[2026 K-Publishing] Structural Shift Over Growth... Focus on E-Books, Audiobooks, and AI

Digital Transformation, AI Adoption, and Reader Experience Reshaping as Key Variables
Reconstructing Production and Distribution Strategies Amid the Expansion of E-books and Audiobooks

This year, the domestic publishing industry is expected to enter a period where structural transformation and strategic responses are more critical than outward growth. While the traditional market centered on print books will be partially maintained, the expansion of digital content consumption, changes in production and distribution methods, and diversification of reader experiences are reshaping the overall direction of the industry.

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According to an analysis from the "2025 Digital Publishing Market Review and 2026 Outlook" seminar recently held by the Korea Publishing and Culture Industry Promotion Agency, consumption of digital format-based publications such as e-books and audiobooks has continued to rise since the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the spread of mobile environments and subscription-based services is driving digital content consumption, and with lower production costs and higher accessibility, this is expected to complement the consumption structure centered on print books.

The global market is moving in a similar direction. Overseas publishing market reports project that the global e-book market will expand to approximately 14 billion dollars by 2026, and the audiobook market to about 11.1 billion dollars by 2025. Especially for audiobooks, an average annual growth rate of over 26% is expected, and digital content is becoming a core pillar alongside the traditional print book market.

With the proliferation of smart devices and the increased use of audio content, domestic reading habits are also likely to change significantly. As content consumption without time and place constraints becomes the norm, it is becoming more urgent for publishers to establish digital strategies.

Changes in the technological environment are also cited as a major variable that will define the publishing industry in 2026. International content and technology analysis agencies believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will be applied across practical areas such as editing, translation, proofreading, reader analysis, and personalized recommendations, improving production efficiency and spurring new business models. In the process of digital transformation, AI is emerging as a key strategy, as it enables both cost reduction and enhanced competitiveness.

The introduction of AI is also expected to change the direction of content planning. Publishing culture critic Jang Eunsu stated, "As the barriers to information access are lowered, readers' consumption patterns are also changing," adding, "There will be a growing preference for content that combines context, information, and solutions." He explained that forms capable of situational analysis and presenting options, rather than simply delivering information, could attract attention.

The production environment is also rapidly evolving. Rising production and logistics costs are burdening small and medium-sized publishers, leading to an increase in flexible production strategies such as print-on-demand (POD), pre-release of e-books, and producing only the necessary number of copies. The industry expects that such risk-dispersing production methods will continue in 2026.

Consumption trends by genre are also clear. Purpose-driven content such as practical books and self-help titles is expected to see stable demand amid economic uncertainty. Fields like certification, economics, and financial technology are expected to maintain steady interest due to their provision of practical information, and the education sector is also projected to sustain demand among specific reader groups. In the literary market, while consumption continues to center on bestsellers, reader preferences are becoming more segmented, and there is a trend of increasing long-term sales for small and medium-sized works.

In distribution, large bookstores and online platforms continue to hold a high market share, while local and independent bookstores are transforming into reader experience-oriented spaces through cultural programs, author meet-and-greets, and curation. Publishers are also diversifying their strategies by strengthening direct communication marketing with readers to supplement the wholesale-focused structure.

The policy environment is another important variable. The year 2026 marks the conclusion of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "Basic Plan for Publishing Industry Promotion (2022-2026)." As this policy, which has focused on digital transformation, overseas expansion, and ecosystem strengthening, comes to an end, the direction of subsequent policies and follow-up strategies will be directly linked to the industry's sustainability.

The publishing industry's immediate challenges remain the burden of cost structures, declining reading time, and competition with mass-market content. Accordingly, there are growing calls within the industry to establish a sustainable growth foundation by balancing traditional and digital distribution, introducing AI-based strategies, and fostering cross-industry collaboration.

In summary, the domestic publishing industry in 2026 is expected to enter a phase of full-scale digital transformation and structural reorganization. Strategies that maintain the stability of the existing market while securing new growth engines are cited as key factors determining publishers' sustainability and competitiveness.

Critic Jang stated, "Books that embody slow contemplation, the essence of publishing-insight and wisdom-will continue to hold their place," adding, "The trend for goods, membership models, and the monetization of lectures and book concerts will also strengthen." He continued, "As the importance of intellectual property grows, it will be necessary to actively pursue overseas expansion of subscription-based platforms."

Publishing critic Kim Sungshin commented, "In an environment of information overload, it is difficult for readers to decide what to trust," adding, "Now, trust in the messenger delivering the message is becoming a more important criterion than the content itself." He went on to say, "Publishing is a source industry that plans and produces trustworthy messengers, and the future direction of evolution will be how to expand that trust and appeal beyond the book as a product."