Shijiang.com special article " Netflix never expresses any opinions, only gives money."
Such a tyrannical financial sponsor father, looking at the global film and television producers, only the "content king" Netflix dares to be so willful and "shepherd" management , just harvest.
" kingdom " screenwriter Kim Eun-hee once said, "Netflix has given unlimited creative freedom. In terms of content and technology, it has not said 'how to do it'."
provides such a relaxed and free creative environment, adding With the generous supply of capital, Netflix has continuously output a series of original hit products to attract users, and its market share in South Korea has also expanded rapidly, with unstoppable momentum.
html On December 25, Netflix Asia Director Kim Min Young announced the production plan in South Korea in 2021 and announced that it would invest US$500 million, approximately 550 billion won (approximately 3.2 billion yuan), in the production of Korean content.Netflix Asia Director Kim Min Young
html What is the concept of US$1.5 billion? "Victory" was launched on Netflix on February 5 with a budget of 24 billion Korean won, equivalent to RMB 136 million, and US$21.2 million. US$500 million is enough to produce dozens of such large-scale movies or exquisite dramas.Such a huge investment means that the Korean market will account for half of Netflix’s content budget (US$1 billion) in the Asia-Pacific region. It is one of Netflix’s largest overseas investments in recent years and also marks Netflix’s further investment in the Korean entertainment industry.
Why does the Korean market, with a population of about 52 million, attach so much importance to "Netflix for the world" and become a "strategic location" that is more favored than Asian countries such as Japan and Australia?
Enters the Korean market: "Kingdom" gives Netflix a firm foothold
One year later than Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, Netflix entered South Korea in August 2016. The initial market performance was not ideal, and consumers had not yet spent money to consume content. As is customary, the market responded coldly. Netflix, a newcomer, can only obtain copyright through "buy, buy, buy" and then develop the cooperation model of spreading it on its own platform.
However, when Netflix initially cooperated with several traditional Korean TV media such as tvN, CJ EM, and JTBC, it was unable to obtain the first broadcast rights of the content. The content could only be launched on Netflix one month after it was broadcast on the TV station.
In 2017, Netflix's first Korean drama "My Only Love Song" was broadcast. However, due to the lack of grasp of South Korea's local content creation model, it encountered Waterloo. In the same year, Netflix invested US$50 million (approximately 57.9 billion won) in "Okja" by Bong Joon-ho , a director who successfully entered Hollywood, and slowly opened the door to the Korean entertainment market. Around the time the film was released, the number of Netflix Korean users increased from 90,000 to 200,000.
Okja
Time rating 7.1
20 minutes - Action/Adventure/Drama After the release of "Okja" stills in South Korea on June 28, 2017"Okja" stills
, in order to grab the audience, Netflix began to spend a lot of money on production costs, co-production projects with TV stations, and the investment accounted for Up to three-quarters higher than normal. In this way, the online time of these works on Netflix has been gradually shortened from one month after the broadcast on the TV station to one hour.
In May 2018, Netflix opened an office in South Korea, becoming the fifth office established in Asia after Japan, Singapore , Taiwan, and India. Netflix has since then shown its talents in the Korean market.
With the popularity of "Kingdom" in 2019, and its participation in investment in many works such as "Crash Landing on You", "Itaewon Class", " Witty Doctor Life ", Netflix has occupied a certain market in South Korea. , stand firm.
"Kingdom" poster
"Kingdom" brings together director Kim Sung-hoon of " Tunnel ", screenwriter Kim Eun-hee of "Signal", and actress Bae Doo-na . It abandons the signature romance idol style of Korean dramas. Instead, he made a bold attempt to combine the power struggle of the ancient Korean dynasty with the popular zombie elements at the time. Each episode averaged at least 15 minutes of intense zombie fights and other exciting visual effects. With a trendy style and an American drama-style development model, it made the audience Korean audiences began to recognize Netflix's original content, which also allowed Korean dramas and Korean culture to go global through Netflix.
