VOL.93/2026.04

 

Influential

A Content Company Adding Wisdom to the World

 

2025.11.03

 

Wisdom and knowledge may be invisible and intangible, yet the content that carries them can take many forms and change the world. And such content always begins with “people” and returns to “people.” There is a company that delivers content through speech in lectures, through sight in books, and through sound in audiobooks to create a more positive world. Following is an interview with Influential, a company that brings readers the joy of reading while adding wisdom to the world.

 

 

It’s a pleasure to have you with us on K-Book Trends. Could you please introduce “Influential” to our international readers?

 

Influential marked the beginning of its journey by launching Korea’s first lecture business service in 2008. Later in 2013, it joined the publishing industry and became the first company in the field to attract project-based investment, releasing notable works such as I Don’t Wait for Tomorrow.
In 2018, Influential successfully launched Welaa, an audiobook content platform, and secured series investments, laying the groundwork for long-term growth, while also leading the popularization and development of the Korean audiobook market. Guided by the mission of “Adding wisdom to the world through content,” the company’s Lecture, Publishing, and Welaa Divisions work organically together to create powerful synergy.

 

 

You first began as Korea’s first lecture business, but later expanded into publishing and, later still, into digital platforms with the e-book and audiobook platform, Welaa. What prompted this expansion, and was there a particular goal behind it?

 

Our publishing business officially began in January 2013. From the very start of our lecture business, we had been developing strategies for publishing bestsellers, which naturally led us to expand into books. Drawing on the expertise we gained from publishing a wide range of titles since then, we launched the audiobook platform “Welaa” to open a new path for the stagnant publishing industry. We wanted readers to experience, quite naturally, the feeling of “So, this too can become a book,” keeping pace with their increasingly diverse interests.

 

In addition to the adult book brand “Influential,” you also run the children’s book brand “Booksground” and the Korean literature brand “Rabbit Hole,” both launched in 2023. What messages or stories does each brand aim to share with the world?

 

At Influential, we believe in the power of content. Through influential content, we strive to share wisdom and create a more positive world. Booksground, our children’s book brand, literally means “a playground of books.” It aims to provide high-quality content, where fun and learning come together, allowing children to experience the joy of reading naturally.
Rabbit Hole, a Korean genre fiction brand, takes its name from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in which the rabbit hole leads Alice into a world of adventure. Likewise, Rabbit Hole aims to guide readers into fresh and unfamiliar fictional worlds. We hope readers will explore new stories through Rabbit Hole and find courage and hope in the process.

 

 

Influential is also known for publishing numerous bestsellers. Kim Cho-Yeop’s new work, Two-sided Seashell, became a bestseller immediately upon release. What is Influential’s secret to publishing so many bestsellers?

 

Yes, Influential has released a wide array of bestsellers, including international titles such as The Courage to Be Disliked by Koga Fumitake and Kishimi Ichiro, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel, and Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, as well as domestic hits like Good Insight and Inner Communications.
We carefully select books that have the potential to reach a broad audience from the planning stage. For each title, we set both short-term and contract-period sales goals as high as possible, then conduct systematic promotion and thoughtful marketing for every single book we release. As mentioned earlier, Influential values the “power of change” above all else. In every stage of planning and promotion, we repeatedly ask ourselves one question: “Would I recommend this book to someone else?”

 

 

Influential has also been very active in exporting its titles. Cursed Bunny by Chung Bora has been sold to 17 countries and was even shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. In addition, a wide range of titles, including When Life Needs Math by Kim Min-Young, Shaker by Lee Hee-Young, and Pause in the Moment by Park Sang-Young, have been translated and published overseas. Could you share some particularly memorable cases from the process of exporting your books, and how international readers have responded to them?

 

The most memorable book for us was Inner Communications. The rights for this title have been sold to four countries - Taiwan, China, Russia, and Vietnam. Spanning a massive 764 pages, the book is so thick that it is affectionately nicknamed a “brick book” in Korea. While the book really deals with a broad and in-depth exploration of mental strength, such “brick books” usually make publishers hesitant during the rights export process due to their sheer volume. Nevertheless, many overseas publishers took notice of the originality and depth unique to Inner Communications, and as a result, the book was successfully exported to the four countries. This experience holds great significance for us. Looking ahead, we hope to take this further by entering the English-speaking market and sharing the book’s value with even more readers around the world.

