The global success of Netflix with Korean contents

The Korean Wave has been present in Taiwan for over 20 years, permeating various sectors including dramas, K-POP, movies, Korean cuisine, video games, fashion, and cosmetics. Its influence is not just limited to Asia; Korean content products are now recognized globally. Previously, the success of Korean content in European and American markets was facilitated by concerted efforts from both the industry and the government. However, in recent years, particularly during the pandemic, the robust involvement of the streaming platform Netflix, exemplified by the global sensation Squid Game, has intensified the world’s fascination with Korea. Netflix serves as an optimal tool for the dissemination of film and media culture. While Netflix ’s support has undoubtedly been beneficial for Korea, it has also raised concerns regarding their investment strategies and the challenges they pose to Korea, such as intellectual property (IP) issues, monopolistic control over broadcasting rights, localization strategies, diversification of production formats, revenue sharing with telecommunication operators, and the survival of domestic over-the-top (OTT) media service platforms. In response, both the industry and government have initiated measures such as government subsidies for OTTs, tax reductions, levies on Netflix’s use of the internet, standardized contracts, and the active cultivation of creative talent. Additionally, industry efforts include mergers, fostering alliances to expand capital, and ensuring the production and circulation of quality content. This paper will comprehensively organize and analyze data from offical Korean sources, academic papers, and field studies conducted by the author, to explore the competitive and cooperative issues between Korean OTT platforms and Netflix and to identify viable responses. The analysis will cover three main aspects: (a) Netflix’s investments in Korea and the challenges they present to the country; (b) the Korean government’s response policies; and (c) the current situation and potential improvements for local Korean OTT platforms.

韓流在台灣超過20年，從戲劇、K-POP、電影到韓食、電玩、時尚、美 妝…等，無所不在，不僅在亞洲，現在全世界都知道韓國內容商品。以前靠產業 與政府的各方努力，闖關歐美市場，但這幾年，尤其是疫情期間，串流影音平台 (以下簡稱OTT)Netflix 的強勢投入，一部《魷魚遊戲》竟讓全世界瘋韓國。OTT是 影視與文化流動的最佳利器，Netflix的加持對韓國而言無疑是好消息，但卻引發 韓國對Netflix投資方式的疑慮以及對Netflix帶來的挑戰感到憂慮，如智慧財產權 （IP）問題、播映權獨寡占、在地化策略、製作形態的多元化、OTT應與電信業 者分潤、本土OTT的生存等問題。對此業者與政府陸續提出應對措施，如：韓國 政府對OTT的補助、減稅、徵收OTT網路使用費、制定定型化契約、積極培養創 作人才；業者部分則進行整併、促成業者聯盟擴大資金、確保優質內容的產出與 作品的流通等。本文將就以下三個層面，透過韓國官方資料、學術論文、以及過 去筆者實地考察所得的資料做全盤的整理與分析，試著爬梳韓國OTT與Netflix的 競合問題，以及找出可行的因應措施。(1) Netflix對韓國的投資情況以及帶給韓國 的課題 (2) 韓國政府的因應政策 (3) 韓國本土OTT的現況與可能的改善作為