{"id":2201120,"date":"2023-05-23T19:13:30","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T10:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201120"},"modified":"2023-05-24T18:21:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T09:21:43","slug":"netflix-and-korea-a-complex-tale-of-investment-success-and-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/05\/netflix-and-korea-a-complex-tale-of-investment-success-and-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"Netflix and Korea: A complex tale of investment, success and controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"
The relationship between Korea and America\u2019s content creators, notably the streaming giant Netflix, has become a catalyst for creative content and amplified global exposure for Korean entertainment. But this relationship is also complex and fraught with tension.<\/span><\/p>\n Some of the concerns that the Korean entertainment industry has raised are worries over potential exploitation and intellectual property due to its partnerships with American companies. Despite these concerns, this relationship will continue to evolve and potentially reshape the Korean and global film and television industries.<\/span><\/p>\n To appreciate the current dynamic, only six years ago, South Korea\u2019s leading cinema chains, including the country\u2019s largest exhibitor, CJ CGV, refused to screen Bong Joon-ho\u2019s \u201cOkja.\u201d The reason cited was Netflix\u2019s decision to stream the movie on its platform the same day as the movie\u2019s theatrical release, a move they argued would \u201c<\/span>disrupt<\/span><\/a>\u201d the industry\u2019s ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n AN AMBIVALENT RELATIONSHIP<\/b><\/p>\n Despite facing restrictions on screening, \u201cOkja\u201d premiered at one of Seoul\u2019s oldest cinemas, Daehan Cinema, which is located in the central Seoul district of Chungmuro \u2014 the former home of Korea\u2019s film industry. Even so, over 300,000 tickets were <\/span>sold<\/span><\/a> across only 10% of Korea\u2019s screens, even as it was simultaneously available on Netflix.<\/span><\/p>\n Netflix typically refrains from releasing detailed data on their films. However, \u201cOkja\u201d proved to be a rousing success, garnering substantial publicity for the streaming service and Bong Joon-ho. His next movie, \u201cParasite,\u201d propelled him to new heights, making cinematic history by winning the prestigious Palme d\u2019Or at Cannes and the Best Picture Academy Award.<\/span><\/p>\n Given these achievements, Netflix\u2019s recent decision to invest an additional $2.5 billion into Korean content highlights the ambivalent yet intertwined relationship between Korea and America\u2019s content industries, a relationship marked by mutual benefits and challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n In 1988, the Korean film industry objected to Hollywood studios establishing local offices in Seoul as Hollywood sought to distribute films directly in Korea. When \u201cFatal Attraction\u201d was released in Korean theaters, certain individuals in the local industry <\/span>released live snakes<\/span><\/a> in theaters as a form of protest.<\/span><\/p>\n Although their plan didn\u2019t yield the intended results, it underscored the industry\u2019s apprehension about perceived encroachment from outsiders. Interestingly, the 1990s saw Korean studios setting up their own distribution subsidiaries and theater chains, leveraging the nationwide distribution network, an opportunity partly enabled by the changes that facilitated American studios\u2019 film distribution in Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>protests<\/span><\/a> sparked in 2006 by the Roh Moo-hyun administration\u2019s decision to reduce the screen quota served as another indication of the resistance within the Korean film industry against Hollywood hegemony. Initially, Roh pledged to maintain the screen quota, which required theaters to screen domestic films 146 days a year, but later reneged on his pledge and halved the number to 73 days.<\/span><\/p>\n But much has changed since then. Netflix\u2019s recent announcement to double down on its investment in Korean content, following an initial investment of <\/span>more than $1 billion<\/span><\/a> between 2015 and 2021, seems logical, given the global popularity of Korean films and shows.<\/span><\/p>\n