Epi will be published by a team of South Korean writers every quarter of the year, with a focus on stories involving both science and society, with the main topic of the very first edition expected to center around gender bias in the science world and the fourth industrial revolution. (Image: Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – An increasing number of science magazines are being launched in the South Korean publishing industry targeting adult readers, with many experts hopeful that the trend could lead to the expansion of the science literature industry.
Among the publishers jumping on the bandwagon of science magazines is EumPublishing, which is launching a new science magazine called ‘Epi’ this Wednesday.
Epi will be published by a team of South Korean writers every quarter of the year, with a focus on stories involving both science and society, with the main topic of the very first edition expected to center around gender bias in the science world and the fourth industrial revolution.
“Instead of randomly choosing and copying and pasting articles from foreign science magazines, we have collected and curated a set of interesting articles carefully chosen by our team of editors and signed publishing deals to translate and use them,” an Epi official explained.
Some of the articles from foreign magazines include a report on the controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s plan to colonize Mars, as well as a discussion of issues related to genetic modification and its potential consequences.
The official from the soon-to-be-launched magazine says that instead of focusing on science stories, the magazine will be filled with issues and perspectives that will trigger debate and controversy.
Another publisher, Dongasia Books, recently launched a new science magazine called Makers, which is the Korean version of the popular Japanese science magazine ‘Otona no Kagaku’, which translates to ‘adult science magazine’ in English.
Makers features stores explaining how things like drones and root cleaners are made, and comes with a high-quality assembly kit.
Despite the high price of the magazine at 48,000 won, popular editions sometimes sell over 600,000 copies.
Some industry experts argue that it was thanks to the success of international science magazine SKEPTIC, which was launched in South Korea in 2016, that South Korean readers are seeing an increasing number of new science magazines aimed at adult readers.
“The size of the science literature market is definitely growing,” an official from Makers said.
“There is demand for scientific writers to present accurate information, as well as interest from publishers, a combination that seems to have resulted in a series of new science magazines,” the official added.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
