A road less traveled by: Korea

Those planning market or exploratory trips to Hong Kong, Japan or China this fall might do well to invest in an affordable side trip to a lesser known opportunity, the Republic of Korea (South Korea). This is a warm, friendly yet economically aggressive country of 45 million. The per capita gross national income now exceeds $8,500; and through the ’90s, the economy has expanded by 8%-9% annually. The standard of living rivals that of the Singaporeans and Taiwanese.

Currently, there are five television services – only one of which, sbs, is not a public entity. Next year, Korea will be launching its first full-time cable network. Channel availability will approach 30 regulated but private ventures, and demand will be heavy for some nearly 80,000 hours per year of new programming. Up to 30% of that new fare will be non-Korean. Already, some 6,000 hours of foreign programming have been purchased in 1994.

In addition, this cable explosion is expected to generate a total market for hardware of roughly $6.5 billion, with $1 billion required this year. The players involved are primarily subsidiaries of large, well-financed Korean firms (Samsung, Daewoo and Hyundai) with considerable purchasing power.

Canadian producers, broadcasters and equipment suppliers that are able to mobilize quickly and approach the Korean market with some savvy could well surpass their Asian expectations here, rather than in the trendier venues of the continent.

In 1993, Korean video rentals surpassed $700 million, video sell-though topped $3 million, with seven million vcrs in regular family use. tv sets exceeded 13 million. Here, all trend lines are virtually vertical.

And Koreans are interested in Canada. Last month, a delegation representing cable interests toured the country; and in June, executives of Samsung’s movie channel, the new Korea Sports channel, the documentary-focused Century Television Network, a new education channel, and Hyundai’s proposed music channel visited Montreal and Toronto.

Conveniently for some, the first stop for the neophyte in making media business contacts with Korea is through the Toronto consulate. This is a trade mission that works and delivers. Kee-Woo Lee, cultural attache (telephone (416) 920-3809; fax (416) 924-7305), has a firm grasp of the film and television industry – and provides the added value of several excellent political connections. In Seoul, the foreign media relations division, the Ministry of Information, has a mandate to facilitate offshore business contacts. Its deputy director, Yi Chong Ryul, is a most gracious entry point at fax 82-2-733-2237.

In Korea, it has proven useful to initially touch base with the two public broadcasting entities, kbs and ebs. The international office of kbs, the national service headquartered in Seoul, can be reached via Myung-Keun Chang, director, at fax number 82-2-781-2499.

This is a huge broadcasting entity but one with nearly 40 coproduction accords around the world. It has excellent facilities and is planning more. By 1999, it will have completed a 170,000-square-meter broadcast center with 66,000 square meters of open sets, six tv studios – at least two of which are 1,000 square meters, and incorporating an engineering and training complex. kbs is also somewhat familiar with Canada, and has sent jury members to the Banff Television Festival.

Of more modest means, yet more accessible in some ways, is ebs – the educational broadcaster. The latter has a new, entrepreneurial president, Yun-Choon Chung, who has taken an active interest in European and North American partnerships. His corporate fax number is 82-2-521-0241.

Both these public broadcasters have credible contacts domestically, as well as in Hong Kong, Japan and China. Presently, there is some in-country speculation that ebs may be absorbed into the larger public entity and emerge as KBS-3, but this is only informed rumor.

Once these waters have been tested and observed, more direct cable contacts could be pursued via either the Korea CATV Communication Commission (fax 82-2-774-2380) or the Korea CATV Broadcast Committee (82-2-784-3250). Two of the new cable services that may be of less import to Canadians but which say something particular about Korea are the Buddhist Broadcasting System and the Korean Transportation Safety Authority Channel. We should have an award for the first sale to either of these!

For the public broadcasters and most of the new channels, product or projects concerning children, animation, sports, music, the environment, Asian culture and history, training and continuing education, travel, languages, health, science and mathematics all have currency.

Program exchange is frequently a tabled first step in relationship-building in Korea, but may provide the Canadian partner with access to excellent cartoon, documentary, music and selected dramatic fare. More information on programming needs can be gleaned from Sook-Wha Chung, an advisory fellow of the Korean Broadcasting Institute (fax 82-2-521-6680).

A final tip or three: if you go to Korea, try the direct flight via Korean airlines and book the centrally located Koreana Hotel (telephone 82-2-730-9911). On your flight over, read the April 1994 text, The Korean Cable Television Programming Market, produced by our External Affairs and International Trade folk. Well worth it, and copies are still available through Sheila de La Varende at fax (613) 992-5965. The main author is Duane McMullen, second secretary and vice consul at the Embassy of Canada, telephone in Seoul 82-2-753-2605, or fax 82-2-755-0686. Enjoy the kimchi.

(bill roberts is senior director general international affairs at public broadcaster tvontario.