The Netflix booth during the 2026 K-Expo USA event in Los Angeles / Courtesy of Netflix
Netflix participated in 2026 K-Expo USA: All About K-Style in Los Angeles, showcasing the global reach of Korean content and its collaborations with emerging domestic creators and production partners.
The expo, held from May 23-27 in Los Angeles, was organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).
The event brought together Korean entertainment content — including dramas, films, webtoons, games and music — alongside related sectors such as food, beauty and tourism, under the banner of a comprehensive Korean Wave lifestyle fair.
The Los Angeles City Council designated the event an official city event, a recognition that reflects the growing global influence of Korean content.
At the expo, Netflix operated two exhibit spaces, K-STAR and K-Lounge. The K-STAR space highlighted the work of emerging Korean creators who have built international profiles through the platform, while the K-Lounge featured case studies of collaborations with Korean production companies, broadcasters and talent agencies.
Netflix used the spaces to argue that the global growth of Korean content reflects not just individual hit titles but a broader ecosystem built collectively by creators, industry partners and production infrastructure.
One of the company's central points was the scale of its investment in new talent: Netflix said that one in every three Korean series and films released on the platform over the past three years was a debut work by a first-time director or writer.
The company added that debut works currently account for roughly 20 percent of its annual Korean original output.
Netflix also highlighted its broader industry partnerships. The company has co-run a Production Academy program with KOCCA for three consecutive years to develop production professionals, and maintains separate partnerships with the Korean Film Council and Literature Translation Institute of Korea aimed at identifying and developing emerging professionals.
Source: Korea Times News