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 47 ?Go to the interview with writer Chung Bora

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 31 ?Go to the interview with writer Lee Hee-Young

 

* K-Book Trends Vol. 48 ?Go to the interview with writer Park Sang-Young

 

 

Earlier this year, Welaa exclusively released My First Summer, Wanju as part of the “Audio Novel (듣는 소설)” project in collaboration with actor Park Jung-Min’s publishing company MUZE. The title quickly became a bestseller and won the hearts of listeners. Since then, have you noticed any changes or growing interest in audiobooks? And could you please tell us about any upcoming “Audio Novel” projects?

 

Many people experienced an audiobook for the first time with My First Summer, Wanju. Responses such as “It offers a completely different kind of immersion from reading,” and “It’s a novel best enjoyed as an audiobook,” poured in. When we ran the audiobook experience zone for My First Summer, Wanju, at the Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) this year, we received enthusiastic responses from visitors of all ages and genders. The “Audio Novel” project will continue, though it is still too early to reveal specific titles. Please look forward to future releases.

 

 

Even when the content is the same, readers’ responses can differ depending on whether it is a print book, an e-book, or an audiobook. What are some of the differences, and what do successful e-books or audiobooks tend to have in common?

 

E-books offer great portability and accessibility anytime, anywhere, while audiobooks allow readers to enjoy books even while commuting or doing other activities. Thanks to these strengths, even lengthy works can be delivered to readers without overwhelming them. That’s what makes e-books and audiobooks appealing. Interestingly, the most popular titles in digital formats tend to be “large-scale” works - works with substantial or weighty content that may feel a bit overwhelming to read in print. Such titles, however, can be enjoyed much more comfortably as e-books or audiobooks.

 

Lectures and publishing alike seem to center around “people.” Influential collaborates with many prominent figures, including world-renowned mechanical engineer and roboticist Professor Dennis Hong, as well as leading writers and speakers. What is your secret to maintaining such long-term partnerships with many people?

 

We believe Influential’s greatest strength lies in its people. Every member of our divisions is a seasoned professional in their field, sharing a fearless drive to take on challenges and explore new markets. Above all, we value trust and respect, allowing each person’s expertise to shine while fostering an environment where creativity and lectures alike can produce their best results. So, we believe this is precisely what has enabled Influential to collaborate with so many people over a long period of time, creating powerful synergy and lasting influence.

 

 

The strong will to take on challenges and explore new markets
is what creates powerful synergy and influence.

 

 

Is there a representative Korean title from Influential that you would especially recommend to international readers, even though it has not yet been translated or published overseas?

 

We would especially like to recommend The Gourmet Detective, published by Rabbit Hole in July this year. Based on the script that won MBC’s 2021 Drama script Competition, the novel reflects the growing global interest in Korean pop culture - much like Netflix’s “K-Pop Demon Hunters” or JC Media’s web-novel, Surviving as the Tyrant’s Chef, which was recently adapted into the drama “Tyrant Chef.”
The Gourmet Detective re-interprets the historical figure Heo Kyun from the Joseon Dynasty as a “gourmet detective.” The story delves into Korean cuisine and culture with fascination, blending mystery with an easy, lively rhythm. It also drew significant attention from international publishers at the recent copyright trade event and is now set to be adapted into a drama.

 

 

We look forward to Influential’s continued growth as a company that expands the boundaries of knowledge and content. Could you please share your plans or vision for the future?

 

Influential will continue to focus on broadening the horizons of reading and learning. The Publishing Division, which has established itself as a comprehensive publishing house, aims to continue releasing a stable lineup of both bestsellers and steady sellers. At the same time, the children’s brand, Booksground, plans to focus its capabilities on developing original content and characters. In addition, through Rabbit Hole, we plan to actively discover new writers and showcase their potential and appeal more broadly in both domestic and international publishing markets. The Welaa Division will combine its 8-year know-how of audiobook production with AI technology to offer a more advanced reading experience and redefine what an audiobook can be.

 

 

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