ReportKOCCA – Korea Creative Content Agency
Interview with Sarah Chung, Senior Manager at Disney Company
1 Jan 202513 pages~32 min full read
The global success of Korean content is driven by a 'cocreator' fandom model, where streaming platforms leverage seamless localization tools to allow audiences to actively participate in cultural moments.
Korean productions must now compete for attention against both traditional OTT platforms and short-form ecosystems like TikTok and YouTube, necessitating a shift in how content is marketed and consumed.
To maintain global reach, studios must adopt a dual strategy of utilizing platforms with extensive international footprints while executing aggressive off-platform promotional campaigns.
Success in a saturated market requires the integration of AI-driven recommendation engines to ensure content visibility amid an oversupply of available media options.
Future competitive relevance through 2026 depends on blending nostalgia-driven 'comfort viewing' with cross-platform interactive campaigns that bridge long-form and short-form media.
Korean series are increasingly breaking traditional genre boundaries, as seen in titles like The Glory, D.P., Sweet Home, and Gyeongseong Creature, to appeal to broader, fragmented global audiences.
The interview underscores that the worldwide surge of Korean content is rooted in a “cocreator” fandom model, where streaming services offering seamless subtitle and dubbing options enable audiences to engage directly with material and co‑produce cultural moments. This participatory dynamic is amplified by nostalgia‑driven “comfort viewing” and the rapid diffusion of fan‑made short‑form clips on TikTok, which together reshape attention spans and create a feedback loop that fuels further consumption.
A key finding is that Korean productions are breaking out of traditional genre boundaries, as illustrated by titles such as *The Glory*, *D.P.*, *Sweet Home* and *Gyeongseong Creature*. These series now contend not only with other OTT platforms but also with short‑form ecosystems like TikTok and YouTube, as well as user‑generated content. To secure global reach, Korean studios must prioritize distribution channels that combine extensive international footprints with aggressive off‑platform promotion, while exploiting AI‑driven recommendation engines to surface relevant titles amid an oversupply of options.
Looking ahead to 2026, success will depend on a balanced strategy that merges technological adaptability, clear conceptual storytelling, and format experimentation. Integrating nostalgia‑centric comfort viewing with cross‑platform interactive campaigns will allow Korean creators to navigate a fragmented global content landscape and maintain competitive relevance across both long‑form and short‑form media environments.
