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Korean Film Council

Established in 1973, Korean Film Council(KOFIC) is a special organization of wider state sector, entrusted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Republic of Korea, aiming to support the development and promotion of Korean films. KOFIC is a government-supported but a self-administered body, which is guaranteed its specialization and independence and it is considered as a Quango; Quasiautonomous non-government organization.

KOFIC is composed of nine commissioners, including one full-time chairman and 8 committee members, appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in order to discuss and decide major issues for the development of Korean films.

Led by the Seoul head office, there are separate departments specializing in various key aspects of Korean cinema; Domestic Promotion Department supporting Korean films and industry; International Promotion Center for the promotion and PR of Korean films abroad; Film Research & Development Center provides vital information in the form of statistics, analysis and publications. In addition, Korean Academy of Film Arts is for incubating and continuing education of film professionals; KOFIC Studios in Namyangju features state-of-the-art film production services and facilities; Technical Supports Department is the center for researching the future cinema technology such as digital cinema and 3D films; General Management Department manages the film development fund for Korean films.

Investment Fund Financing: Since July of 2007, KOFIC has raised and managed the film development fund, approximately US$430 million in total, in order to promote and support the Korean film industry. This fund consists of US$172 million from the government, another US$172 million from box office ticket sale allotment and US$86 million from existing film fund. (3% of box office ticket price is taken between July 1, 2007 and end of 2014)
Making investments on the industry: As seed money for various investment funds for Korean films, this film development fund has played a critical role in attracting the inflow of capital into Korean film industry. KOFIC has invested US$8.6 million as seed money to form 2 mid-size funds, approximately US$25.8 million each so far and KOFIC put US$2.25 million to make a fund for independent or low-budget art features with budget of US$4-8 million. In addition, KOFIC also invests US$2 million out of the fund to create US$8 million fund for co-production projects in collaboration with foreign capital and filmmakers in order to expand the market. Additionally, putting US$2.6 million to form US$4-8 million fund will be invested in the field of the planning and development. Consequently, KOFIC’s investment on funds is extensive and intensive each year.
Supporting for the revitalization of the Korean ancillary market: As the film market is shifting to the digital environment, KOFIC fosters the ancillary market by establishing a distribution platform for copyrighted online cinema contents. The Ancillary Market Distribution Management System is designed to help the online distribution process by promoting the legal download service via web servers and to build a public online portal site allowing people to access the download service easily. Furthermore, KOFIC is holding a campaign with a catchphrase “Be a good downloader” to promote using legal download service for the public.; As the film market is shifting to the digital environment, KOFIC fosters the ancillary market by establishing a distribution platform for copyrighted online cinema contents. The Ancillary Market Distribution Management System is designed to help the online distribution process by promoting the legal download service via web servers and to build a public online portal site allowing people to access the download service easily. Furthermore, KOFIC is holding a campaign with a catchphrase “Be a good downloader” to promote using legal download service for the public.
Screenplay Market Support Program: KOFIC develops various programs and events in order to stimulate the industry and provide new ideas in the cinematic world such as running an online screenplay market, opening a contest for drama or animation screenplay and holing a mentoring program between writers and producers. In addition, KOFIC supports R&D projects to stimulate more productive projects. To do so, KOFIC annually invests US$2.6 million in specialized film R&D agencies in order to strengthen the fundament of Korea film industry. Especially, an agency which cares for developing a storyline or adaptation from a novel or comic books will be able to receive this supporting program.
Diverse Film Production Support Program: KOFIC supports all genres films, short films and independent feature(less than US$43,000, production budget), feature film(US$43,000-172,000) and documentary films. When actual production budget is less than US$86,000, the production apply for financial support. In this case, KOFIC supports not only money, but with other packages as well. When a director who has advanced in any international film festival makes a film with actual production budget less than US$172,000, KOFIC gets involved to raise the quality and match the global standard.
Exhibition/Distribution Support Program for Films at Artplus Cinema Network: KOPFIC supports multiplex cinemas screening diverse films and 30 designated cinemas for art films in nationwide. KOFIC also supports 2 cinemas specializing in independent films and 1 cinematheque for the promotion of diverse films. In addition, KOFIC maintains a film database website and an online cafe for exchanging tickets, matching sponsorship with press or production companies and running monitor group for diverse films. KOFIC also purchases copyrights of diverse films, foreign classic films and arts movies to build a library for public use.
Korean Film Export Support Program: KOFIC supports the participation of Korean films and Korean filmmakers who participate in international film festivals in order to stimulate the exchange of people and promote Korean films on the world stage. KOFIC also runs a PR booth at major international film festivals and provides “Korean Cinema Night”. In addition, it maintains booth at all major film markets in order to assist Korean international sales agencies, and supports marketing activities for foreign distribution company which imported Korean films. Also KOFIC provides support for professional subtitle translation and print production, previews, promotion tours, advertising and PR, making PR materials for Korean films to advance in the foreign market. To promote Korean films in key strategic countries (Japan, China, USA and Europe), KOFIC launches Korean film showcase in each country.
International PR for Korean Film: KOFIC opened 2 offices in USA and China to use as a post for foreign PR and employs correspondents in major countries to research the market and perform promotional projects in a designated country. It also runs an English website (www.kofic.or.kr/ english) and published a number of books and magazines in English. It also produces a DVD collection each year, consisting of remarkable Korean films with multiple language subtitles and distributes them internationally.
Fostering the human resources for Korean films: Korean Academy of Film Arts was established in 1984 by KOFIC in order to provide quality education. KAFA offers 4 courses in film directing, producing, photography and animation directing and opens separate special programs for feature drama film and animation production. In addition, the academy offers a special training program for people in the industry in all disciplines, such as acting, directing, photography, lighting, editing, and CG. To improve the working environment, KOFIC runs the information system for accessing people in the field, certifying careers and introducing a standard employment contract to secure staffs’ living and meet demands from the field.

