Beyond 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Frenzy: Policy Debate Held for Securing K-Content IP Rights
The Netflix animation ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ is currently sweeping global charts and achieving record viewership, signaling a major K-culture success. However, concerns have been raised that despite these impressive achievements, the domestic industry and creative ecosystem may not benefit sustainably without robust intellectual property (IP) rights frameworks.
In response, Cho Eun-hee, a Member of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, hosted a policy debate titled ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters' Global Frenzy: Is Korea Left Empty-Handed?’. During her opening remarks, Rep. Cho emphasized, “In an era where Korean culture leads the world, if we cannot effectively counter the structure where global platforms monopolize distribution and IP rights, the fruits of the Korean Wave will struggle to translate into sustainable growth for our domestic industry.” She stressed the need to “independently create the second and third ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ and establish an IP foundation that allows international Korean Wave successes to feedback into the benefits of our industry and creators.”
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choi Bo-kyung, stated, “We will strive to foster an industrial environment where producers and creators can secure IP, building a constructive win-win relationship among content industry stakeholders.” He added, “We will actively support strengthening the competitiveness of K-content through investment, production, and tax incentives, as well as facilitate the joint overseas expansion of K-content and platforms.”
The debate focused on institutional alternatives to connect the success of the Korean Wave with the growth of domestic creators and industries amidst the monopolistic structure of global platforms. Lee Yoon-kyung, Head of the Content Research Division at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, presented the keynote speech, arguing, “For the content industry to secure global competitiveness, it is urgent to establish an IP-based revenue structure beyond mere production cost support.” She further elaborated, “Especially considering the recent deterioration of Korea's copyright balance in the broadcast and video sectors, strengthening capital procurement capabilities for IP acquisition and establishing a stable revenue-sharing structure are paramount.” Lee Seong-min, a professor in the Department of Media at Korea National Open University, added, “To secure content IP sovereignty, we need to move beyond simply securing rights and expand our ‘monetization experience,’ while continuing efforts to ensure the health of the domestic content ecosystem, the core foundation for IP growth.”
‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ features a unique premise where K-pop idols battle demons, captivating global audiences with its fresh narrative and entertainment value. The series' success underscores the burgeoning global potential of K-pop and Korean cultural content. Moving forward, institutional support is anticipated to play a crucial role in ensuring such successes contribute to the sustainable development of the domestic creative landscape.