Back to All News
Supporting APAC Creators: Netflix Hosts Next-Gen Filmmakers for Creative Asia Forum at BIFF 2024
Entertainment
08 October 2024
GlobalSouth Korea
Link copied to clipboard
The first Creative Asia Forum took place during the 2024 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) this week, with over 130 up-and-coming filmmakers from across Asia in attendance. The event connected the festival's rising talent with APAC's creative leaders, featuring masterclass conversations with top creators and workshops with Netflix's content and production teams.
The Forum marked the first partnership between Netflix and BIFF, with Chief Programmer Nam Dong-chul opening the event, saying I hope that we get to hear voices that weve never heard before, hear stories that have never been told before, and pave the way for new films and stories to find their voice. I truly hope that forums like this will continue to prosper, so that it will serve as a great opportunity for us to discover new talent and new voices and new storytellers.
Minyoung Kim, Netflix's VP of Content for APAC (ex-India), gave a keynote address celebrating the creative potential across Asia Pacific. When we collaborate as an overall region, I believe that APAC as a content hub has potential comparable to Hollywood. Talent from different countries can come together and create their own unique take on a story. At Netflix, we already have existing teams and infrastructure in all of these different markets. So, whether its above the line or below the line, we believe that we can bring together the strengths of different countries so that greater creative visions can come to life, and we can tell great stories.
Kim noted that Korean and Japanese language titles are in the Top 3 most viewed non-English content on Netflix globally. With Netflix bringing local stories to 280 million people around the world, the way stories are told has completely changed. However, that's not to say that we set out to make global hits. Because when you try to make a show for everyone, you end up making a show for no one. At Netflix, we focus on finding local authenticity that has the potential to travel globally. We truly believe that it is this local authenticity that allows us to find great content.
The event featured masterclass conversations with established creators from across Asia Pacific. Acclaimed Japanese director Hiroshi Kurosaki discussed how real experiences inspired the upcoming series Beyond Goodbye. We wanted to create a world thats five centimeters above reality. But even though the story is a little lifted from reality, its set in the real world. And so when we were putting together the art and sets, we wanted to invest a lot of resources and time in preparing this production. Netflix allowed that. And so for me, and all the team staff, we were very, very appreciative of Netflix.
The creators behind forthcoming Chinese-language series Born For The Spotlight, which had its world premiere at BIFF this week, discussed how great storytelling transcends language. Producer Olive Ting noted: To be invited to Busan to premiere, we were a bit worried whether the international viewers would understand the local context of the series. But surprisingly, people from United States or viewers from Korea have given us positive feedback. They can relate to these characters as a mother, as a daughter. And they are crying or laughing with certain scenes in the story. So I think humanity can cross cultural and language barriers.
The series' director Yi-Wen Yen remarked how roles for women in Asian storytelling were evolving, recalling: When I was an actress, there was not a streaming platform like Netflix in Taiwan, and many of our stories at that time focused on the male lead. As a female actress, I was mostly functional or decorative. I started to play a mom since I was 20 years old - so I have a lot of children in show business over the years! But I find it quite interesting that in recent years, after Netflix and other streaming services joined the market, we are seeing some changes in the local industries. In the past, actresses did not have many options. But now it seems that we have more genres, more characters, and more options. Even if Im going to play a mom now, the performance and delivery will be different. Im very happy to see these changes in Taiwan. We can tell the stories I really want to tell.
Indonesian creators Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah, who won Best Directors at the Asian Content Awards during BIFF this week for Cigarette Girl, discussed the themes that global audiences resonated with in their hit show. This story is all about female strength. In a time where female projects and dreams don't have that much room and opportunity, we make a stage and spotlight for that strength and those voices that needed to be acknowledged. And this is the time for that. This is a time to acknowledge many things that have been untold and forgotten. Now its possible, and we have to celebrate that possibility, said Andini.
The event also featured a production workshop to inspire young filmmakers on how to bring their ideas to life using a mix of creativity, collaboration, and simple, accessible technology, led by Netflix's Head of APAC Production, Sung Q Lee and Head of Korean Production, Jungsu Ha.
Netflix's content leaders from across Asia Pacific took to the stage for an open Q&A with the emerging creators in the audience, with Don Kang (VP of Content, Korea), Kaata Sakamoto (VP of Content, Japan), Maya Huang (Head of Chinese Language Content), Malobika Banerji (Head of Southeast Asia Content) and Minyoung Kim fielding questions on working with Netflix, creating authentic stories, casting, local production, and reaching global audiences.
