[Photo &] Discussion on “Holdback” in the Film Industry Heats Up…Minister Choi Hwi-young Formalizes Establishment of a Public-Private Consultation Body This Month

A Signal for Reshaping the Film Ecosystem: Launch of a Public-Private Consultation Body for “Holdback”

“Choi Hwi-young”, Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, zeroed in on the “holdback” system—an issue at the heart of sharp tensions between theaters and “OTT”. At the “Third Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Cultural and Arts Policy” held on the 6th, he officially confirmed the launch of a “public-private consultation body” within this month. “Holdback” refers to a grace period until theater releases move to other platforms such as “OTT”. Amid clashes between arguments that it is an essential mechanism for theaters to survive and backlash over limited viewing rights, the government made a firm statement that it can no longer stand by. With an urgently needed path to derive an “effective solution” that can reorganize the ecosystem across the entire industry through a consultation body that includes practical creators, the timing is crucial.

Breaking Administrative Convenience, Set to Shift “Production Support Grants” to Multi-Year Funding

A major overhaul of the rigid “production support grant” system is in the works. The current principle of “single-year budget execution” has been completely out of step with the reality of “film & video” production, which takes years—leading to odd scenes of returning budgets. In response to strong calls from the advisory committee members to transition to “multi-year support projects”, Minister “Choi Hwi-young” said, “It is putting the cart before the horse to match works to the budget schedule,” immediately expressing agreement. This means moving to a flexible budget support system aligned with the “actual production cycle”, so creators can deliver the best possible results. This is the beginning of “innovating the production environment” to break away from administrative convenience and drive the creation of high-quality K-content.

A High-Stakes Move with 27.1 Billion Won: Distribution of 4.5 Million “Movie Viewing Discount Tickets”

A total of 27.1 billion won in “supplementary budget funding” will be injected into a struggling theater industry. The government has confirmed the distribution of a total of 4.5 million “60 won discount tickets”, taking direct action to attract audiences. Distribution will take effect nationwide beginning on the 13th, with “Days with Culture” as the starting point. Minister “Choi Hwi-young” said this bold form of support will serve as a springboard for the box-office performance of outstanding domestic works such as “Gunche” and “Salmokji”. Beyond merely boosting consumption, it is the government’s strong bet to rebuild a virtuous cycle in the “Korean film” ecosystem. All eyes are on whether lowering the barrier to theaters can bring people back in again.