Drama production declined amid a slowdown in global over-the-top (OTT) service investment, but film shooting in Busan actually increased, according to figures released Wednesday.
The Busan Film Commission said 39 productions were filmed in Busan in the first half of this year, including seven films and 32 video works. The number of productions was the same as the first half of last year, but total shooting days fell 16.6% from 187 to 156.
The decline in shooting days was largely driven by reduced production of dramas and OTT series. TV dramas and OTT series fell from 16 last year to nine this year, and shooting days for video works dropped 43.4% from 136 to 77. The Busan Film Commission attributed the change to shifts in the content production environment, including reduced investment by global OTT platforms and fewer broadcaster programming slots.
Feature films, by contrast, showed a clear recovery. Film shoots in the first half totaled seven, one more than last year, and with the inclusion of works shot entirely on location in Busan, shooting days rose 54.9% from 51 to 79.
The Busan Film Studio also maintained a stable operating rate. It hosted four productions, including films and video works, in the first half, a level similar to last year, but studio rental days rose 50.8% from 122 to 184. Studio B has film shoots scheduled for 170 days from the 15th through the end of the year, so a high operating rate is expected in the second half as well.
Attracting shoots also generated considerable benefits for the local economy. Direct spending by production crews in Busan on accommodation, food and beverages, and equipment rental totaled about 1.73 billion won in the first half.
The Busan Film Commission provided about 230 million won in location incentives to six productions, and direct local spending by those productions reached about 920 million won, four times the support amount. This accounted for 53.3% of the total direct spending by production crews, demonstrating the economic ripple effect of the incentive program.
Gijang-gun, which introduced its own location incentive for the first time this year, also produced results. After providing about 48 million won in support, the number of shoots rose 2.3-fold from 16 last year to 37 this year, and shooting days reached 33, establishing it alongside Haeundae-gu as one of the most active shooting locations in Busan.
The most popular shooting locations in the first half were Gwangalli and Gwangan Bridge. Domoheon, a complex cultural space, and Busan Nam High School, a closed school used as an open set, were also consistently chosen by production crews for their irreplaceable spatial characteristics.
However, limitations in transportation infrastructure also emerged in the process of attracting global projects. One overseas project that had been considering filming in Busan reportedly changed its final shooting location to Incheon because there was no direct flight route connecting to its next shooting location. The Busan Film Commission cited strengthening accessibility, including international air routes, as well as location competitiveness, as an important task for attracting global content.
The Busan Film Commission expects shooting demand to recover, with large-scale films and multinational projects scheduled for the second half, along with shoots for works supported by the Korean Film Council's mid-budget film program and its own production support projects.
"Busan is being chosen by domestic and international production companies based on its excellent shooting environment and diverse locations," said Kang Sung-kyu, chairman of the Busan Film Commission's steering committee. "We will continue to strengthen our shooting support system and infrastructure to enhance our competitiveness as a global filming city."
