Like Coca-Cola, Which Dominated the East German Market Through Free Distribution...

Korea Creative Content Agency Sparks New Wave of Hallyu with Free Content
Limited to CIS, Middle East, Africa... 12 Broadcast Contracts in 8 Countries in First Half

The Coca-Cola Company quickly captured the East German market after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. They distributed Coca-Cola for free and provided refrigerators at no cost to stores selling their products. As a result, per capita Coca-Cola consumption in East Germany rapidly rose to West German levels. The opportunity for free trials expanded, narrowing the psychological distance for consumers.

Domestic broadcast content is also being offered for free with a focus on sensory adaptation. This is happening in regions where the Korean Wave has not yet reached, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The Korea Creative Content Agency distributes and supports dramas and entertainment programs free of charge to local broadcasters for a certain period as part of efforts to secure new markets. They actively promote Korean culture by purchasing overseas broadcasting rights and producing subtitles and dubbing based on regional demand. Last year alone, they signed 24 broadcasting contracts with 13 broadcasters in 12 countries.

A significant portion of the content consists of dramas. Examples include Love in the Moonlight (Jordan), Confession Couple (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Dominican Republic), Dae Jang Geum (Guatemala, Dominican Republic), Thirty But Seventeen (Iraq, Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe), and Shall We Kiss First (Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe). The entertainment program Youn’s Kitchen 2 was also introduced in areas such as Russia’s Primorsky Krai.

The local response has been encouraging. In the case of Youn’s Kitchen 2, the public broadcaster OTV in Primorsky Krai recorded an average viewership rating of 4%. An OTV official said, "It’s a very interesting program," adding, "We were concerned that watching with subtitles instead of dubbing might be inconvenient, but the characters’ voices sounded natural, which helped viewers immerse themselves." They also mentioned, "Every morning, staff would discuss which dishes from Youn’s Kitchen 2 would be good to cook."

Dae Jang Geum, broadcast on Chapin TV in Guatemala at 11 a.m. on weekdays, was popular among housewives. It was viewed by over one million households and was recently rebroadcast. Melvin Flores, the programming manager, said, "Even though it’s an unfamiliar Asian drama, it generated a passionate response," and expressed a desire to continue airing various Korean content.

The overseas establishment of domestic broadcast content also positively influences diplomatic relations. Zimbabwe, where Shall We Kiss First and Thirty But Seventeen were aired last year, is a representative example. Heliate Rushwaya, acting president of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), met with Dobonggae, the ambassador to Zimbabwe, to express gratitude for the content provision and promised, "We will continue to promote the Korean government’s efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula through TV and radio."

The foundation for the Korean Wave will continue this year as well. In the first half of the year alone, 12 broadcasting contracts were signed in eight countries. These include dramas such as My Only Love (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay), Love in the Moonlight (Zimbabwe), Save Me (Bolivia, Honduras), and Signal (Lebanon); entertainment Youn’s Kitchen 2 (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Bolivia); and documentary Korean Table (Zimbabwe). This has laid the groundwork for diversifying exports by targeting emerging markets.

Lee Doh-hyung, head of the Broadcasting Division at the Korea Creative Content Agency, said, "A satisfaction survey conducted with local broadcasters and Korean embassies on distributed works resulted in a score of 4.9 out of 5. Also, 94.5% responded that it helps foster friendly relations between the two countries," adding, "We will strive to discover new export channels and achieve cultural exchange between countries through content."

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