Kingdom
Time rating 8.0
Plot / Costume Released in South Korea on January 25, 2019
Netflix Korea’s success model: “Don’t express opinions, just give money”
Use localized thinking to create original dramas suitable for the Korean market, thereby integrating into Korea , this is the experience summed up by Netflix having spent nearly 5 years deeply exploring the Korean market.
In order to eliminate the huge differences in culture and geography and cater to local users, in addition to purchasing the copyright to play local content, Netflix gave up the right to independently produce content. Instead, it established a team of Korean experts and chose to cooperate with a mature local team - South Korea local TV stations to jointly develop and produce original works.
Korean TV station JTBC
At the same time, Netflix adheres to the principle of "guaranteeing creative freedom" in content production, giving creators extremely free space, regardless of the process, only looking at the results.
Netflix Asia Director Kim Min Young said, "The Korean content production base itself is already very good. Netflix's role here is to make things that cannot be achieved on existing platforms become a reality."
"Kingdom" director Kim Sung-hoon once said, "Although (Netflix) has feedback of one kind or another, it is only to the extent of providing reference and does not have any interference in the final work." "Kingdom" screenwriter Kim Eun-hee also believes, "A TV series that I thought was impossible was successfully completed with the help of Netflix. With Netflix's support, not only was respect given during the creative process, but it also improved the completion of the work, which has never been achieved before." Hear Netflix say 'NO'. "
has no restrictions on genres and themes, so production companies can tackle a variety of stories, such as zombies and monsters.
"Kingdom" stills
While decentralizing management, the "generous" Netflix also provided ample financial support. In order to make the series produced have the quality of movies, Netflix invested 2-3 billion won in production costs for each episode of limited series. This "spending a lot of money" has also slowly changed the average Korean domestic TV series' average of 4-3 billion per episode. Market structure of 500 million won production cost.
has the freedom to create, generous financial support, and the global exposure and influence of the Netflix platform. With such a win-win cooperation, there is no need for a high-quality team and star artists to join in. As long as it can produce hit products, Netflix will provide them. Opportunities are endless.
Korean star artist team
After many trials, Netflix has finally successfully mastered how to produce drama content to gain audience recognition and maximize benefits between local and global markets. The market performance of "Kingdom" proves Netflix's successful decision-making model - the higher the degree of localization of the content of the work, the better the communication effect will be; the more exquisite the production and the better the quality, the stronger the word-of-mouth influence will be.
Becoming the “birthplace” of global Korean dramas A gift to global fans
Why has South Korea become the most fertile ground for Netflix to explore in the Asian market?
Ted Sarando, head of Netflix’s cultural industry department, once said, “The whole world loves Korean film and television culture. Our goal is not only to spread Korean culture in Asia, but also to promote it to the global market. "
Since the 1990s, the "Korean Wave" represented by Korean dramas, Korean pop music, and Korean variety shows has swept across Asia and gradually captured the European and American markets, which are strong entertainment markets.
The "Korean Wave" sweeping the world
coupled with the mature management of Korean fans and Korean idols, the unique entertainment culture has become a gorgeous business card for South Korea to successfully go global. Netflix, which strives to become an "international TV station" for audiences around the world, has undoubtedly taken a fancy to the strong Korean Wave, especially Korean dramas, the pioneers of the Korean Wave that have always won in Asia and even the global market.
In addition, after the success of Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite", the Korean film and television entertainment industry has received greater attention, and its influence around the world has soared. The film won four Academy Awards last year, including Best Picture, making history as the first non-English language film to win the Academy's top prize.
Parasite
Time rating 8.3
32 minutes - Comedy / Drama / Thriller Released in South Korea on May 30, 2019 "Parasite" poster
"Parasite" won an Oscar
On the other hand, about 90% of South Korean citizens have access to high-speed mobile broadband, which requires high-speed broadband for data transmission to ensure high-definition and coherent content. For Netflix, a smooth streaming media platform, it is undoubtedly a crucial factor.
