Sean Richard Dulake 션 리차드

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June 9, 2015  ** Happy 31st Birthday Sean Richard! **

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September 18, 2015

Viki co-producing first original Web series with China, Korea

SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- The first Web-based series co-produced by South Korea, China and the United States will hit the market next year, a U.S. producer said Friday.

The global video-streaming service Viki (www.viki.com) said it has decided to make the original series "Dreamworld," with the goal of releasing it in the first half of 2016.

The bilingual series - in English and Korean -- will be set in Los Angeles and South Korea, and follow the daily lives of international Korean drama fans, Viki said.

The show is being co-produced by China's Jetavana Entertainment, Korea's EnterMedia Contents and Third Culture Content of the U.S.

The 10-part series with a running time of 20 minutes per episode shows the adventures experienced by an American college student who is a big fan of Korean TV series after getting transported to her favorite show with a touch of magic.

New-to-the-scene Australian actress Liv Hewson will take the lead role of Claire Duncan. The show will also feature Sean Richard and Justin Chon, both Korean-American actors working in Hollywood.

Auditions are under way for Korean actors to appear in the drama. Choi Siwon, a member of the popular K-pop boy group Super Junior, and actress Han Ji-min will take cameo roles.

Viki said it chose Korea as the setting for its first original series because Korean series are hugely popular on the service, representing over 30 percent of the entire number of shows seen by subscribers.

sshim@yna.co.kr

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September 18, 2015

Viki to Co-produce First Original Series 'Dramaworld', Homage to Millions of International Fans of Asian Dramas

Source: Hancinema.net

Groundbreaking New Show Premieres Early 2016 In Partnership with China's Jetavana Entertainment, Korea's EnterMedia Contents, Third Culture Content

Viki, the global TV site powered by fans, today announced its first Viki Original series, "Dramaworld". A 10-episode comedy-drama set in Los Angeles and Korea, the groundbreaking new show is written in English and Korean specifically for the fast-growing global fan base of Asian dramas. The show-which stars an international cast, including Korean drama actor Sean Richard and Justin Chon of the "Twilight" series and cameos from K-pop and K-drama celebrities Choi Si-won, Han Ji-min -will begin filming late September in Seoul and will debut worldwide exclusively on Viki.com and later on partner sites in early 2016.

"'Dramaworld' is our love letter to drama fans everywhere", said Viki CEO Tammy H. Nam. "This sort of American/Korean web drama mash-up has never been done; we're pushing boundaries everywhere, including the international co-production and distribution team from China, Korea and the U.S. We're very excited to introduce this show to many millions of viewers and hope to break language and culture barriers in the most fun way possible".

The project is a co-production in partnership with China's Jetavana Entertainment, a cultural investment company founded by renowned film investor and producer Ivy Zhong and the team behind "The Karate Kid" and "Ender's Game;" EnterMedia Contents, the team behind U.S. remakes of "Good Doctor" and the 2014 global K-drama phenomena "My Love from the Star" starring Kim Soo-hyeon-I and Jeon Ji-hyeon; and Third Culture Content, an international production company focused on blending cultures in TV, film and new media. The show is co-written by award winning filmmakers Josh Billig and Chris Martin with Martin set to direct all 10 episodes. Planning for seasons two and three has already begun. 

Ivy Zhong, CEO of Jetavana Entertainment, expressed her excitement about investing in the project, "Although at this stage China is not the primary market for 'Dramaworld', we were taken by the uniqueness of the concept. It's a new interpretation of the K-pop culture that has been sweeping the globe. In addition, we are excited to hopefully engage with Korean youth pop culture, Western youth pop culture and Chinese youth pop culture, in the form of a Chinese sequel or remake after season 1. Last but not least, we truly believe in the creative team and production team behind this joint venture, as well as Viki, our financing partner, for the simple fact that they are the most experienced and fastest growing platform for spreading Asian content worldwide". 

"Dramaworld" follows Claire Duncan (played by Australian newcomer Liv Hewson), a cute if slightly nerdy 20-year-old college student who's obsessed with Korean dramas and remains glued to the screen at every opportunity, following her favorite leading man, Joon Park (played by Sean Richard of Korean dramas "Feast of the Gods" and "ATHENA"). Through a twist of fate and a touch of magic, Claire's world is turned upside down as she finds herself sucked into her favorite show through her smartphone, transporting her into Dramaworld. Claire will soon find out, with a little help from her new friend Seth Ko (played by Justin Chon of "The Twilight Saga" and "21 & Over"), that even she has a role to play in this world. Claire's father is played by Jimmy Shubert, a 2014 "Last Comic Standing" Top 10 finalist. Main casting by renowned American casting director Christine Sheaks. 

