Series Mania Forum Taps Korea as Inaugural Country of Honor

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Series Mania Forum has officially named the Republic of Korea as its first-ever Country of Honor for this year’s event, taking place from March 24-26 in Lille, France. This designation brings a prominent delegation of Korean entertainment companies to the forefront of the industry gathering.

In recent years, Korea has been a significant presence at Series Mania, and this year is no exception. The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), a government organization dedicated to promoting Korea’s content sector, will lead a delegation of eight companies to the forum. These companies include Channel A Corporation, CJ ENM, EO Content Group, KBS Media, MBC, SLL Joongang, Studio S, and Whynot Media.

Laurence Herszberg, the founder and general director of Series Mania, made the announcement of Korea’s Country of Honour designation, acknowledging the country’s substantial contributions to global content development. The forum is part of the larger Series Mania Festival, which runs from March 20-27.

This initiative has garnered support from France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) and its president, Gaëtan Bruel. KOCCA and CNC previously signed a memorandum of understanding during Series Mania 2024, committing to enhancing France-Korea exchanges and bolstering bilateral growth in the content industry.

The Korean focus at the event will feature a Coming Next from Korea session, Korean speakers participating in conference panels, a networking reception, and other related events. This designation coincides with the 140th anniversary of France-Korea diplomatic relations, further solidifying the bond between the two countries.

Korea’s content market has seen significant growth, reaching $43.1 billion in 2024, showcasing a 5.7% increase from the previous year. Korean content viewership in France has also experienced a surge, especially on platforms like Netflix, as well as traditional French broadcast channels.

Moonju Kim, general director of KOCCA France, highlighted the agency’s role in expanding Korean storytelling globally through series like “Squid Game” and “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.” Kim expressed hopes that Series Mania will deepen mutual understanding and foster sustainable cooperation between Korea and France through co-production and investment opportunities.

Series Mania, based in Lille since 2018, has become a premier television series event, attracting over 108,000 spectators to its festival and 5,000 professionals from more than 75 countries to its forum. With 84 exhibitors and 25 international delegations, Series Mania continues to be a leading platform for showcasing the best in series content from around the world.