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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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 Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:01 pm Post subject: The reason movies are often released in Korea first. |
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We often hear that Western movies are released in Korea first because of (get ready)....rampant pirating of movies here. Get it into Korean theaters and make your money before they get a chance to steal it. Releasing it in the West first means it will be copied and on the streets here before it makes it into the cinemas. However, according to the Korea Times, a reliable and respected English-language paper in Seoul, it is released here first because......Korea is so important. It gives the movie the much needed publicity that it just couldn't get elsewhere. 
The delusion of this place never ceases to amaze.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/517_135128.html |
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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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Of course piracy is the main reason, but a secondary reason would be the complete opposite of the article's suggestion: to get it out in Asia before bad word of mouth from the States causes the potential audience in Asia to shrink.
Good word of mouth from Asian audiences means next to nothing in the Nth. American market, however. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 12:09 am Post subject: Re: The reason movies are often released in Korea first. |
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| Smithington wrote: |
We often hear that Western movies are released in Korea first because of (get ready)....rampant pirating of movies here. Get it into Korean theaters and make your money before they get a chance to steal it. Releasing it in the West first means it will be copied and on the streets here before it makes it into the cinemas. However, according to the Korea Times, a reliable and respected English-language paper in Seoul, it is released here first because......Korea is so important. It gives the movie the much needed publicity that it just couldn't get elsewhere.
The delusion of this place never ceases to amaze.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/517_135128.html |
I don't know whether it's important or not, and I think not.
I do know that pirating is pretty rampant back home. As the words "The Pirate Bay" indicate.
I think movies like Ironman 3 are fairly pirate proof as most people want to go to the theater to see those for the big picture experience. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| transmogrifier wrote: |
Of course piracy is the main reason, but a secondary reason would be the complete opposite of the article's suggestion: to get it out in Asia before bad word of mouth from the States causes the potential audience in Asia to shrink.
Good word of mouth from Asian audiences means next to nothing in the Nth. American market, however. |
This is correct. Asian "word of mouth" will count for very little with (North) American audiences but even if the movie receives negatives reviews overseas, marketing teams can use the ticket sales totals to imply that the movie was a hit. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 6:14 pm Post subject: Re: The reason movies are often released in Korea first. |
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| Smithington wrote: |
We often hear that Western movies are released in Korea first because of (get ready)....rampant pirating of movies here. Get it into Korean theaters and make your money before they get a chance to steal it. Releasing it in the West first means it will be copied and on the streets here before it makes it into the cinemas. However, according to the Korea Times, a reliable and respected English-language paper in Seoul, it is released here first because......Korea is so important. It gives the movie the much needed publicity that it just couldn't get elsewhere.
The delusion of this place never ceases to amaze.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/517_135128.html |
(bolding mine)
The article makes neither of those claims. In fact it says nothing of the kind. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: The reason movies are often released in Korea first. |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| Smithington wrote: |
We often hear that Western movies are released in Korea first because of (get ready)....rampant pirating of movies here. Get it into Korean theaters and make your money before they get a chance to steal it. Releasing it in the West first means it will be copied and on the streets here before it makes it into the cinemas. However, according to the Korea Times, a reliable and respected English-language paper in Seoul, it is released here first because......Korea is so important. It gives the movie the much needed publicity that it just couldn't get elsewhere.
The delusion of this place never ceases to amaze.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/517_135128.html |
(bolding mine)
The article makes neither of those claims. In fact it says nothing of the kind. |
Agreed. The article makes sense....even though it was unbearable to read. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 6:27 pm Post subject: Re: The reason movies are often released in Korea first. |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| Smithington wrote: |
We often hear that Western movies are released in Korea first because of (get ready)....rampant pirating of movies here. Get it into Korean theaters and make your money before they get a chance to steal it. Releasing it in the West first means it will be copied and on the streets here before it makes it into the cinemas. However, according to the Korea Times, a reliable and respected English-language paper in Seoul, it is released here first because......Korea is so important. It gives the movie the much needed publicity that it just couldn't get elsewhere.
