Kocca collaborates with BBC Studios, Viu to promote K-content

In a strategic move to bolster the international presence of Korean content, the Korea Creative Content Agency (Kocca) entered into a collaborative agreement with British broadcaster BBC Studios and Southeast Asian streaming service Viu.

From left: BBC Studio Senior Vice President and General Manager of South and South East Asia Ryan Shiotani, Kocca President Cho Hyun-rae and Viu Chief Operating Officer Lofai Lo [KOREA CREATIVE CONTENT AGENCY]

In a strategic move to bolster the international presence of Korean content, the Korea Creative Content Agency (Kocca) entered into a collaborative agreement with British broadcaster BBC Studios and Southeast Asian streaming service Viu.

The partnership, announced on Wednesday, aims to enhance the production and distribution of Korean content overseas.

The agreement was formalized on Tuesday during the BroadCast WorldWide (BCWW) conference at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. The conference, which began on Tuesday and runs through Thursday, served as a backdrop for the significant industry development.

Kocca's initiative comes in response to the challenges of a declining demand for documentaries and rising production costs for drama series. The partnership with BBC Studios and Viu is seen as a critical step toward addressing these issues and expanding the global footprint of Korean content, often referred to as K-content.

At the BCWW conference, Ryan Shiotani, senior vice president and general manager of BBC Studios for South and Southeast Asia, and Lofai Lo, chief operating officer of Viu, emphasized the growing importance of documentary content in Asia and highlighted successful cases of international coproductions.

The partnership with BBC Studios and Viu is expected to serve as a catalyst for the continued growth of K-content on the global stage, reinforcing Korea's position as a key player in the international media market.

“The collaboration with BBC Studios and Viu will be an important turning point for the global expansion of K-content,” said President of Kocca Cho Hyun-rae.

In addition to the partnership announcement, Kocca hosted the seventh annual "New Media Content Awards" on Tuesday in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the BCWW. Since its inception in 2018, the awards ceremony has recognized innovative achievements in the rapidly evolving new media sector. This year, five pieces of media were honored.

Drama series “Not Others” by KT Studiogenie won the Grand Prize. Four pieces of media won the Excellence Prize — drama series “Mr. Review” by 21 Studios, entertainment show “Self-On KODE 2024” by Playlist, interview show “Think Experiment” by EO Studios and documentary “Drowning Cities” by Donga Science.

"As the global media environment is changing, the center of the broadcasting and video industry is rapidly shifting toward the new media content sector," said Cho. “We will continue to discover attractive new media content and provide various forms of support in response to intensified domestic and international competition and rising production costs.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]