Forbes Korea
Forbes Korea is the Korean-language licensed edition of Forbes magazine, operated by Jungang Ilbo S since 2003, publishing a monthly print magazine and digital platform covering business, wealth rankings, and lifestyle content for Korean executives, HNWIs, and aspiring leaders via subscriptions and advertising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Forbes Korea does
Forbes Korea (포브스코리아) is the Korean-language licensed edition of Forbes magazine, operated by 중앙일보에스(주) (Jungang Ilbo S) — a subsidiary of the Joongang media group — under a licensing agreement with Forbes Media, LLC dated January 11, 2003. The publication delivers business news, executive profiles, wealth rankings, lifestyle coverage, and signature franchises such as the 대한민국 고속성장 스타트업 50 (Korea's Fast-Growing Startups 50) and 파워 유튜버 100 (Power YouTuber 100) lists to C-level executives, high-net-worth individuals, and aspiring business leaders in South Korea. Its product portfolio comprises a monthly print magazine, the forbeskorea.co.kr digital platform hosting 18,547+ articles across eight content verticals (기업가, 랭킹, 주요기사, Money, New Management, Lifestyle, BrandVoice, Eyes), and tiered PDF digital subscriptions. Revenue is generated through three streams: print subscriptions (180,000 KRW/year), PDF digital subscriptions priced from 5,900 KRW/month to 90,000 KRW via the Cultural Nuric Card program and 202,000 KRW through the Central Membership bundle, and advertising with premium placements such as the back cover priced up to 20 million KRW. The business model combines recurring subscription revenue, corporate/group subscription channels, sponsored BrandVoice content with partners including Tiffany & Co. and POSCO, and signature live events such as the Y30 AI Summit. The company is headquartered in the Jung-Ang Ilbo Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and employs 101-250 people. Underlying technology is a standard publishing platform for print and digital content delivery with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or SDKs disclosed.
Forbes Korea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forbes Korea
- Legal name
- 중앙일보에스(주)
- Website
- https://forbeskorea.co.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Forbes Korea is the Korean-language licensed edition of Forbes magazine, operated by Jungang Ilbo S since 2003, publishing a monthly print magazine and digital platform covering business, wealth rankings, and lifestyle content for Korean executives, HNWIs, and aspiring leaders via subscriptions and advertising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forbes Korea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business News Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD), Subscription & Fulfillment Services (Print & Digital) (MPAJAKAB)
Keywords
Where Forbes Korea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forbes Korea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Print magazine subscription service with annual subscription model at 180,000 KRW, offering physical delivery of monthly magazine issues.
- Digital/PDF Subscriptions: PDF digital subscription service with tiered pricing: 1 month at 5,900 KRW, 6 months at 33,000 KRW (7% discount), 12 months at 59,000 KRW (17% discount). Also available at discounted rate via Cultural Nuric Card for 90,000 KRW annually.
- Advertising: Magazine advertising space sold to brands, with premium placements (covers, double-page spreads) commanding higher rates up to 20 million KRW for back cover.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual print magazine subscription with physical delivery |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly PDF digital subscription |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 6-month PDF subscription with 7% discount |
| Subscription | Annual | 12-month PDF subscription with 17% discount |
| Subscription | Annual | Cultural Nuric Card discounted annual PDF subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium annual subscription with Central Membership discount |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate/group subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Forbes Korea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forbes Korea publishes a Korean-language edition of Forbes magazine covering business, wealth, technology, leadership, and luxury lifestyle for Korean executives, investors, and affluent readers. Its primary paid offerings are a monthly print magazine subscription, a digital news website, and a paid PDF digital subscription that delivers the full monthly issue online.
