K-Content News

KOCCA teams up with streaming service Watcha to scout out creative content
  • June 01, 2021

KOCCA teams up with streaming service Watcha
to scout out creative content

Updated : 2021-05-31 16:30
 

By Lee Gyu-lee

The state-run Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and local over-the-top (OTT) platform Watcha are teaming up to scout out creative new show ideas.

The agency announced Monday that it, along with the media service, will be holding a contest to find the best ideas for shows that will be made into original series on Watcha.

"We hope to discover refreshing new show ideas by teaming up with one of Korea's best OTT platforms, Watcha, and hope it will be a good opportunity for the creators as well," Lee Do-hyeong, head of KOCCA's broadcasting division, said in a statement.

"KOCCA plans to offer support to encourage a good show proposal to be developed and produced into an actual show, and to diversify the portfolio. We will work to provide the right kind of support for each type of show."

The contest is open to individual creators and writers only. The application process to submit proposals will open July 1 and run until July 16 at 3 p.m.

About 15 submissions will be selected from three categories ― dramas, reality/variety/talk shows and documentaries ― and compete for prize money worth 150 million won ($135,000) in total.

For drama submissions, there will be two subcategories: short-form dramas and sitcoms. Nine submissions will be selected in both subcategories for a chance to win the top prize. For reality/variety/talk shows and documentaries, the submissions are divided into feature-length and episode formats. A total of three winners each from the drama and documentary categories will be selected.

The agency will provide a support and mentoring program to the creators of the selected works and provide consulting from related experts to help them develop their ideas.

For the top three winners, KOCCA and Watcha will cover the production costs to make their ideas into programs. The final products will be distributed through Watcha's platform.

Meanwhile, KOCCA and Watcha have been working together to strengthen the local OTT market, using methods such as holding a contest for online and new media creative video content. A total of 13 winning ideas from the previous contest were produced into programs. Of those, a documentary was released through Watcha earlier this year.

Watcha, in an effort to gain a foothold in the competitive OTT market, has been creating original series and shows, cooperating with different networks and organizations. It joined hands recently with the production studio, Hard Cut, to produce a series titled, "Unframed," which will be written and directed by actors Park Jung-min, Son Seok-gu, Choi Hee-seo and Lee Je-hoon.