Nearly every episode will include cameos from well-known K-pop and K-drama stars, including Super Junior's Choi Si-won, who also stars in "The King of Dramas", and "She Was Pretty" and Han Ji-min, lead actress of "Padam Padam... The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats", "The Rooftop Prince", "Hyde, Jekyll and I" and movie "Plan Man".

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Source: BH Entertainment 

 

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May 16, 2016

An introduction to Dramaworld: Episodes 1-3

by javabeans | Dramabeans

More at DB - ep 4-6 recap plus video clips of the drama episodes

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Photo credit: 216jung

 

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July 21, 2016

U.S. spoof of Korean dramas provides comic relief

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- An American-Korean web drama capturing the cliches of Korean soap operas has been providing comic relief to viewers with its witty spoofs of what makes K-dramas popular here and in other parts of the world.

"Dramaworld," produced by the U.S.-based video streaming site Viki, bares it all -- from the handsome but arrogant male lead who refuses to inherit his family business and sets up a high-class restaurant, to the two women vying for his attention, in and outside the kitchen.

The 10-part series adds another layer to the story by telling it through the eyes of a 20-year-old American college girl whose obsession with K-dramas causes the stars to align, transporting her into the virtual reality of her favorite show, "Taste of Love."

It has been available in South Korea on the U.S. media streaming site, Netflix, since July 1.

This image shows a poster for "Dramaworld." (Yonhap)

"It's company policy not to reveal the number of times a video is played," a Netflix official said in response to an inquiry from Yonhap News Agency, but added, "We're feeling the positive response to the drama through various channels."

Inside "Taste of Love," Claire Duncan (Liv Hewson) plays a "facilitator" -- the supporting role in a drama whose job it is to throw banana peels on the floor or switch bags to ensure a "chance" meeting between the protagonists.

Claire's mission is to get the chef and his sous-chef to kiss because there "always" has to be that decisive kiss in a Korean rom-com, as she says herself. Should she fail, the virtual world will fall apart.

The cliches are all there -- from the snobbish mother who's unhappy with her son's choices, the evil but sexy woman who tries to seduce the hero, the scene where the chef (Sean Dulake) takes a hot shower to cool his anger to the one where he shows his anger by stopping his car in the middle of the road and telling his passenger in a low voice, "Get out. Get out now."

This image shows a scene from "Dramaworld." (Yonhap)

On top of that, there's the obvious product placement that's so rampant in Korean dramas and the added fun of cameo appearances by actress Han Ji-min and boy band Super Junior's Choi Si-won, among others.

"Although we can't reveal the exact figures, we're seeing an explosive response," a Viki official said. "We're getting so many requests for a Season 2, and actual discussions are currently under way."

   Viki viewers have translated the English subtitles for "Dramaworld" into 38 other languages, which is more than the 37 languages for the hit drama "Descendants of the Sun" early this year.

"For K-drama fans, it has all the elements of a Korean rom-com while their fellow K-drama fan Claire basically realizes their dreams by having her love come true. So they're really drawn into it," the Viki official said.

This image shows a scene from "Dramaworld." (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr

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Source: Netflix Korea

Lee Byung Hun, Lee Min Jung, Jin Goo and others at "Dramaworld" Netflix's VIP premiere party   

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Source: OhMyNews

 

 

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Source: bhent_official

 

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Source: SportsSeoul

With Lee Jung Jae, credit to Sean Dulake's Instagram

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August 11, 2016

‘Dramaworld’ parodies K-dramas
U.S.-Korea-China joint project pokes fun at dramatized universe of Korean TV shows

Australian actress Liv Hewson (center) stars as K-drama fan Claire Duncan in “Dramaworld.” (Netflix Korea)

The fictional realm of “Dramaworld” very consciously parades out every K-drama cliche: It weaves in trademark tropes such as the immaculate, not-lived-in homes, ferocious kimchi slaps, excessive product placement, overbearing mother-in-laws and, of course, the male lead who, though an heir to vast wealth forges his own path as a restaurateur.

The lead character is Park Joon, played by British-Korean actor Sean Dulake. There are two women fighting for this ideal man’s affections: gold-digging restaurant manager Ga-in (Kim Sa-hee) and humble sous-chef Seo-yeon (Bae Noo-ri), who falls in love with him. 

The story takes place in “Taste of Love,” the drama-within-a-drama in “Dramaworld.” 

College student and hardcore K-drama fan Claire Duncan, played by Australian actress Liv Hewson, becomes magically transported into this drama universe, which she navigates with Seth Ko. 

Played by Korean-American actor Justin Chon, Ko is the “facilitator” who nudges the plot onto the “right” path so that everything remains picture-perfect. 

According to Ko’s explanation of the rules of the drama world, the first kiss is the defining symbol of true love; the male lead must be a gentleman deeply considerate of women; a shower scene featuring the said male lead is essential; and the more obstacles there are to a couple’s relationship, the truer the love becomes. 

