Hollywood Attempts To Cut Korean Filmmaking
08-01-03, 07:25 PM
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Hollywood Attempts To Cut Korean Filmmaking
http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movi...ota/index.html
Why is South Korea recently so successful with their films? One thing I didn't know was that they have a "local quota" where about half of the days of the year their theaters have to show Korean movies. Assuring a constant flow into the film industry.
No problem with that right?!!?!?
Nope.. Until they start becoming quality films. Now the US is pressuring Korea to lift the quota.
Why?
Is Hollywood losing so much money during those 150 days that in order to survive they need all 365?
Is it that their embarressed of the fact that there is currently six Korean films being remade in the US?
I'll tell you why.. To eliminate Korean filmmaking.. period. If you disagree, ask yourself. If the films were still mediocre would this even be an issue?
In the link above one of the people interviewed explains that Korean films are now competitive so the quota should be lifted. Hmm.. Anyone heard of a Korean film chart the US box office yet?
I have just discovered Korean filmmaking myself and if you've visited the large Korean dvd recommendations thread you would have known that I just bought a decent amount of dvds. Is Hollywood happy my money is going to Korea? I'm sure they aren't.
That being said if this goes through my US theater visits and DVD buying will be minimal.
If anyone knows how to contact proponents of this quota lifting, please post so we all can voice our opinion.
Why is South Korea recently so successful with their films? One thing I didn't know was that they have a "local quota" where about half of the days of the year their theaters have to show Korean movies. Assuring a constant flow into the film industry.
No problem with that right?!!?!?
Nope.. Until they start becoming quality films. Now the US is pressuring Korea to lift the quota.
Why?
Is Hollywood losing so much money during those 150 days that in order to survive they need all 365?
Is it that their embarressed of the fact that there is currently six Korean films being remade in the US?
I'll tell you why.. To eliminate Korean filmmaking.. period. If you disagree, ask yourself. If the films were still mediocre would this even be an issue?
In the link above one of the people interviewed explains that Korean films are now competitive so the quota should be lifted. Hmm.. Anyone heard of a Korean film chart the US box office yet?
I have just discovered Korean filmmaking myself and if you've visited the large Korean dvd recommendations thread you would have known that I just bought a decent amount of dvds. Is Hollywood happy my money is going to Korea? I'm sure they aren't.
That being said if this goes through my US theater visits and DVD buying will be minimal.
If anyone knows how to contact proponents of this quota lifting, please post so we all can voice our opinion.
08-01-03, 08:25 PM
#2
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There's a thread about this in the Movie Forum:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=308801
By the way, I agree with you completely.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=308801
By the way, I agree with you completely.
08-01-03, 10:14 PM
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Very interesting MadPervert & eXcentris..... This is indeed troubling and worrying.
Both Hollywood and the S.Korean film industries have produced their fair share of inevitable commercial crap and great films; such is life. So this really isn't a matter of quality. It is also clear that Hollywood ultilises the fact that korean films "win prizes at film fests" as their claim that korean films are now "on-par in the playing ground" and hence should be subjected to fair game(along the same line with the Developed & Third World countries issue). And the koreans have to adopt a humbler position to "counter" that claim. Hollywood may seem to be undertaking a very cunning tactic. However, maybe Hollywood also needs to realise is that they do not "own" cinema per se nor do they have a say on how/what should be on the screens outside of its own country. Matter-of-fact, let me put it this way: if Hollywood is competent and confident enough to stand on its feet, why should the S.Korean industry bother them?
. Im sure the complexity of this issue is well hidden in a bundle of issues included in the treaty that extend to other aspects of economic life beyond films. Now, i have to admit: this is the cunning bit. These indeed are very questionable foreign policies you know....
One may even accuse you-know-who of eurocentric (economic) imperialism. Afterall, one can also ask if a country should have any say at all on how another country runs its cinemas.... Boy-O, i wonder how it feels to be at the receiving end of that "treaty"....
