One of the biggest barriers to Korean theatres gaining more recognition in the global marketplace is simply the lack of an agency to represent it in publishing and licensing. In many cases, Korean writers do not have access to the same resources as their Western theatre counterparts, such as writers’ networks and unions. While it’s important for foreign publishers and licensing agencies to actively seek out new work and talent in Korea, and for Asian theatre artists to actively promote their work on a global scale, it’s equally important for licensing agencies to be proactive in this regard in Korea – we can’t always count on luck (?) for foreign producers to find us. There should be a lighthouse rather than each of us finding our own way to distribution with our own efforts. These agencies should collect the works of Korean artists and inform them of the opportunities and rights they have. Proper exposure can only be achieved if the agencies participate in international performance festivals and art markets, collaborate with overseas production companies, and promote the works of Korean artists to a wider audience.

In conclusion, the underrepresentation of Asian works, including those from Korea, in global publishing and licensing distribution is a complex issue that involves a variety of factors, from market demand to language barriers and cultural differences. However, by actively seeking out new works and talent from Korea, promoting cultural diversity, and navigating legal complexities, publishers and licensing agencies can help break down these barriers and contribute to creating a more equitable global theatre market. Only by professionalising the field will Korean performing artists be able to focus their full attention on continuing to create innovative and exciting works.
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Reaching out to a wider global audience, including marketing and public relations, is a huge challenge. However, the increased effort required to promote and showcase Korean performances on a global scale is proportional to the opportunities for wider recognition and distribution of our work in the future. We are already witnessing in other genres of neighbouring arts that hard work and good production does not mean distribution. What about limited support and staffing structures? Expanding the collaborations with overseas arts and cultural organisations that we currently do, funding the work directly is great, but benchmarking the UK’s approach of providing staff to help organisations create and promote social media accounts in multiple languages would be something to think about in expanding access. We need to challenge the dominant narratives and stereotypes that can co-exist in the global performance marketplace, and by working together as a performance industry, rather than using what we have learnt the hard way in a closed way, can we create a richer and more diverse world theatre landscape?
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