VOL.95/2026.06

Export Case

 

The Evolution of “Space-Based Healing Fiction” and Global Export Trends

 

 

2026.06

 

 

The Global Expansion of Healing Narratives in the Post-Pandemic Era

 

Over the past three years, Korean “space-based healing fiction” has firmly established itself as a distinct export genre in the international literary market. This movement aligns with shifting global reading trends in the wake of the pandemic. Following COVID-19, readers who experienced anxiety and isolation began actively seeking out “feel-good fiction” that offers emotional stability and a sense of restoration.

 

While rooted in familiar, everyday settings such as convenience stores, laundromats, and neighborhood bookstores, Korean space-based healing novels address universal themes of human relationships and the renewal of community, successfully forging a deep emotional connection with readers across diverse cultural spheres.

 

 

 

 

Global Scalability Evidenced by Real-World Export Success

 

These genres have experienced rapid expansion on the front lines of actual international trade. Titles such as Marigold Mind Laundry, The Rainfall Market, Uncomfortable Convenience Store, and Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat serve as prime examples that depict the restoration of relationships and the warmth of everyday life within a specific space. Many of these have secured international rights contracts in more than ten countries.

 

Furthermore, works like A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang captured the intense attention of overseas publishing professionals, becoming the first Korean novel to have its rights under contract in eleven countries even before its official publication in South Korea.

 

 

 

 

 

Innovative Healing Fiction

 

With a flurry of similar titles entering the market recently, the evaluation criteria for space-based healing fiction have become significantly more stringent and selective. Lately, international publishers have turned their attention toward works that intertwine traditional healing narratives with distinct genre elements.

 

Representatively, The Late-Night Pharmacy Guarding the Dark, a thriller-infused novel that drew significant notice at the Seoul International Book Fair, and The Tarot Card Cafe, a romance-blended story that generated substantial buzz at the Frankfurt Book Fair, have successfully secured export contracts across more than seven languages, including the Anglo-American market.

 

While overseas publishers have indeed grown more discerning in their review of space-based healing fiction, the strong global foundation established by this very genre has now expanded international interest into diverse fields such as thrillers and romance. Ultimately, this shift is contributing to broadening the overall horizons of the export market for Korean literature.

 

 

 

 

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Written by Jackie Yang (Literary Agent)

Heading the International Rights Department at Eric Yang Agency in South Korea, Jackie Yang manages global rights contracts for Korean literature. She actively drives the overseas expansion of a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction, focusing on the Anglo-American, European, and Asian markets. She has successfully introduced numerous works to the global stage, notably securing contracts in over ten countries for major titles such as Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat and A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang.