Korean Job Discussion Forums

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

I had a discussion today with one of my students about the screen quota. He's usually quite an informed chap and we are able to debate/discuss a variety of issues, bu today was tough.

I was surprised to learn we had very different views on the screen quota. NOT that we had different opinions about it, but actual different views on what it was.

Although in some ways similar, here's what we were saying

1) The screen quota is a minimum percentage for showing Korean films. That is to say, out of 365 days in a year, a theater should at a minimum show Korean films "X" number of days.
(originally 155 days but now with the FTA maybe being reduced to closer to 75 - about 20% or so of total screen time) This leaves open the remaining time for any movie, Korean or otherwise.

2) The screen quota is a limit on the running time of Korean movies. That is to say that a Korean movie cannot be shown for longer than the amount of quota time. If the time is 75 days, then the longest a Korean movie can run for is 75 days. This limits Korean movies in the theaters and allows for more foreign movies.

Now, I'm not going to tell you which was mine (if you haven't guessed already), but it was a frustrating class. Not because our opinions differed (that we handle usually quite well), but because we fundamentally looked at the issue of QUOTA differently.

In this case, is quota a minimum or a maximum?

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Number 2 is completely wrong. The point of a QUOTA is to safeguard the local goods. Whatever the quota is, means that Korean films have to show at least that much of the time. That would mean that if Korea only produces one film next year, then that film must be played for 20% of all viewings throughout the year. I know this is poorly worded, but you should get the point.

Billy Pilgrim · Joined: 08 Sep 2004

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Aye, I get it. But I was having troubles proving the other point wrong. The first seems obvious... but I can see how in some odd twist, someone (watching Korean media) could think the other way.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

My understanding of the word "quota" is that it generally means a minimum target number. Sometimes it is used for a maximum limit, though, as in "You have exceeded your bandwidth quota for this month."

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Yup, I think that most native speakers would look at this and understand that Quota means minimum. However, it can mean both, and explaining why it means only on in this case is tough.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

Quota can either mean minimum or maximum, depending on what you are putting a quota in.

If it is a defensive Quota, it mostly is a minimum Quota, e.g. Korean cinema. Show a minimum days for the Korean Movie. This has given rise to a lot of smaller cinema's. I was quit surprised the first time i went to a korean cinenam, but then i learned about the Quota and it made sense.

It is better to have a lot of small rooms so you can "waste" some space on bad korean movies, and still make money on the others. This is the adverse effect of Screen quota's.

If it is an offensive Quota; the tendency will be to enforce a maximum. Mostly used for imports. e.g. you can only import x amount of chocolate Smile

.

There are many more offensive Quota's then Defensive Quota's.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

This is probably more easy to understand for Canadians because we have Can-con.

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Maybe theater owners are playing loose with the facts when they explain why they don't openly support the reduced quota. It wouldn't be the first time such a thing has happened here. Just like most (all?) of my friends believe foreign food imported here is always of low quality because foreigners don't respect Korea. IF the theater owner wants to show a foreign block-buster, then he would reduce the amount of time he shows a poor-performing Korean film. Naturally, rather than say he wants to make money, he just blames it on the foreigners forcing open the market. It isn't HIS fault.

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Where is RR with all his linkies???

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

http://wiki.galbijim.com/Screen_quota

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Wow, I should have know Galbijim would have something. I even looked on Wiki too

/sigh

EDIT: NM, got it to work now.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

I just don't get the attitude of the quota supporters. Don't they feel a little embarrassed in implicitly admitting that people don't really want to watch their movies? Where's all that Korean pride? It's not like doing away with the quota mandates that American movies be shown more. It just opens up free competition. It's entirely up to the tastes of the Korean people.

But everybody knows this. I doubt that people support the quota for anything other than monetary or nationalist reasons.