[HanCinema's News] Foreign Streaming Platforms Go Big in the South Korean Market

So far this year much of the streaming market in South Korea has been dominated by television dramas that signed relevant deals with OTT providers. But the latter half of 2021 is set to be a big competition between original content exclusively produced by streaming companies. The big one is "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" which is the follow-up to "Kingdom - Season 2" and explains the backstory of the mysterious character played by Jun Ji-hyun who was introduced in that drama's final scene.

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But Netflix also has other original properties up its sleeve. These include the military thriller "D.P" and the supernaturally oriented "Hellbound" which are both based on webtoon properties. The survivalist oriented "Squid Game" and the outer space feature "The Silent Sea" are further big budget investments for the worldwide streaming giant, featuring big stars such as Lee Jung-jae and Gong Yoo in roles that required similarly large paychecks to sign them on.

Netflix will not be the only major American company to attempt big strides in the South Korean market this year. Disney Plus has long eyed South Korea, and been left in the awkward position of having to release its animated films in theaters even as worldwide they premiere via streaming. The reliance on brand synergy has been a mixed bag for Disney Plus in other markets. But with "Grid" and "Rookie Cops" in the works, Disney Plus will have at least two homegrown South Korean projects to call their own.

Apple TV+ has the worst position of the bunch, with neither the infrastructure of Netflix nor the brand power of Disney. What they do have is Lee Min-ho and Youn Yuh-jung for "Pachinko", with Japanese and American actors besides for their adaptation of the novel Pachinko. This may give Apple TV+ a strong opening move in South Korea, with "Dr. Brain" possibly intriguing fans of the mindbending webtoon about neural scientific discovery.

How well any of these strategies will fare against the improving situation of local streaming companies is as of yet unknown. While Netflix, Disney Plus, and Apple TV+ may have a strong focus on high concept, platforms like wavve and Whatcha have everything from prime time domestic television to soap operas to unexpected hits to the most expansive native backlogs. It is as yet unknown how this more subaltern approach will fare against the shock and awe of big name stars.

Written by William Schwartz