“In a Korean drama, that first kiss is everything,” Claire explains to her father, who cannot relate to his daughter’s obsession with Korean shows. It’s different from American dramas where a kiss means nothing, she elaborates.

K-drama fans respond

“Dramaworld” has nabbed the attention of K-drama fans around the world. 

On Viki, the U.S.-based global drama-streaming site that helmed the creation of “Dramaworld,” the show can be viewed with subtitles in 39 languages. Since the subtitles are created by viewers, the fact that the show has been translated into so many languages attests to its popularity, said a representative from Viki.

The massive hit K-drama series “Descendants of the Sun,” which began streaming internationally on the site in February, has subtitles in 37 languages.

On Internet forums, fans say cameos by Korean A-listers, including actress Han Ji-min and singer-turned-actor Choi Si-won also add to the show’s appeal. Some say they relate to how Claire is more enthralled by the world of K-drama than real life.

Fueled by positive responses, plans for the show’s second season are in discussion, the official said. 

Viki’s CEO Tammy Nam has referred to the project as “a love letter to drama fans everywhere” and an unprecedented mash-up that pushes the boundaries of international coproduction and distribution. 

“Dramaworld,” which features both English and Korean dialogue, began streaming internationally on Viki in April. The show was created by Viki in partnership with U.S.-Korean production company EnterMedia Content and China’s Jetavana Entertainment and Third Culture Content. 

In Korea, the show became available on July 1 through Netflix Korea, which bought the exclusive rights to stream the show here.

Each episode lasts between 11 and 18 minutes. All 10 episodes have been uploaded to Netflix Korea. 

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)

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August 31, 2016

(Yonhap Interview) For actor and producer Sean Richard, K-drama offers silver lining

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- American actor Sean Richard came to Korea in the mid-2000s, dreaming big and hoping to become a successful actor. But it didn't take long before he realized there were limitations for a non-Korean like himself to break into one of the most competitive industries.

"One day, I had this sudden realization that in order to take a lead role, I'd better create content by myself," Richard said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday. He is attending BroadCast WorldWide (BCWW), hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as a guest speaker. It kicked off today under the theme of "Content, Infinite Possibilities" and runs until Sept. 2 at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in southern Seoul.

Seeking out other opportunities to make it in his mother's homeland, he paired up with an American friend, Chris Martin, who was also biding his time in Korea to work in the film industry.

In April, they released an interesting web drama "Dramaworld" on the video streaming site Viki. As if to prove the borderless nature of an online drama, it's been produced by South Korea's EnterMedia Contents, the U.S.'s Third Culture Content, and China's Jetavana Entertainment. Since July 1, it has been available in South Korea on the U.S. media streaming site Netflix.

In this photo provided by the Korea Creative Content Agency, Sean Richard talks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Aug. 31, 2016. (Yonhap)

Much to his surprise, the 10 episode fantasy series about a 20-year-old American college student who falls in love with Korean drama has become the latest Internet sensation. While Viki and Netflix didn't disclose how much it was viewed, Richard said "the drama got translated into 30 different languages within 24 hours of its release, which is by far the biggest number in the shortest period of time." On Viki, users voluntarily provide subtitles for their respective languages.

In hindsight, that he didn't quite make it in the Korean entertainment industry turned out to be a blessing, he said, as it encouraged him to venture out and explore the production field.

"When I co-produced the drama, I learned a lot of new things. It was a great fun to create something."

Simultaneously, he continues testing his luck in the film industry. Since 2010, he appeared in four Korean movies in a supporting role. Most recently, he starred in "Operation Chromite," a film about the historic amphibious landing operation during the Korean War (1950-1953), which has been viewed by nearly 7 million people since its release on July 27.

Korean dramas are still a subculture in the U.S. but "I would like to say it is a big sub-culture," he said, adding that "Korean drama fans in America don't hide that they are watching. They are very proud (of being a fan) and think it is cool, hot, and unique."

Richard said that the drama being categorized under the fantasy genre on Netflix helped it attract more attention. "Some people said that they accidentally watched it out of curiosity and became hooked on Korean dramas."

Shortly before wrapping up the interview, he said by watching "Dramaworld," K-drama fans could feel like they realize their fantasy, and for those who aren't familiar with Korean drama, it will offer an interesting mixture of Korean and American cultures.

Actor and producer Sean Richard talks during a press briefing for "BroadCast WorldWide 2016" at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul on Aug. 31, 2016. (Yonhap)

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr

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Source: bhent_official

 

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September 1, 2016

Global appeal of K-dramas lies in ‘wholesome sexiness’
Media experts discuss growing popularity of Korean TV shows, how they’ll reach foreign audiences

The international appeal of Korean TV shows lies in their “wholesome sexiness,” according to Sean Richard Dulake, who plays the dreamy male lead Joon Park in the show-within-a-show universe of the online drama series “Dramaworld.” 

