[Collection and Preservation] ② Laws and Systems Hindering Video Cultural Heritage

No Provisions Regulating Theater and OTT Films
Film Archive Expands Collection Scope to OTT Content
"Sufficient Conditions for Preservation and Restoration... Must Maximize Benefits"

The era of cinema purism is over. Screens have expanded to TVs in homes worldwide and individuals' smartphones. Platform diversification, genre boundary-crossing, and audience agency stand out. Especially, the boundary between movies and broadcasting is blurred. We are going through a confusing period converging into a single industry. Laws and regulations fail to respond at all to this changed environment. There are not even provisions defining theatrical films and OTT films. Support from organizations like the Korean Film Council merely follows precedent. The prevailing perception is that it is enough to be faithful only to their original functions.

The Korean Film Archive gradually approaches integration that other institutions dare not attempt. It expands the scope of collection and preservation from existing films to OTT content and more. Recently, it agreed to receive the director's cut of Coupang Play's Anna once copyright issues are resolved. Director Kim Hong-jun stated, "We aim to encompass various content without distinguishing between movies and broadcasting," adding, "Although we are not obligated to collect dramas, we feel a sense of crisis in this rapidly changing environment."

New attempts are thorny paths. The Film Archive operates the theatrical film submission system based on Article 35 of the Act on the Promotion of Films and Video Works. Films rated for screening by the Korea Media Rating Board must submit the main feature, script, etc., within 60 days. OTT films are exceptions because they are not defined as 'films' under the law. For the same reason, even if screening or original files are donated, no compensation can be received.

The Film Archive is in close discussions with multiple OTT platforms such as Netflix to resolve these issues. The review targets include dramas, documentaries, and more. Director Kim emphasized, "In the case of Squid Game, the film production team participated as is. Regardless of global box office success, it cannot be overlooked even from the perspective of building a film database." He added, "Overseas institutions even collect music videos and TV commercials."

With the OTT era, one more concern has increased: the collection of marginalized independent films. Recently, theaters have significantly increased the proportion of commercial films with safe audience turnout to shake off the aftereffects of COVID-19. Some screening rooms are closed to pursue space business as future revenue sources. Naturally, the space for independent films has narrowed. Even if they barely secure screens, if seat sales are low, a second-week screening cannot be promised. VOD revenue is also hard to expect. The public has become too accustomed to watching OTT.

Kim Hong-jun, director of the Korean Film Archive, is being interviewed on the 17th at the Korean Film Archive in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Due to harsh conditions, many independent films are neglected in storage. Without theatrical release, they are not even recognized as 'films.' The Film Archive supplements legal and institutional blind spots with 'planned collection.' It independently selects and gathers meaningful works introduced through film festivals and more. Director Kim said, "There is a need to embrace works pushed aside by industrial logic," adding, "Ultimately, we want to operate an independent film archive similar to OTT."

The reason for this self-imposed hardship is simple. Many past contents exist only in name without substance. Broadcast programs are a representative example. There is no public institution collecting and managing them, so they rely solely on broadcasters' archives. Director Kim explained, "Most were discarded or recycled during the video era, so almost none remain," and "Tapes recorded by viewers are being released on YouTube and other platforms." He stressed, "Music videos made in the early 1990s are in a similar situation," emphasizing, "There is a need to newly organize the collection system."

The shortcut is naturally legal and institutional reform. The concept of film must be realistically changed from the ground up. Staffing at the Film Archive is also inevitable. Current personnel levels are adequate for film archiving. Director Kim said, "Preservation and restoration facilities and technologies are sufficient. They are much more specialized and divided than I expected before taking office," adding, "As the value of K-content has risen, we must maximize this advantage." "Now, films, dramas, and documentaries are not just video materials. They are visual cultural heritage that must be preserved for generations to come."