The delusion of this place never ceases to amaze.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/05/517_135128.html |
(bolding mine)
The article makes neither of those claims. In fact it says nothing of the kind. |
Ironic, the guy rips the Korean Times for bad journalism, and Koreans for being delusional, and he is completely delusional about the article. |
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optik404
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Isn't it just high ticket sales? Korea is ranked 7-8th in movie ticket sales.
Are Koreans really watching hollywood movies cam rips with no subtitles? |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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I couldn't work out what the article was saying. Movies come out first in Korea because people talk about them more here? Or people tell their friends about good movies more quickly than in other countries? Judging by the amount Koreans seem to spend staring into their smart phones and typing I can well believe that. But what does this mean?
'�Koreans are very much interested in movies, considering its small population,�'
So people in countries with larger populations like movies more? People in small countries generally aren't interested. No one in Luxembourg would be able to tell you who Tom Cruise was but the average Chinese would be able to list all the Bond films?
Also South Korea is the 25th largest country in the world (out of 242 on Wikipedia) in terms of population so I wish they'd stop banging on about it being 'small' all the time. |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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First off, I really don't know why in this day and age, they don't do more simultaneous movie releases. Obviously one might want to delay a certain blockbuster for a peak weekend in a key market, but for the most part, movies could be released in the same week worldwide. This would definitely cut down on a good chunk of the piracy (from those who would have paid to see the movie otherwise). I remember growing up, we'd often wait as long as 6 months for major Hollywood films to hit our local cinemas. Those days are over.
As for Koreans being really interested in movies. It's true, relative to other countries markets, Korea's size is pretty small. (Remember, the movies need to be subbed, so while France/Spain may not be a much bigger market, the French/Spanish market is far larger than Korea's.) However, per capita, Korea has one of the highest cinema attendances worldwide. Additionally, Korea also has a thriving movie scene, and I read a few years back that it was one of only three countries where the local productions out gross the International productions (some protectionist policies help no doubt, but regardless, the local industry is popular).
Lastly, when Robert Downey Jr, or whomever is in Korea promoting a film, of course he's going to say that Korea is an important market etc. Everyone likes to hear good things about their country, and no-one likes that more than Koreans. Whether it's true or not is, irrelevant, it's just good PR.
This pretty much sums up the movie industry. (And the Hagwon industry, and many other industries..)
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| The director of the movie, Independence day, Roland Emmerich, said in an interview last February that if the movie production sees it fit, they do whatever it takes. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Remember, the movies need to be subbed, so while France/Spain may not be a much bigger market, the French/Spanish market is far larger than Korea's.) |
I really don't get what you're saying here.
'While France/Spain may not be a much bigger market, the French/Spanish market is far larger than Korea's'
Does that make sense to you?
Population wise, South Korea is smaller than France but bigger then Spain. France and Spain tend to dub their movies, S. Korea subs them. How does this affect the distribution of movies? If anything South Korea preferring their own movies to Hollywood's (as you say) should mean Hollywood movies should be released later here, shouldn't it? I'm very confused now. |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
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| Remember, the movies need to be subbed, so while France/Spain may not be a much bigger market, the French/Spanish market is far larger than Korea's.) |
I really don't get what you're saying here.
'While France/Spain may not be a much bigger market, the French/Spanish market is far larger than Korea's'
Does that make sense to you?
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Sorry, if I wasn't clear. I meant the French/Spanish language market. Korean subs/dubbing would only really be applicable in Korea, while a French/Spanish sub/dub would reach a far greater population than just France or Spain. |
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The Cosmic Hum
Joined: 09 May 2003
Location: Sonic Space
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| Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Also South Korea is the 25th largest country in the world (out of 242 on Wikipedia) in terms of population so I wish they'd stop banging on about it being 'small' all the time. |
With the 25th largest population in the world...a lot of banging has had to be going on...maybe a hard habit to give up. |
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Waygeek
Joined: 27 Feb 2013
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| Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| optik404 wrote: |
Isn't it just high ticket sales? Korea is ranked 7-8th in movie ticket sales.
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Can't be! Has to be something negative about Korea.
Even if it's good for us (yay, early films), we still have to bitch about Korea while doing it!! |
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AlabasterJerk
Joined: 06 May 2014
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