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Seeking a breakthrough using new elements and actors

Posted November. 28, 2014 08:39,   

한국어

Korea’s terrestrial TV drama market is coming up with a wide variety of alternatives to recover from its slump, but there are still no noticeable effects.

To deal with production costs, which is pointed out as the greatest problem, some propose putting a ceiling on the hefty fees paid to the actors and to the writers.

In 2007, there was a time when TV drama producers put a ceiling of 13,000 dollars per episode on actors’ pay but due to competition among broadcasting stations that came to an end soon. In the U.S., actors’ fees are set as a certain rate of total sales and paid running guarantees. Yet this method cannot be used for the Korean TV drama industry where the exact earnings or production details are put under wraps. One broadcasting official said when the actors’ fees, writers’ fees and top line and bottom lines are disclosed, the problem would be resolved but the broadcasting stations and producers are reluctant to put the production costs in the open.

Overhauling the relevant regulations is urgent in order to resolve the issue of indirect advertising, which is overused to recoup production costs. Currently, the contents or indirect advertising (PPL) is regulated by the Korea Communications Standards Commission and the physical portion PPL accounts for in TV dramas (the size of the product and how much air time they get) are regulated by the Central Radio Management Office under the Korea Communications Standards Commission. Another issue is that the boundary between sponsorship and PPL is hazy, making possible tying in the two in a sale. One drama production company producer said, “PPL regulation standards are mixed with sponsorship and applied, making the inspection results different for each case, making a projection difficult.

The U.S. allows PPL in full. Episodes are portrayed centered round certain products or products are given a close-up. One episode of the sitcom Modern Family in 2010 dealt with a family quarreling over a new iPad, whose launch was imminent. To make up for that, quality control is conducted by producing them in advance, not hurting the flow of the storyline. Japan and the U.K. allow PPL but the public service broadcasting stations of BBC and NHK strictly regulate them.

Roh Dong-ryeol, professor of Media Communication Department at Sungshin Women’s University, said, “The Korean TV drama industry leaned on IT investment in the early 2000s, then on the Korean Wave in Japan, and now on Chinese capital. In short it is based on a bubble. Now is the time to make money with quality contents and pay attention to quality.”