LayarHijau – The Korean drama industry, long seen as a source of national pride and a driving force behind the global Korean Wave (Hallyu), is now facing a serious crisis. Industry insiders are raising alarm bells over the growing dominance of global streaming platforms like Netflix, which they claim is weakening the position of local production houses and threatening the industry’s sustainability.
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At a recent forum hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) in Jung-gu, Seoul, key figures from Korea’s television industry gathered to discuss the industry’s uncertain future. Among them was Hong Seong-chang, head of Studio S, a subsidiary of SBS responsible for many popular dramas. He openly criticized the power imbalance between Korean studios and international streaming services.
“Netflix and other global platforms wield significant influence as investors. They often request certain genres, storylines, or creative directions. But if we continue to cater to global preferences at the expense of our domestic audience, the Korean Wave won’t survive,” Hong warned, as reported by The Korea Herald.
Hong emphasized that the success of Hallyu stemmed from consistently creating content that resonated with Korean viewers. Global popularity was a byproduct, not the goal. “We know best what makes Korean content compelling—even Netflix acknowledges this. But if we continue this one-sided relationship, we’ll just become subcontractors rather than equal partners,” he said, likening the ideal partnership to that of a crocodile and a plover bird—mutually beneficial and respectful.
Bae Dae-sik, Secretary-General of the Korea Drama Production Association, delivered an even more urgent message: “The Korean drama industry is on the verge of collapse.” He pointed to rising production costs and a shrinking number of dramas being made—partly due to Netflix’s production model—as signs of the growing instability.
“When producing Netflix originals, local studios are often required to give up IP ownership. That means global hits like Squid Game end up benefiting Netflix far more than us,” Bae stated firmly.
He urged the Korean government to enact clear policies that protect domestic producers’ intellectual property rights and proposed the creation of a dedicated institution focused solely on broadcast and video content—separate from KOCCA. With Korea’s drama production budget estimated at 3 trillion won ($2.1 billion) annually, significantly higher than the film sector, he argued that it’s time for targeted institutional support.
This is more than just an internal industry debate—it’s a wake-up call for Korean drama fans worldwide. If reforms aren’t made, K-dramas could lose their authenticity, and the world could lose the very stories that made it fall in love with Hallyu in the first place.
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