BCWW 2022 confirmed 168 exhibitors and 609 buyers

Organized as an offline format combined with its digital platform, it is focused on content sales and networking and attended by 168 local and international content companies as well as 609 buyers from 31 countries. Upon its 22nd anniversary, BCWW 2022 aims to provide sustainable and lucrative network and business opportunities for stakeholders involved in the broadcasting industry both home and abroad under theme on ‘Play the New Content, Dive into the BCWW.’ 

‘The event will also feature conferences addressing current trends of the broadcasting industry, presentations on emerging content, IP pitching, and other various programs. The quality of online markets will continue to rise inevitably due to technological advancement. However, online markets cannot be a substitute for face-to-face communication. In fact, it is highly unlikely that the innate human nature for building interpersonal relationship through decades of face-to-face interaction will change so easily’, explained to Prensario Jessie K.M Jeong, VP & COO, KOCCA.

The Seoul-based show is expected to be developed into a hybrid market combining offline and online markets in the auspices of accumulated data and know-how over the last two years of online events. Consequently, it will be a venue for buyers and sellers to further enlarge their networks. 
‘Broadcasting content market has been serving not only as a commercial platform for purchasing or selling content, but also as a platform for interactive engagements and networking. While there was no choice but to hold online markets over the last two years, there have been more cons than pros to an online-focused market. There were limits to the level of interactions among buyers and sellers, not to mention the loss of liveliness of various screening events and programs held during the market period’, added Ms. Jeong.

The show plans tp organize events that can spur the sense of realism of the market such as showcasing of drama that had not been broadcasted before to reflect recent global broadcasting content trends and also to continue the fever of K-drama. In addition, it will include format showcase, format pitching, and documentary pitching designed to deliver excitement and add vividness to the markets.

The executive continued: ‘K-content, with its recent popularity, is a by-product of genres familiar to global audience and contexts specific to Korea. In addition, enormous efforts made by production staff, actors, and actresses should not be underestimated for their invaluable contribution to the making of more exciting and interesting series on top of the original ones’.

“BCWW 2022 Conference” aims to deliver a story of K-content which has fascinated the global audience. ‘During the [Special Session], we invited Producer Lee Sangbaek and Director Yoo Insik from Extraordinary Attorney Woo, to discuss about the influence of K-drama content targeting the global market. The drama from Lee and Yoo is a mega-hit and touched the hearts of its audience while writing a success story on securing the production company’s Intellectual Property from a business point of view’. 

‘In addition, we will address realistic topics and discussions on future K content and production by organizing a session on recommending strategies and way forward for K-content in the global market and proposing strategic approaches to achieve success on global co-production’, she completed.
Korea is one of the most important content producers in Asia with Asia being the fastest growing region in the global media content market. Considering population, income level, and availability and speed of internet connection, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East are also lucrative market. Conventionally, the most popular content in Asia are Korean drama and entertainment shows/programs. With the advent of era of streaming, Korean TV shows are gaining much popularity from Asia as well as around the world. 

What will follow Squid Game, All of Us Are Dead and Extraordinary Attorney Woo? Which Korean platform or content producers will be at the frontier with spotlights? Jeong answered: ‘BCWW Market & Conference proudly presents the present and future of Korean TV content. Creators, producers, and businesspersons involved in the Korean content will gather in this venue’.  

In this era of streaming, a broadcasting content market is at the edge of transformation. So is the "BCWW Market & Conference". If the conventional market was finished content-focused, the market needs new roles and functions to promote businesses at all levels of value chain such as in-development, investment, and co-production. 

The executive highlighted: ‘Korea’s TV content has a deep connection with webtoon, webnovel, game, K-pop and movie. Therefore, there must be a platform for experts from diverse industries and field to gather to discuss about future business opportunities with a focus on content IP. Moreover, we must present video content with new technologies such as AR, VR, and XR applied while facilitating an emergence of related market’. 

And she concluded: ‘Movie goers and viewers are our most valuable clients. BCWW will continue to develop as an event that provide pleasure to Korean content consumer. Also, we will do our best to plan more B2C events such as offline meetings with writers, directors, and actors/actresses and preview sessions for new content. Of course, many of these will be doable when COVID-19 pandemic is at its fall’.