KPIPA Takes Korean Children’s Books to Shanghai Rights Market

KPIPA will run the Korea Rights Center at the 2026 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair from Nov. 13-15 to help Korean publishers sell international rights and reach buyers in Asia. Ten publishers will exhibit in person, while 100 titles from 40 more publishers will be shown through consignment, including several BolognaRagazzi award winners.

Why it matters: - KPIPA is using the Shanghai fair to push Korean children’s books into broader Asian rights markets. - The effort is aimed at turning international interest in Korean titles into export deals. - The program extends KPIPA’s overseas fair support beyond London, Bologna and Frankfurt.

What happened: - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea will operate the Korea Rights Center at the 2026 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. - The fair runs from Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai. - KPIPA will run the 90-square-meter Korea Rights Center at Booth 3B02 in Hall 1’s Copyright Zone. - Ten Korean publishers will exhibit in person. - 100 consigned titles from 40 publishers will also be on display.

The details: - The fair focuses on publishing for children and young adults, including picture books, nonfiction, educational titles and literature for young readers. - The event also serves as a meeting point for publishing professionals from across Asia and around the world. - The Korea Rights Center will feature picture books and titles about the environment, ecology, science, general knowledge, emotions and relationships. - Featured titles include If You Want to Eat a Red Apple by Jin Joo, with photographs by Lee Ga-hee, from Finger Publishing. - If You Want to Eat a Red Apple won the 2025 BolognaRagazzi Award in the Opera Prima category. - Star Papa by Han Dam-hee, from Book Gorae, is also featured. - Star Papa was the picture book behind the winning entry in the Crossmedia Projects category at the 2025 BolognaRagazzi CrossMedia Awards. - The center will also highlight The Heart Bowl by Jeon Bora, from Tokkiseom. - The Heart Bowl received a 2026 BolognaRagazzi Special Mention in Opera Prima. - Moving Away by Lee Ji-yeon, from Laughing Peanut Children’s Foundation, is included as well. - Moving Away received a 2023 BolognaRagazzi Special Mention in Fiction. - KPIPA said the selection reflects young readers’ interests in Korea and changes in Korean society. - More information is not available in the source text. - Rights meetings will be arranged through the fair’s advance matchmaking program and directly by exhibitors. - The organizers will use advance submissions on preferred discussion areas and featured titles to match exhibitors with international publishers and buyers. - Exhibitors can also schedule meetings directly with existing contacts and prospective buyers. - A shared meeting space will be available to Korean publishers outside the official exhibitor group for meetings with international buyers.

Between the lines: - KPIPA is treating CCBF as a strategic Asia-focused counterpart to the major Western book fairs where it already supports Korean publishers. - The emphasis on award-winning titles suggests a pitch built around proven international credibility. - The rights-center format signals a business-first approach, with matchmaking and meeting space designed to speed up dealmaking.

What's next: - Korean publishers and rights buyers will meet during the three-day fair. - KPIPA expects the Shanghai event to help Korean children’s publishers connect with buyers in China and other Asian markets. - Kim Seung-su said KPIPA will work to turn overseas interest in Korean children’s books into rights deals.

The bottom line: - KPIPA is using Shanghai to widen the export pipeline for Korean children’s books and bring more Asian buyers into the market for translation and rights sales.