The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) are moving to expand co-production of broadcast content and investment attraction targeting the Southeast Asian market.
KOCCA said on the 21st that it will host "2026 Series on Board: Bangkok" in Bangkok, Thailand, from the 20th to the 22nd. The event was arranged to broaden the foundation for cooperation between Korean broadcast content production companies and major Southeast Asian broadcasters, online video services (OTT), investors and distributors in countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.
"Series on Board" is a business program that supports overseas co-production of Korean broadcast content and the attraction of global investment. This year it will be held sequentially in four countries, including Japan, Thailand, Canada and the United Kingdom, with the Bangkok event marking the second stop following Tokyo, Japan, last May.
◇Tokyo Event Reaches $1.9 Million in Deals Under Negotiation
At the earlier "2026 Series on Board: Tokyo," 10 Korean drama production companies participated and introduced their projects to Japanese broadcasters, production companies, OTT platforms and investors. Screenings and drama pitching centered on the thriller and romance genres, along with business consultations and networking programs, were held, and participants discussed various possibilities for cooperation including co-production, investment and content distribution.
During the event, a total of 136 business consultations took place, with the scale of consultations reaching approximately $131.15 million and deals under negotiation recording approximately $1.9 million. Participating companies are continuing follow-up discussions and pursuing commercialization.
In addition, Korean production company IO Content Group and Japan's TV Tokyo signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for content cooperation. The two companies discussed cooperation measures in various fields such as co-production, investment and content distribution, laying the foundation for expanding Korea-Japan content business.
◇K-Content, Including Dramas and Variety Shows, Mounts All-Out Push into Southeast Asia
At this Bangkok event, KOCCA will introduce not only dramas but also non-drama projects such as variety shows, expanding the scope of cooperation with the Southeast Asian market. In particular, this event is held in connection with the Thailand Content Market (TCM) hosted by Thailand's Ministry of Commerce and the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), and will broaden business contacts with major local broadcasters, OTT platforms, production companies, investors and distributors.
Twelve Korean production companies are participating in the event, including Mr. Romance, SLL, AK Entertainment, New Universe, Muam, Even ENT, Studio CR, Studio Flow, Contents Saero, PHENM, Something Special and ELTV. The participating companies will introduce new drama and non-drama projects and hold customized business meetings. Non-drama project pitching and business matching were held on the 20th, and drama project presentations and consultation programs will continue on the 21st.
Among them, SLL and Mr. Romance were selected for "Asian Project Pitching," the flagship program of the Bangkok International Content Market (BICM) organized by the CEA. The two companies presented their projects to global investors and content industry officials, actively seeking opportunities for investment attraction and co-production.
Jeon Woo-young, head of KOCCA's Broadcasting and Video Division, said, "This Bangkok event will serve as an important stepping stone for Korean production companies to expand co-production and investment cooperation with key Southeast Asian companies." He added, "In the second half of the year, we will expand the scope of support to Canada and the United Kingdom, run programs tailored to the market characteristics of each country, and actively support the global expansion of Korean broadcast content companies and the creation of tangible results."