Building technology infrastructure for Korean film: KOFIC Studios in Namyangju feature state-of-the-art film production services and facilities. It consists of indoor studios(1 large, 2 medium, 2 small and 1 special photography, for a total of 6 studios), outdoor sets, recording studio, developing room, CG room, and Telecine room. Ahead by Technical Support Department, this facility is working on several projects, assisting with developing and providing domesticating the core technology of digital cinema, and researching 3D digital cinema. Furthermore, KAFA runs a program called “A moving school for digital technology”, allowing visiting schools and institutions to update the current status of the technology.

Cinema Policy Development: KOFIC provides vital information in the form of statistics, analysis and publications in order to research and develop new policies that would help push the Korean film industry forward. KOFIC publishes Korean Film Yearbook, Korean Film Scenario Collection, Journals and Industry Reports.
Support for Film-Related Organizations: KOFIC supports film-related communities and institutions to promote the cinematic culture and its independence. Not only their research works and projects on the industry, but education programs and film festivals, events, international exchange for continuing relationships with a markets abroad.
Opening KOFIC Studios to the public: Open sets and theme parks in KOFIC Studios are open to the public. Taking advantage of the infrastructure in the studios, KOFIC provides programs such as cinema camp, media education, media-experience education and experience programs for the minority, such as cinema therapy program for the youth in prison, media education program for migrant women and people in military service.
Enriched enjoyment of watching cinema: KOFIC opens Visual Media Center to promote the activities of ordinary citizens and students. KOFIC provides loans for renovating screening facilities for the disabled and offers Cinema on Wheel, a special program which visits a remote town or social welfare institutions to give them an opportunity to watch films they would not have access to otherwise. KOFIC also supports all cultural interchange between the North and South Koreas through North-South Korean Film Exchange Pre-production Development Funding Support Program.

Korean Film Council

206-46 Cheongnyangni-dong,

Dingdaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea 130-010

E-mail kobiz@kofic.or.kr

Website www.koreanfilm.or.kr