Content Apex Japan 2025: Korea’s Top IP Innovators Set to Explore Japan’s Creative Economy

Asia’s two cultural powerhouses—South Korea and Japan—are forging deeper ties with the Content Apex Japan 2025 where intellectual property (IP) drives the global content economy. Set to take place in Tokyo from September 16 to 19, 2025, this event is a strategic knowledge exchange program led by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) in collaboration with beSUCCESS. The program aims to connect Korea’s rising IP leaders with Japan’s most influential creative companies across sectors such as anime, gaming, publishing, OTT, music, and merchandising.

Content Apex Japan 2025 focuses on cross-industry learning, hands-on exposure, and long-term cooperation. For the venture and content-tech community, this initiative is a move toward deeper regional collaboration, mutual understanding of scalable IP models, and the future of immersive storytelling.

A Mission Rooted in Learning: 

The purpose behind Content Apex Japan 2025 is to give Korean content professionals firsthand exposure to Japan’s sophisticated IP ecosystems. The delegation comprises around 20 high-level Korean executives and IP specialists representing sectors.

In today’s hybrid content economy, intellectual properties often begin in one medium—be it a manga, song, or game—and evolve into expansive ecosystems spanning animation, OTT streaming, merchandise, and online fan communities. The Korean delegation seeks to understand how Japanese industry leaders engineer this cross-platform transformation, manage licensing, and sustain global fanbases. 

Target Categories and Key Learning Areas

The program will include tailored site visits to select Japanese companies. These sessions aim to extract actionable insights in the following domains:

Games & Interactive Media

• Explore how original IPs are conceptualized and expanded into global franchises
• Learn long-tail monetization strategies and character branding across verticals

Animation / Film / Studio Production

• Understand how studios adapt content across media, including anime, live-action, and game-based adaptations
• Examine global fandom strategies and cross-cultural co-productions

Publishing / Manga / Serialized Literature

• Engage with manga publishers to explore serialization models, adaptation pipelines, and international distribution via platforms

Broadcasting / Traditional TV

• Learn how broadcasters develop, license, and co-produce drama, variety, and animation content
• Understand the evolving partnerships between linear TV and digital platforms

OTT / Streaming / Digital Platforms

• Examine serialized storytelling optimized for digital audiences
• Discuss platform-specific IP management and international expansion strategies

Music, Idols, & Virtual Talent

• Study Japan’s approach to managing artist IP across concerts, digital platforms, and merchandise
• Analyze the rise of virtual idols and music-based storytelling

Character Business & Merchandising

• Dive into Japan’s character-centric branding—spanning design, IP protection, theme parks, and global licensing models

Program Highlights and Format

The four-day Tokyo-based exchange will feature closed-door, high-trust sessions at leading Japanese companies. Each session will last approximately one hour, structured as follows:

• 30 minutes of expert-led presentations (in Japanese, with professional interpretation provided)
  
• 30 minutes of moderated Q&A and discussion
  

Event Schedule

• Dates: Tuesday, September 16 to Friday, September 19, 2025
  
• Location: Tokyo, Japan

Why Your Organization Should Participate

By joining this unique exchange program as a host organization, Japanese content companies will have a rare opportunity to:

• Build direct relationships with Korean IP leaders who have real decision-making authority
  
• Explore opportunities for licensing, co-development, and joint platform strategies
  
• Gain visibility and influence within Korea’s fast-growing content-tech ecosystem, supported by KOCCA
  
• Share expertise and spark innovation in a low-commitment, high-trust format
  

The entire program is fully managed and coordinated by KOCCA and beSUCCESS, including interpretation and logistical support.

Strategic Goals of the Program

• Discover how Japanese content giants build, scale, and sustain globally loved IPs
  
• Identify opportunities for cross-border IP expansion through serialization, adaptation, and co-creation
  
• Engage in thoughtful discussions around AI, extended reality (XR), and immersive storytelling platforms
  
• Create meaningful, long-term partnerships to advance Asia’s creative economy
  

About the Organizers

KOCCA (Korea Creative Content Agency)

Operating under Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, KOCCA is a public agency with an annual budget exceeding $400 million. It is responsible for scaling Korea’s digital content, IP exports, and content-tech innovation. KOCCA backs hundreds of programs across games, animation, music, and virtual content—helping Korean firms globalize their creations.

beSUCCESS

Founded in 2010, beSUCCESS is a global media and innovation facilitator that helps Korean startups and content companies expand internationally. The organization has successfully executed tech diplomacy and B2B content initiatives in Silicon Valley, New York, Singapore, Europe, and Japan. A long-time collaborator of KOCCA, beSUCCESS specializes in bridging Korea with leading global ecosystems.

A Forward-Looking Content Economy

Content Apex Japan 2025 is a vision for a collaborative, pan-Asian creative economy. For those in the venture capital, content-tech, or IP commercialization spaces, this program offers a front-row seat to how two of Asia’s content superpowers can innovate together.

If your organization plays a key role in Japan’s content ecosystem, this is your opportunity to contribute to a new chapter in Korea-Japan collaboration.