The Creative Asia Forum is part of Netflix's g
Most recent headlines
17/12/2025
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Inducts 10 Industry Icons During Unforgettable ...
17/12/2025
ESPN to Debut MNF Playbook with Next Gen Stats, a New AI-Driven NFL Data-AltCastThe series, powered by Adrenaline TruPlay AI, launches Dec. 22 and runs through ...
17/12/2025
Inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games Debut Under the Lights' in Primetime on ...
17/12/2025
The right playlist is essential on New Year's Eve, building the energy as you get ready and keeping it high as you count down to midnight. This year, Spotif...
17/12/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
17/12/2025
Audiences Watched Over 103 Billion Minutes of TV on Thanksgiving Day
NFL Games ...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
17/12/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Stars Visit Berklee for Weeklong Celebration Andrew Choi and EJAE, who voiced the film's main characters and contributed to its soundtr...
17/12/2025
Wednesday 17 December 2025
Heated Rivalry will be coming to Sky and streaming service NOW on 10 JanuaryTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy opti...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Inside The Unseen World Of Indian Customs: Netflix Reveals The...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix announces PAPARAZZI KING: the docu series coming to Ne...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils First Look at Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole Pr...
17/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Welcomes Warner Bros. Discovery Board Recommendation
Business
17 December 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
After Careful Revi...
17/12/2025
RT has announced that Kathy Fox has been appointed Commissioning Editor with re...
17/12/2025
The Hao AI Lab research team at the University of California San Diego - at the forefront of pioneering AI model innovation - recently received an NVIDIA DGX B...
17/12/2025
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
17/12/2025
With the new season of Dancing with the Stars shimmering in the not-too-distant future this New Year, the celebrity and dancer pairings of the twelve couples ha...
16/12/2025
Hawkins has landed on Spotify, just in time for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume...
16/12/2025
Wherever you are, your favorite music and audio content should go seamlessly with you. That's why Spotify has partnered with NAVER Corp, Korea's leading...
16/12/2025
2025 Wrapped arrived bigger and bolder than ever. This year's experience is designed to be ultra personal and shareable, with new features like Wrapped Part...
16/12/2025
Three 12-kilowatt Advanced Electric Propulsion System thrusters, supplied by L3Harris Technologies, form the core of Gateway's propulsion system. Pictured i...
16/12/2025
The challenge facing America's defense industrial base is not just about speed - its about rebuilding the foundation that makes speed possible. Our nations ...
16/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
16/12/2025
SEVILLE, Spain Canal Sur, the public broadcasting service for Andalusia, Spain, has completed a total technology refresh based on Pebble's resilient, softwa...
16/12/2025
NEW YORK Teleprompting hardware provider Telescript International has acquired all software code and intellectual property previously owned by Telescript West. ...
16/12/2025
As cable operators face increased competition from 5G fixed wireless access providers, a new report from Ookla Research finds that T-Mobile is the FWA speed lea...
16/12/2025
Apple has announced a major upgrade to the Apple TV app for device owners outside the Apple ecosystem with news that the Apple TV app for Android now supports G...
16/12/2025
Space42 grows Direct-to-Device partner ecosystem through a Memorandum of Underst...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON Announces Release Date for Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 R...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON's Kyivstar Invests in Renewable Energy in Ukraine with Acq...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Emma Appleton, Fares Fares, Frida Gustavsson and Jakob Oftebro...
16/12/2025
Back to All News
Docu-reality My Korean Boyfriend Gets a Trailer and Premiere D...
16/12/2025
Harmonic's XOS Advanced Media Processor Improves Streaming Video Quality and Boosts Viewer Engagement SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
16/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December.
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier t...
16/12/2025
Singer -songwriter Brian Kennedy has been announced as the final celebrity dance...
15/12/2025
Harlem Globetrotters Celebrate 100th Anniversary With New Brand Campaign From Th...
15/12/2025
Top L-R: La Tierra Del Valor (The Home of the Brave), Mangittatuarjuk (The Gnawe...
15/12/2025
L3Harris will leverage 15 years of experience supporting the E-4B Nightwatch and...
15/12/2025
CONWAY, Ark. In a notable example of how the loss of federal funding is forcing public stations to make massive cuts and operational changes, the statewide pub...
Back to All News
