'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
K-dramas are all set to make their debut at SXSW.
With the viewership of K-dramas currently at an all-time high, the Hallyu wave seems almost unstoppable. With Netflix entering the market with game-changers like Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead, the ascent is projected to continue to be meteoric. The influence of K-dramas on fashion, beauty, and food habits is undeniable. This year K-dramas will establish their presence at the prestigious film, interactive media, and music festival South by Southwest, aka SXSW.
South by Southwest, also known as South By, is one of the biggest festivals in celebration of parallel film, interactive media, music festivals, and conferences. The event takes place in mid-March in Austin, Texas, USA.
SXSW will host the panel Hot Market: Navigating the Future of Korean Dramas
The influence of K-pop has been a topic of discussion at SXSW panels in the past, but this is the first time there is going to be an in-depth discussion of K-dramas. This year’s SXSW includes a panel titled Hot Market: Navigating the Future of Korean Dramas. The panel will be hosted by K-media journalists Sara Layne and Mellisa Kim. The duo also co-host and co-produce Kdrama Reports, which is a podcast centered around Korean television and films.
SXSW’s K-drama panel is considered to be the first panel that focused solely on the phenomenon of Korean media, at a US music festival. The only other event in America which focuses on South Korean entertainment is K-CON, a festival that’s dedicated solely to Korean music, media, and culture.
Sara Layne, while discussing the upcoming event, said,
“As far as we know, this is the first time there’s been a panel/presentation on Korean dramas. There have been panels on Korean pop music. They also used to have an event called ‘k-pop night out,’ where different acts from Korea would come and perform.”
In the panel, the duo will discuss the influence of Korean culture in America vis-a-vis dramas, in terms of its profitability and long term viability. The panel’s description posits the following question, which Kim and Layne will further explore:
"With more original Korean titles snapped up as source material, what does the current and future landscape of Korean content in the U.S. look like? How much distribution revenue can one title generate?"
This is not the first time the festival has had panels and discussions on Korean media. In the past, the festival has hosted showcases for several K-pop artists and groups including Eric Nam, Chung Ha, iKON, MAMAMOO, Crush, and Lee Hi.
This year, the festival will take place in a blended mode, with a combination of both online and in-person events. The panel, Hot Market: Navigating the Future of Korean Dramas, will take place in person on March 14, 2022, at the Austin Convention Center.
