[Slate] Netflix Shows No Signs of Yielding Even a Little

Establishing as a Stable Content Supply Platform in the Contactless Era, This Year's Lineup is...

Online video service (OTT) Netflix established itself as a major platform for movies and dramas last year. With generous investments and localization strategies, it overturned the content market landscape. Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), movie theaters stagnated, and some works gained popularity overseas, leading to a rapid rise in preference among creators and producers. Kim Seong-hoon, director of 'Kingdom' Season 1, said, "We were able to fully convey the production intent by respecting the creator's freedom," and Kim Jin-min, director of the drama 'Extracurricular,' also said, "Without Netflix, we wouldn't have been able to tackle such bold themes."

The winning streak is likely to continue this year. Netflix is a platform optimized for the contactless era. It can supply content more stably than movie theaters, which are greatly affected by COVID-19. The works themselves are also impressive. They focused on what they do best by recruiting a large number of star-level directors and actors. This is the power of their original content.

At the Center of the Drama Market

Netflix enjoyed significant promotional effects with director Bong Joon-ho's 'Okja' in 2016. According to app analytics firm WiseApp, two weeks after releasing 'Okja,' the number of subscribers increased by about 200,000. This was more than the number of subscribers gained in one and a half years, all within just two weeks. The localization strategy will be fully implemented this year with dramas. They are recruiting many talented directors from Chungmuro and the broadcasting industry to present original content.

The most anticipated work is 'Kingdom: Ashin of the North,' a side story of the globally acclaimed 'Kingdom' series. Writer Kim Eun-hee unravels the mystery surrounding the origin of the resurrection plant and Ashin's identity. Season 1 director Kim Seong-hoon takes the helm, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Park Byung-eun. The theme, announced as Season 3's topic, unfolds the process of accumulating Han (resentment). The setting is the Notoburak punitive expedition (1600), where the Joseon cavalry suppressed the Jurchen tribe. Zombies are expected to be used in Ashin's revenge after losing her home and family.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk of the movie 'The Fortress' and actors Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Heo Sung-tae, and Gong Yoo present 'Squid Game.' It is a thriller depicting people living as losers who participate in a mysterious survival game with a prize of 45.6 billion won. The title 'Squid Game' refers to a game played on a squid-shaped figure consisting of circle, triangle, and square shapes. The attacker wins by breaking through the defense and entering the circle, which corresponds to the squid's head. A source said, "It has a similar atmosphere to Nobuyuki Fukumoto's 'Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji' and vividly reveals the structural instability of our society caused by the widening wealth gap."

Director Lee Jae-gyu, known for the drama 'Damo' and the movie 'Perfect Stranger,' presents 'All of Us Are Dead.' It is a live-action adaptation of the webtoon of the same name by writer Joo Dong-geun. It highlights the struggle of students and teachers trapped in a high school infected by a zombie virus. New-generation actors such as Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hoo, and Jo Yi-hyun appear in large numbers. It differentiates itself from existing zombie works by focusing on conflicts among immature students in a confined space.

Director Yeon Sang-ho of the movie 'Train to Busan' adapts the comic 'Hellbound,' co-created with writer Choi Gyu-seok, into live-action. It is a mystery thriller that points to extreme exclusivism and dogmatism in our society through death prediction notices. It stars Yoo Ah-in, Park Jung-min, Kim Hyun-joo, Won Jin-ah, Yang Ik-june, and Kim Do-yoon. Director Yeon said, "It is a work written from the perspective of human reason about the moment we regress to a barbaric world. I want to explore various questions through the fear of an absolute and unknowable mysterious existence."

Actor Jung Woo-sung is producing 'The Silent Sea.' The setting is a future Earth devastated by resource depletion. It tells the story of elite members who go to a research base abandoned on the moon to retrieve a mysterious sample. It stars Bae Doona, Gong Yoo, and Lee Joon, and is directed by Choi Hang-yong, who made the short film of the same name.

'Juvenile Justice' is a courtroom drama depicting the events that occur when a judge who despises juvenile offenders is assigned to the juvenile division of a district court. Director Hong Jong-chan of the drama 'Dear My Friends' takes the helm and discusses the rising level of juvenile crime and adult responsibility. Additionally, the Korean version of 'Money Heist,' directed by Kim Hong-seon, 'Love Alarm' Season 2 starring Kim So-yeon, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang, and 'Undercover (working title)' starring Han So-hee and directed by Kim Jin-min are scheduled to be released within the year.

Blockbusters to Watch at Home

Netflix did not directly invest in Korean films last year. Instead, it acquired completed works such as 'Time to Hunt' and 'Call,' penetrating the gap left by movie theaters paralyzed by COVID-19. This trend is expected to continue this year. An industry insider said, "Many production and distribution companies are negotiating with Netflix over completed works."

'Space Sweepers,' whose rights Netflix acquired last year, will be released on the 5th of next month. It is an SF film depicting the story of crew members of a space debris cleaning ship who discover a humanoid robot weapon named Dorothy and get involved in a dangerous deal. Approximately 24 billion won was invested in production. Directed by Cho Sung-hee, known for 'A Werewolf Boy,' it stars Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Hae-jin, and Jin Seon-kyu.

Director Park Hoon-jung's 'Night in Paradise' will also be unveiled within the year. It is a gangster noir about a gangster who was once part of an organization but became an enemy and meets a woman at the end of her life in Jeju Island, leading to various incidents. It was invited to the Venice Film Festival last year and received praise for its contrasting portrayal of attractive natural scenery and the uncomfortable, emotional internal conflict of the protagonist. A source said, "The rights negotiation is in its final stages."

Hollywood films also match theatrical releases in quality. They guarantee rich visuals with huge production budgets and glamorous casting. Among them are the zombie heist film 'Army of the Dead,' directed by Zack Snyder of '300' and 'Man of Steel'; the biopic 'Blonde,' starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe; the comedy 'Don't Look Up,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Timoth?e Chalamet; and the animation 'Pinocchio,' directed by Guillermo del Toro of 'The Shape of Water,' all scheduled to be broadcast within the year. 'Red Notice,' directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, is also highly anticipated with Netflix's largest production budget ever ($150 million) and stars Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.