A 2018 post of award-winning actor Mon Confiado sharing how the South Korean government supports filmmakers has been gaining traction after Sen. Jinggoy Estrada suggested banning Korean dramas and other foreign-made films and TV shows.
Estrada argued that the local actors are losing their jobs because Filipinos support Korean shows and actors.
Following the senator’s remark, the public called on the government to support the local entertainment industry.
READ: ‘Ban Kdrama?’: Gov’t urged to support entertainment industry after Jinggoy’s proposal
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post in 2018, Mon, who was filming in South Korea then, said he envies South Korean cinema.
Mon shared that the South Korean government allows local filmmakers to use their sound stages or studios for free.
“They really support and help their entertainment industry. Now I understand why their film industry is booming!” Mon said in a post.
How South Korean gov’t supports local media and entertainment industry
Citing a report by Fairlane Raymundo, Mon shared the initiatives of the South Korean government to support the media and entertainment industry.
Quota
Mon said that the South Korean government requires theaters in the country to show local films for at least 146 days a year.
International Film Festival
There are also several international film festivals held in South Korea.
Among these are the Pusan International Film Festival, the Jeonju International Film Festival and the Busan Film Festival.
“These film festivals cater to different markets by introducing new films and first-time directors to audiences,” Mon said in a post.
More liberal censorship
The actor said that creativity is encouraged in the film industry in South Korea.
“Their approach is that instead of censoring or cutting the scenes out, they allow it to be preserved the way the director intended, and just depend on the KMRB (Korean Media Ratings Board)’s system to ensure that they won’t be seen by impressionable people of a certain age,” the actor noted.
Funding
Getting a bank loan to finance a film was difficult, given the lack of a return on investment guarantee.
To address this, Mon said that the South Korean government invested a total of 320 billion won as seed money for the country’s domestic films.
“The seed money is also being invested smartly, because aside from providing support to new studios, it is also used to grant subsidies to established studios based on the performance of their earlier projects, making the program merit-based,” Mon said in a post.
Filmmaking courses as early as elementary
In South Korea, elementary students are taught skills related to filmmaking.
Mon also noted that some schools also have equipment such as blue screen technology and rooms that can be used for staging plays.
Fair pay
“Directors, writers, composers, and other production staff are deemed as important as the actors and are well-paid,” Mon said.
Accessible movie houses
Mon said that movie houses are also available in every province, which makes watching films accessible to the public.
Continuous reinforcement of tradition and culture on movies and TV Dramas
Most of the movies and TV dramas produced by South Korea promote their history and culture to other countries, Mon noted.
Some examples he cited are “Empress Ki” and “Dae Jang Geum.”
Strict tax enforcement
Mon noted that regardless of how famous the celebrity is or how influential their agency can be, tax collection is strictly imposed.
The Filipino actor then expressed hopes that the Philippine film industry will also be treated similarly to South Korea’s entertainment industry.
“I’m dreaming that one day our film industry will be like this!” Mon said.
The veteran actor will star in the film“Nananahimik ang Gabi,” an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. He is joined by Ian Veneracion and Heaven Peralejo in the movie.
