Support for OTT Specialized Content Production... Twenty-seven Works Selected
Competition Rate 7.5 to 1, Up to 3 Billion Won Production Cost Support Each
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency announced on the 7th that they have selected twenty-seven works including dramas, entertainment shows, and documentaries through a public contest supporting the production of OTT specialized content. The support for OTT specialized content production is a project designed to promote the mutual growth of production companies and domestic OTT platforms. It mandates joint ownership of intellectual property rights (IP) by both parties and requires the latter to have the first broadcast rights. Production companies can expect additional revenue generation, while domestic OTT platforms can anticipate securing new subscribers.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is providing a total budget of 45.4 billion KRW, including up to 3 billion KRW per work. The selected works, chosen through a competitive rate of 7.5 to 1, include seventeen dramas (8 full-length and 9 mid-to-short length) and ten non-drama works (6 full-length and 4 mid-to-short length). They will be broadcast on domestic OTT platforms from the second half of this year until April next year.
In the full-length drama category, many works featuring various genres such as SF, fantasy, and thriller, and using fresh themes, were selected. Representative examples include "Ijae, I’m Dying Soon" and "Gaesori." The former, based on a fantasy webtoon, tells the story of experiencing life and death twelve times. It stars Seo In-guk and Park So-dam. The latter is a comedy featuring elderly protagonists, directed by producer Kim Yoo-jin, known for works like "Third-Person Revenge."
In the mid-to-short length drama category, "LTNS," starring Esom and Ahn Jae-hong, stands out. It depicts a couple whose relationship has grown distant due to life’s hardships, who blackmail an affair couple to make money. It was consecutively selected following last year’s broadcast content planning contest and this year’s OTT specialized content production support.
In the non-drama category, anticipated works such as "The Strongest Physical Education University," "Play You Level Up," and "Live Tracking Voice Corporation" were selected. "The Strongest Physical Education University" is a new survival entertainment show created by the production team of "Physical:100," where physical education students from various universities compete for the title of the strongest to uphold their school’s honor. "Play You Level Up" is the second season of "Play You," which aired in April last year and recorded 17 million views. Yoo Jae-suk communicates with viewers and completes various missions. "Live Tracking Voice Corporation" is a crime documentary vividly portraying the process of tracking and arresting a voice phishing organization.
Kim Do-hyung, Director of the Media Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "The case of 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo,' where the IP secured during the drama production process expanded into musicals, character merchandise, and publishing businesses, is very instructive." He added, "Through this project, we will strive to help production companies secure IP and achieve the dual goals of global success for K-content."
Below are the selected results:
Drama category
Look At Me (West World Story), Crouching Tiger (The Studio M), Gaesori (IMTV), Cinderella at 2 AM (Imaginas), Project Fireworks (Covenant Pictures), Study Group (YLAB), Ijae, I’m Dying Soon (SLL), Transaction (Content Wave), LTNS (Barunson Studio), S-Line (Sidus), Turn Over (Film Company All), Branding in Seongsu-dong (Studio V Plus), The Way of Love in a Big City (Merry Christmas), If We Cannot Move at the Speed of Light (Showrunners), Play, Plee (Playlist), KBS Drama Special 2023 (Ascendio), Body Price 2 (Climax Studio)
Non-drama category
Someone Else’s Love Season 3 (Display Company), Crazy Meeting (Ringaling), Search, Me (Studio Gaon), The Strongest Physical Education University (Ludwig Media), KwakTube’s Article Restaurant (Korea Educational Broadcasting System), Play You Level Up (Kakao Entertainment), Table for Pets (Mind at Play), You Pick the Long (Something Special), Lifeline: Special Rescue Team 3 (Film Company Red Peter), Live Tracking Voice Corporation (JTBC)
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