Both Hollywood and the S.Korean film industries have produced their fair share of inevitable commercial crap and great films; such is life. So this really isn't a matter of quality. It is also clear that Hollywood ultilises the fact that korean films "win prizes at film fests" as their claim that korean films are now "on-par in the playing ground" and hence should be subjected to fair game(along the same line with the Developed & Third World countries issue). And the koreans have to adopt a humbler position to "counter" that claim. Hollywood may seem to be undertaking a very cunning tactic. However, maybe Hollywood also needs to realise is that they do not "own" cinema per se nor do they have a say on how/what should be on the screens outside of its own country. Matter-of-fact, let me put it this way: if Hollywood is competent and confident enough to stand on its feet, why should the S.Korean industry bother them?
. Im sure the complexity of this issue is well hidden in a bundle of issues included in the treaty that extend to other aspects of economic life beyond films. Now, i have to admit: this is the cunning bit. These indeed are very questionable foreign policies you know....One may even accuse you-know-who of eurocentric (economic) imperialism. Afterall, one can also ask if a country should have any say at all on how another country runs its cinemas.... Boy-O, i wonder how it feels to be at the receiving end of that "treaty"....
Last edited by blessthemess; 08-01-03 at 10:29 PM.
08-02-03, 07:43 PM
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IMO, the quota removal is priority now because it's only a matter of time before the public will want to start viewing quality Korean films.
Word of mouth spreads fast than you might think. If everyone with a copy of My Sassy Girl and other well made Korean films are showing family, friends and EVERYONE at work, it's only a matter of time before the public will want to eliminate the middle man (the remake) and see the original.
Currently the majority of the population doesn't like reading subtitles, but remember, this is a country that follows popular trends (tatoos and body piercings). If watching quality films subtitled becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money. That's why the US wants to stop the competition now.
It's not about generating film revenue during those 150 days that Korean films are shown.. It's about eliminating Korean films all together.
Word of mouth spreads fast than you might think. If everyone with a copy of My Sassy Girl and other well made Korean films are showing family, friends and EVERYONE at work, it's only a matter of time before the public will want to eliminate the middle man (the remake) and see the original.
Currently the majority of the population doesn't like reading subtitles, but remember, this is a country that follows popular trends (tatoos and body piercings). If watching quality films subtitled becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money. That's why the US wants to stop the competition now.
It's not about generating film revenue during those 150 days that Korean films are shown.. It's about eliminating Korean films all together.
08-02-03, 08:27 PM
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MadPervert:
I agree with what you're stating above...however not completely. If what you're saying was indeed an indicator as to what direction Hollywood should undertake then Euro cinema should've taken over the US market a long time ago- THERE ARE TONS OF QUALITY MOVIES- SUBBED-!!! That is not the case: there are a number of French films of outstanding quality for example that never come to the US,...they are no threat for the US market.
All in all, this Korean "issue" has been blown out of proportions way too much. As lame as it may sound no country will ever match the Hollywood financial power...on the contrary I can give you a number of examples where Central European countries (with much smaller production output than the US) have decided to have a quota 50/50, 60/40 and so on....and have been perfectly fine...for their standards. Korea is not such a big market nor it is a small one therefore this "issue" is not So crucial after all. They could still produce their movies and the US will still make enough money (with or without remakes).
And what if the US is making remakes of Korean films.....the whole industry is like that...there's no originality unless you look for the so called Art House productions.....what will you say then about Bollywood and their Indian junk (mind you India is a much bigger market than Korea.....with much bigger production output)....they have HUNDREDS of remakes of American movies.
I agree with what you're stating above...however not completely. If what you're saying was indeed an indicator as to what direction Hollywood should undertake then Euro cinema should've taken over the US market a long time ago- THERE ARE TONS OF QUALITY MOVIES- SUBBED-!!! That is not the case: there are a number of French films of outstanding quality for example that never come to the US,...they are no threat for the US market.
All in all, this Korean "issue" has been blown out of proportions way too much. As lame as it may sound no country will ever match the Hollywood financial power...on the contrary I can give you a number of examples where Central European countries (with much smaller production output than the US) have decided to have a quota 50/50, 60/40 and so on....and have been perfectly fine...for their standards. Korea is not such a big market nor it is a small one therefore this "issue" is not So crucial after all. They could still produce their movies and the US will still make enough money (with or without remakes).
And what if the US is making remakes of Korean films.....the whole industry is like that...there's no originality unless you look for the so called Art House productions.....what will you say then about Bollywood and their Indian junk (mind you India is a much bigger market than Korea.....with much bigger production output)....they have HUNDREDS of remakes of American movies.
Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 08-02-03 at 08:34 PM.
08-02-03, 11:58 PM
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But.. I agree with you 100%!!! There is no way any country can globally compete with the US. Ever.
You have to realize that the US isn't satisfied with that. When they look at their film income in Korea they see that they're only making half as much as they should be making. Greedy? Yes.
Filmmakers know what American people like. And right now Korea is making films that anyone in American who doesn't mind reading subtitles will like. Is it a concern that Korea will overtake the US film industry? Of course not.. That is not what I'm saying. My point, the US doesn't want to lose 10 or even 5.. I'm even going to say 1% of it's sales to Korean films here. And even over there. Read the Korean Recommendations thread, people are ordering over 10 DVDs from Korea at a time. Do you think Hollywood is happy about that? THAT'S HOLLYWOODS MONEY!
I don't have a problem with Hollywood remaking Korean films I just think it's a little comical. I always had the opinion that there was so much talent in Hollywood that... we'll you get the picture.
You have to realize that the US isn't satisfied with that. When they look at their film income in Korea they see that they're only making half as much as they should be making. Greedy? Yes.
Filmmakers know what American people like. And right now Korea is making films that anyone in American who doesn't mind reading subtitles will like. Is it a concern that Korea will overtake the US film industry? Of course not.. That is not what I'm saying. My point, the US doesn't want to lose 10 or even 5.. I'm even going to say 1% of it's sales to Korean films here. And even over there. Read the Korean Recommendations thread, people are ordering over 10 DVDs from Korea at a time. Do you think Hollywood is happy about that? THAT'S HOLLYWOODS MONEY!
I don't have a problem with Hollywood remaking Korean films I just think it's a little comical. I always had the opinion that there was so much talent in Hollywood that... we'll you get the picture.
08-04-03, 03:54 PM
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Originally posted by MadPervert
Currently the majority of the population doesn't like reading subtitles, but remember, this is a country that follows popular trends (tatoos and body piercings). If watching quality films subtitled becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money.
Currently the majority of the population doesn't like reading subtitles, but remember, this is a country that follows popular trends (tatoos and body piercings). If watching quality films subtitled becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money.
08-04-03, 08:48 PM
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Originally posted by Peep
Dude, if watching ANY KIND of quality films becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money.
Dude, if watching ANY KIND of quality films becomes a trend, Hollywood WILL lose money.
What i object most is the imposition of its rules in another country's playing ground by dangling that carrot of a treaty(US Free-Trade Agreement, yes? If so, trust me, S.Korea will find it impossible to say no whether they like it or not; esp now with the whole North Korea situation). We must question the ultimate intention of the treaty; and that is leading to the elimination of competition. Greed is the word. Economic-imperialism is a another.
It is a sad day for cinema.
08-04-03, 09:05 PM
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whose quality are we talking about here....the people that refuse to see the difference between full screen and widescreen or those that refuse to switch to digital technology and keep supporting the VHS format?
If you combine those two groups I assure you that the criteria as to what entails "quality production" will be quite different than what you deem of artistic merit. Sad but true!! That's why we have boards like this one BECAUSE WE ARE MINORITY!!
...and free trade is not the end of the world! I, as many others on this board, disagree with some of its basics, but capitalism is not to be blamed for the current state of US filmmaking.
...nothing wrong with greed either! If there wasn't any you would still watch your Beta tapes and listen to your old records...greed, as ugly as it may sound, drives economic progress!
...last but not least, with all due respect South Korea is not the cradle of modern filmmaking. It would be sad if they are forced to curb the current trend of producing quality productions! But this is what globalization and capitalism bring (if it was not for Korean "greed" to use your term you would've never found out about their movies). So, dont blame us (the States)...any other party out there would have done the same!!
Last but not least I am 100% positive that we (the US) can make quality productions...and WE DO MANAGE TO HAVE QUITE A FEW EACH YEAR. (together with all the junk that comes with it....but that's the case with every other country that produces films, or art for that matter...France, Italy, Germany, China, Central Europe, etc.....).
I will say it again....the Korean "issue" is not an issue!! It has been blown out of proportions way too much!!
