Kakao rebrands Brunch contest with new judging system

Kakao has announced the 14th Brunch Contest, marking a significant overhaul of its content publishing platform's competition format. Formerly known as the ‘Brunch Book Publishing Project,’ the event has been rebranded to emphasize the prestige of winning the contest itself rather than just facilitating publication.

The selection process is shifting from a model where partner publishers chose winners to an independent judging system led by external experts. The number of grand prize winners will be reduced from ten to four, covering categories such as fiction, essay/poetry, general, and a rookie writer award.

To support authors, Kakao will change how publication deals are brokered. Instead of a one-on-one matching system with specific publishers, Brunch will introduce winning and finalist works to multiple partner publishers, allowing authors to find the best fit for their work. Applications are open for eight weeks until October 18, with winners to be announced in early February.