Product overview
Forbes Korea (포브스코리아) is a Korean-language business magazine published by 중앙일보에스(주) under license from Forbes Media. The company offers a monthly print magazine supplemented by a digital platform (forbeskorea.co.kr) that provides news articles, rankings, lifestyle content, video content, and archived past issues. The portfolio includes the core print magazine, an associated website with digital content, and PDF subscription services. Content sections cover 기업가 (Entrepreneurs), 랭킹 (Rankings), 주요기사 (Featured Articles), Money, New Management, Lifestyle, BrandVoice, and Eyes categories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Forbes Korea Magazine (포브스코리아 잡지)
Companies that use Forbes Korea
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Forbes Korea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Forbes Korea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Forbes Media, LLCcoreForbes Korea operates under a licensing agreement with Forbes Media, LLC, the parent company of the Forbes brand. Forbes Media provides the brand, editorial frameworks, and content standards, while 중앙일보에스(주) handles local Korean edition production, distribution, and editorial adaptation. Forbes Media is led by Steve Forbes (Chairman & Editor-in-Chief), Sherry Phillips (President & CEO), Randall Lane (Chief Content Officer), and William Adamopoulos (CEO, Forbes Asia).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Forbes Korea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Maeil Business Newspaper (매일경제): One of South Korea's leading business dailies, covering companies, markets, and executives. Targets the same C-suite and investor audience that Forbes Korea serves, competing on news depth and digital subscriptions.
- Forbes India: Another licensed Asian edition of Forbes, operated under similar terms. Useful comparable for benchmarking licensed Forbes editions in emerging Asian markets, including subscription pricing and ad rate structures.
- Hankyung (한국경제신문): Major Korean-language business newspaper with strong online presence and business news coverage. Directly competes with Forbes Korea for Korean executive readers and corporate advertising budgets.
- Bloomberg Businessweek Korea: Korean edition of Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. Closely comparable product offering — monthly business magazine with global brand license, premium subscription, and Korean-language localization.
Broad incumbents
- Fortune: Global business magazine known for rankings such as Fortune 500. Competes in the same premium business media category and operates licensed international editions, making it a natural strategic comparable.
- The Economist: Premium global business and economics publication with a paid digital subscription model and Korean readership. Competes for the same affluent, internationally-minded executive audience as Forbes Korea.
- Forbes (Global): The parent brand and licensor of Forbes Korea. Operates the US flagship edition and global digital platform, providing the editorial frameworks, lists, and brand standards that Forbes Korea adapts for Korean readers.
- Bloomberg: Global financial and business media powerhouse with Korean-language coverage. Competes with Forbes Korea for the same premium executive and HNW reader audience and for advertising from financial-services brands.
Regional players
- ChosunBiz (조선비즈): Business-focused vertical of the Chosun Ilbo media group in Korea. Provides daily Korean business news, market data, and corporate coverage targeting a similar executive audience to Forbes Korea.
Emerging players
- Business Insider: Digital-native business news outlet targeting younger professionals and aspiring leaders. Competes for the aspirational-business-leader reader segment Forbes Korea cultivates, particularly through online and social channels.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forbes Korea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forbes Korea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Forbes Korea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forbes Korea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forbes Korea
What does Forbes Korea do?
Forbes Korea publishes a Korean-language edition of Forbes magazine covering business, wealth, technology, leadership, and luxury lifestyle for Korean executives, investors, and affluent readers. Its primary paid offerings are a monthly print magazine subscription, a digital news website, and a paid PDF digital subscription that delivers the full monthly issue online.
Is Forbes Korea a public or private company?
Forbes Korea is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Forbes Korea founded?
Forbes Korea was founded in 2003. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Forbes Korea based?
Forbes Korea is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Forbes Korea make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are digital/PDF Subscriptions and advertising.
Who are Forbes Korea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Maeil Business Newspaper (매일경제), Forbes India, Hankyung (한국경제신문) and Bloomberg Businessweek Korea. Broad incumbents are Fortune, The Economist, Forbes (Global) and Bloomberg. ChosunBiz (조선비즈) is listed as a regional player. Business Insider is listed as an emerging player.
Does Forbes Korea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forbes Korea.
What industry is Forbes Korea in?
Forbes Korea's product category is Business News Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAM, Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAMAD, Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership). Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.