If you combine those two groups I assure you that the criteria as to what entails "quality production" will be quite different than what you deem of artistic merit. Sad but true!! That's why we have boards like this one BECAUSE WE ARE MINORITY!!
...and free trade is not the end of the world! I, as many others on this board, disagree with some of its basics, but capitalism is not to be blamed for the current state of US filmmaking.
...nothing wrong with greed either! If there wasn't any you would still watch your Beta tapes and listen to your old records...greed, as ugly as it may sound, drives economic progress!
...last but not least, with all due respect South Korea is not the cradle of modern filmmaking. It would be sad if they are forced to curb the current trend of producing quality productions! But this is what globalization and capitalism bring (if it was not for Korean "greed" to use your term you would've never found out about their movies). So, dont blame us (the States)...any other party out there would have done the same!!
Last but not least I am 100% positive that we (the US) can make quality productions...and WE DO MANAGE TO HAVE QUITE A FEW EACH YEAR. (together with all the junk that comes with it....but that's the case with every other country that produces films, or art for that matter...France, Italy, Germany, China, Central Europe, etc.....).
I will say it again....the Korean "issue" is not an issue!! It has been blown out of proportions way too much!!
Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 08-04-03 at 10:13 PM.
08-04-03, 09:59 PM
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Hollywood's just a big fat jealous child that doesn't like it when somebody's got better toys than they do... In this case, movies. So what does it do? It screams and cries and then decides to flex it's over capitalized muscles in a lame attempt of intimidation. Of course all the while it's constantly trying to emulate the same entity it's bullying (there's at least 6-7 Korean films which Hollywood has bought the remake rights too... Who knows how many more to follow).
Oh how the masses love the little bastard child called Hollywood. True the masses are mostly comprised of morons, this has been proven in numerous scientific studies... If only we can quell this Juggernaught some how, like possibly stop pampering it so much. Then we won't have to wipe it's ass when it's 28 years old and still living at home, with no sight of it leaving anytime soon...
Oh how the masses love the little bastard child called Hollywood. True the masses are mostly comprised of morons, this has been proven in numerous scientific studies... If only we can quell this Juggernaught some how, like possibly stop pampering it so much. Then we won't have to wipe it's ass when it's 28 years old and still living at home, with no sight of it leaving anytime soon...
Last edited by Heliosphann; 08-04-03 at 10:01 PM.
08-05-03, 03:16 AM
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pro-bassonist: This time I am going to have to disagree with you..
Whether issues are blown out of proportion or not is relative to the people who speak out against them, and who it affects, it has nothing to do with you believing that it has or has not. To me, it will never get "blown out of porportion" until the majority of the US knows about the situation (hence never).
Speaking of quality films.. Again this is relative to what you believe is quality. If you think that the US is producing quality films then fine, to you they are. But many news organizations and film/dvd sites are calling Korea the new "Hong Kong" of film. Or "What's Hot" if you like. So yeah I will come out and say that Korea is where it's at right now!!
When I count up the number of quality films in the US and Korea, for the past three years and the total number is about the same for each..
1. I know the US is going to try and do something to stop it.
2. Again, it's comical that the US is remaking six of their films and they're not remaking ours but coming up with brand new stuff (hence the "where it's at" comment).
3. I have an alternative to the crap that the US puts out every year (yes I said it finally) and I want it to stay around long as it can!!!!
Whether issues are blown out of proportion or not is relative to the people who speak out against them, and who it affects, it has nothing to do with you believing that it has or has not. To me, it will never get "blown out of porportion" until the majority of the US knows about the situation (hence never).
Speaking of quality films.. Again this is relative to what you believe is quality. If you think that the US is producing quality films then fine, to you they are. But many news organizations and film/dvd sites are calling Korea the new "Hong Kong" of film. Or "What's Hot" if you like. So yeah I will come out and say that Korea is where it's at right now!!
When I count up the number of quality films in the US and Korea, for the past three years and the total number is about the same for each..
1. I know the US is going to try and do something to stop it.
2. Again, it's comical that the US is remaking six of their films and they're not remaking ours but coming up with brand new stuff (hence the "where it's at" comment).
3. I have an alternative to the crap that the US puts out every year (yes I said it finally) and I want it to stay around long as it can!!!!
