[Opinion] Screen Quota Competition

In the past, the Korean movie industry had long depended on imports of foreign movies. Those in the movie industry produced Korean movies that did not even head to the screens in order to obtain the quotas for foreign movies. When the American United International Pictures (UIP) approached the Korean movie market in the late 1980’s, those in the movie industry fought back as if the Korean counterpart would collapse.

A movement against direct distribution movies occurred. In some cinemas where movies distributed by the American company were shown, even snakes were released. Reflecting on the past, however, the opening of the market led to the self-sufficiency of the Korean movie industry today.

Following ‘Memory of Murder,’ director Bong Joon-ho has produced another hit with ‘The Host.’ With 620 screens hosting this monster, limited only by worries that the movie may over-dominate the screens, it seems as if the movie will surpass the record set by ‘King and the Clown’ (12.3 million viewers). When ‘King and the Clown’ was all the rage, the director Lee Joon-ik once said, “I’m happy that my movie is doing well, but I’m also worried that it will provide grounds for reduction of the screen quotas.” Bong, who participated in one-man demonstrations against the abolishment of the screen quota, must have the same worries. They are like amateur golfers who worry when, with good hits, their handicaps will be reduced.

The screen quota system is a trade barrier that places a mandatory screening period for domestic movies, which should not be pursued while pushing forward with the free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. Currently eight countries including Spain, Greece, and Brazil have a screen quota system. China and India protect their domestic movies by limiting imports of foreign films. Those in the movie industry insist that the abolishment of the screen quota amounts to the loss of cultural sovereignty, but some view this as protecting vested interests.

In Korea, domestic retail outlets triumph over Walmart and Carrefour, and domestic eateries trump even McDonald’s and Burger King. Having survived the direct distribution of Hollywood movies, which had the potential for even wider repercussions, the Korean movie industry would not collapse by having the screen quota of domestic movies having a mandatory allotment from 146 days to a reduction of 73 days. The Korean movie industry may only survive in the global market by being armed with the competitiveness to block the attack of Hollywood movies without the protective barriers in the domestic market.

Hwang Ho-taek, Editorial Writer, hthwang@donga.com