Minister Chae Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism met with Charles Rivkin, chair of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), on the 25th to discuss cooperation in the film industry, including improving film distribution structures and protecting content copyrights in the era of online video services (OTT).
The Minister met with Rivkin that day at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, explained the need to improve distribution structures for the mutually beneficial development of the film industry, and asked for the interest and cooperation of the Motion Picture Association and its member companies.
In particular, they shared views on the impact of the "holdback," the grace period until release in ancillary markets such as OTT after a theatrical opening, on the film industry and on ways to ensure the sustainable growth of the OTT sector.
The Minister said that to promote the global spread of K-content, the government will revitalize film and video location projects set in Korea and expand programs that support domestic filming by large overseas production companies.
In response, Rivkin said that content reflecting Korean culture, such as "K-pop Demon Hunters" and "Squid Game Season," is gaining worldwide popularity.
He also expressed the intention that the Motion Picture Association and its member companies will actively participate to ensure the successful hosting of the "Lumière Summit," to be co-chaired by Korea and France in September.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Motion Picture Association agreed that, amid rapid changes in the film industry environment due to the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and OTT, protecting the copyrights of creators and users is crucial. The two sides agreed to continue communicating to protect content copyrights and to foster a smooth environment for digital exchange.