In this regard, although Japan's mobile broadband penetration rate is also very high, and Netflix entered the market early and has the largest number of users in Asia, animation occupies the majority share of the Japanese cultural market, and other types of film and television drama content are spread outside Japan. Limited, compared to the global influence of Korean dramas, it is much weaker.
It is reported that the growth of Netflix paid users in Japan last year was largely led by the popularity of the Korean hit drama "Crash Landing on You" (2019), which is exclusively provided by Netflix. Among the 10 most popular works on Netflix in Japan, 4 are Korean dramas.
Crash Landing on You
Time Rating 8.1
Romance / Comedy / Drama Released in South Korea on December 14, 2019
"Crash Landing on You" stills
Netflix Asia Director Kim Min Young said, "In the booming Asian market, Korean content is the key to leading our growth." "Thanks to Korean dramas, many Asians who like Korean dramas have come to Netf lix. ”
Today, Netflix is quickly becoming the birthplace of Korean dramas in the world. In the past few years, this streaming service has increased the output of Korean dramas. There are already more than 100 Korean dramas on the platform for users to watch freely. You can find your favorite type.
Korean dramas on Netflix
Currently popular Netflix original Korean dramas include "Kingdom", "Sweet Home", "Crash Landing on You", "Ring the Bell If You Like", "It's Okay, It's Crazy", "Because First Love is the First Time", etc. , these Korean dramas are a gift to fans all over the world. "Kingdom" triggered the "zombie craze" in the United States and Europe, and "Sweet Home" ranked third on Netflix's global charts shortly after its release.
"Sweet Home" poster
Korean drama output in 2021: 9 dramas of various genres
According to Netflix's 2020 fourth quarter financial report, as of the end of last year, Netflix had more than 200 million subscribers in 190 countries and regions around the world, with users in the Asia-Pacific region More than 25 million, while South Korea already has 3.8 million users. The Korean drama "Sweet Home", which was launched at the end of last year, was watched by 22 million households within 28 days of its release.
Sweet Home
Time Rating 7.5
Horror/Adventure Released in South Korea on December 18, 2020
Ted Salando, head of Netflix’s Cultural Industry Department, said that the whole world is watching Korean works on Netflix, and “audiences around the world are united to fight Retreat from the enemies who appeared in "Sweet Home" and use "Victory" to save the universe."
"Victory" stills
Between 2016 and 2020, Netflix invested approximately US$700 million (770 billion won) in content in South Korea and created more than 80 original series and movies in South Korea.
In order to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Netflix’s online service in South Korea and introduce excellent Korean creative works to the world, Netflix’s investment scale in South Korea will reach more than 70% of the total investment in the past four years in 2021, and two new studios will be added at the same time scale, leasing 16,000 square meters of space for content production to increase the production of movies and drama series in the Korean domestic market.
Two new studios
2021 film list:
2021 Netflix film list
Original series:
"Kingdom: Oshin of the North" (directed by Kim Sung-hoon, starring Jun Ji-hyun )
"Sea of Tranquility" (directed by Choi Xiangyong, Bae Doona, Gong Yoo , Lee Joon master Acting)
"Hell" (directed by Yeon Sang-ho, starring Yoo Ah-in , Park Jung-min )
" Squid Game " (directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk , Lee Jung-jae , Park Hae-soo starring)
"D.P Dog Day" ( Han Junxi director, Jung Hae-in , Son Seok-goo starring)
"Move" to Heaven: I am a relic organizer " (directed by Kim Sung-ho, starring Lee Je-hoon , Tang Jun-sang)
"Please ring the bell if you like it Season 2" (directed by Kim Jin-woo, starring Kim So-hyun , Jung Ga Ram)
"Our School Now" (directed by Lee Jae-kyu, starring Yoon Chan-young , Park Ji-hoo)
"My Name" ( Kim Director of Town Citizen , starring Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon )
Movie:
"Carter" (directed by Jung Byung-gil)
"Moral Sense" (directed by Park Hyun-jin)
