K-Drama Production Companies' Overseas Expansion Opportunities Have Increased

Ministry of Culture and Korea Creative Content Agency Host 'Series On Board' in France, UK, and US
Major Local Content Companies and Agencies Participate
Increased Opportunities for Joint Planning, Production, and Investment Attraction

A green light has been turned on for the expansion of domestic drama production companies into overseas markets. From the 27th of last month to the 3rd of this month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency held 'Series On Board' in Paris, France; London, UK; and Los Angeles, USA, building business bridges with local companies. Eight production companies with excellent intellectual property (IP) participated to explore possibilities for joint planning, development, production, and investment attraction. These included RaemongRaein, Barunson CNM, Studio329, AStory, WhyNot Media, Climax Studio, FirstMan Studio, Big Ocean ENM, and KeyEast. The event featured pitching sessions, business meetings, and networking receptions.

In Europe, RaemongRaein and AStory approached new business opportunities. Works such as "The Youngest Son of a Chaebol Family" and "Day of Kidnapping," as well as newly planned and developed projects, received favorable reviews. They discussed remake and co-production possibilities with about thirty local companies, including BBC Studios, Gaumont (producer of "La Boum," "Lupin," and "L?on"), and Broke and Bones (creator of "Black Mirror"). They also received production proposals from Banijay Studio and Federation Studio, leading content companies representing Europe. Cho Hyun-rae, president of the Korea Creative Content Agency, said, “We felt the status and competitiveness of K-drama among global content powerhouses.”

Interest in K-drama continued in the United States as well. Leading global content companies such as Warner Bros., Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate, Paramount Studios, ABC Signature, and CBS Studios participated to explore cooperation possibilities. Agents were also dispatched from CAA and WME, two of Hollywood’s major agencies, extending love calls.

Benjamin Sutton, head of TV planning and development at Warner Bros. International, said, “There are many works that interest me,” adding, “It was great to hear IP pitches from famous Korean production companies directly and have discussions, which you cannot experience at markets.” Byun Seung-min, CEO of Climax Studio, said, “We were able to meet investors and production companies worldwide, promote our dramas, and share various cases and insights,” adding, “We laid the foundation for global expansion amid the rapidly changing content environment.”

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency are actively promoting K-drama not only through 'Series On Board' but also by establishing Korean joint pavilions at major content markets. They plan to enhance competitiveness by providing support in planning, production, and post-production. The budget allocated for fostering the broadcasting and video content industry next year is 111.5 billion won. Part of this will be invested in building virtual studios equipped with advanced equipment such as LED walls, in-camera technology, and visual effects (VFX).

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