sales plummeted by 51.2% in 2025, reaching 8,098,178,000 won compared to 16,662,600 won the previous year. The number of tickets sold also decreased from 311,118 to 275,090, resulting in an 11.5% drop in audience numbers.
Shifting Genre Preferences
Within the performing arts,there has been a shift in genre preferences. While plays saw an increase in popularity,rising from 81 (14.5%) to 119 (20.8%), classical performances experienced a decline, falling from 206 (37%) to 185 (32.3%). Musicals remained relatively stable.
Challenges and Future Outlook
Industry leaders are expressing concern about the changing landscape. Lee Seok-gi, secretary general of the Chuncheon International Early Music Festival, noted a declining interest in classical performances, leading to a need to incorporate more popular music and film scores to attract audiences. Kim Jeong-hoon, head of the Chuncheon branch of the Korean Theater Association, highlighted the financial difficulties faced by local performance groups, exacerbated by cuts in cultural funding.He emphasized that many groups struggle to produce even one performance per year due to budgetary constraints.
The recent downturn across multiple cultural sectors in South Korea underscores the need for innovative strategies to engage audiences and secure sustainable funding.Diversifying distribution channels, supporting emerging artists, and adapting to evolving consumer preferences will be critical for the future health of these industries.
Published: 2026/01/07 18:04:37