Although “Netflix See What’s Next Asia” is an event where over 300 reporters from 11 Asian nations come to report on what’s ahead for Netflix, Sarandos spent a large portion of his time introducing “Kingdom” and other Korean projects as well as talking about the Korean media market in general. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Currently in Singapore to attend an event being held at the famed Marina Bay Sands hotel, Netflix COO Ted Sarandos spoke of the movie that first sparked interest in the Korean market.
“The first original film that Netflix invested in was Bong Joon-ho’s 2017 flick, ‘Okja’,” said Sarandos.
Although “Netflix See What’s Next Asia” is an event where over 300 reporters from 11 Asian nations come to report on what’s ahead for Netflix, Sarandos spent a large portion of his time introducing “Kingdom” and other Korean projects as well as talking about the Korean media market in general.
Sarandos spoke of the strong foothold of the entertainment industry in South Korea and of the love that Korean audiences have for films and TV content.
The high internet speeds, noted Sarandos, also allow for easier access to film and TV content via broadband.
The Netflix executive also expressed his willingness to invest heavily in South Korea because of the nation’s role within the Asian region due to the fact that many people across the continent enjoy watching Korean content, adding that South Korea is strong in its “storytelling” skills.
Sarandos also mentioned the opening of a Netflix office in Seoul and said that original content produced in Korea will continue to be developed.
“Filming is currently ongoing in over 15 cities in South Korea,” revealed the Netflix executive.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