“I had always wondered why Korean content was connecting to outsiders,” said the actor-producer Wednesday in Seoul at Broadcast Worldwide 2016 (BCWW), a media convention hosted by the Culture Ministry and Korea Creative Content Agency. In 2013, Dulake directed “Finding Hallyuwood,” a documentary on the Korean Wave phenomenon.

“Dramaworld,” available for streaming on Viki and Netflix, parodies K-dramas’ cliches and fans who are obsessed with their pristine characters and sugar-coated plotlines. Some 80 percent of its viewers are Caucasian, black and Hispanic, according to Viki; only 20 percent come for Asian countries.

Most of these fans are “in their teens to mid-20s” who are “hopeless romantics,” according to Dulake.

“A lot of content they find in (their) local market is very gritty, with a lot of antihero stuff. Characters are having sex in the first episodes,” he said. “What K-drama offers to fans is this wholesome way to fall in love and it brings a different kind of joy to their lives.”

With an increasing international viewership for K-dramas, foreign studios are vying to take them abroad and even participate in their production. 

According to Craig Hunegs, president of business and strategy at Warner Bros. Television Group, the TV arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, the US production company is taking “big steps” to increase its presence in Korea and distribute K-dramas online. It produced Kim Jee-woon’s film “The Age of Shadows,” which was selected as a contender for the Academy Awards on Tuesday. 

Since acquiring the K-drama web streaming platform DramaFever in February, it has “dramatically increased” the site’s programming budget, Hunegs said, exclusively licensing titles such as “Jealousy Incarnate” and “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,” which are currently airing on Korean television networks. 

Warner Bros. will also be producing two original series within the next three years with Studio Dragon, a production subsidiary established by major Korean media contents company CJ E&M, Hunegs announced at BCWW 2016. CJ E&M confirmed the partnership Thursday. 

“We are in active and advanced discussions with other studios as well,” Hunegs added. “Working together we can bring the very best of South Korea to the global audience.”

Meanwhile, Korean television is seeing a surge in American drama remakes. “The Good Wife,” an adaptation of the eponymous US courtroom drama series, wrapped up last week on cable channel tvN; a rendition of “Entourage,” a comedy series depicting celebrity life, will air on tvN this November. 

Legal drama “Suits” is also being remade by Korea’s EnterMedia Pictures and set for broadcast early next year. Gene Klein, the producer of the original series, hoped that “something new” would be added in the show’s new version.

“There are plenty of examples of ‘I wouldn’t do it that way,’ and I think that’s great,” Klein said on the Korean script at BCWW 2016. “It has to work in its own way. ... A local version should be informed by the voice of the actors and the lives there. If the audience wants to see the original, they can.”

BCWW 2016 will run until Sept. 2 at the Coex Convention and Exhibition Center.\

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)

Source: bhent_official

 

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September 3, 2016

American Actor Carves Niche Out of Korean Soaps

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Sean Richard is the latest American performer who has carved out a niche for himself on Korean TV. The actor came here in the mid-2000s looking for work but took things into his own hands.

"In Korea, a role suitable for somebody like me comes around once every five years," he said. "So I decided to create roles myself."

Richard recently appeared in the hit Korean War epic "Operation Chromite" and earlier this year he released a web drama called "Dramaworld" on the video streaming site Viki. 

"Dramaworld" is a fantasy about an American girl who is a fan of Korean TV soaps and ends up living in her favorite series. 

It became the most widely-subtitled series over the shortest period on Viki. "I think it was easy for viewers to relate to the heroine, who is a foreigner who becomes immersed in the world of Korean soaps," Richard said. "Fans from 30 countries put up subtitles in their own language in just one day." 

Richard's father is a Brit and his mother Korean.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Richard saw his mother watch hit Korean soaps like "Winter Sonata" and "Stairway to Heaven" and became a fan himself. "Even 10 to 15 years ago, you rarely saw an Asian actor on American television," he said. "But watching Korean TV I started to think that I could become an actor too." 

Although his accent is not perfect, he is eloquent in Korean. 

He debuted in the usual way for the rare foreigners on Korean TV, as a foreign doctor in the 2010 soap "Jejungwon" about the roots of modern medicine in Korean history. 

But follow-up parts were scarce, which he now sees as a blessing in disguise because it forced him to produce his own shows.

Why did he create a drama based on Korean soaps? "Fans of the Korean Wave are no ordinary fans. They are super fans who passionately urge their friends to watch Korean soaps as well," Richard said. He added that the tremendous response has led to interest from Netflix and other companies. 

The 10-episode series drew attention by poking fun at the stereotypical plots and characters. "If I get to make more episodes, I want to continue to use Korean soaps as a backdrop and insert more formulaic twists, such as amnesia or sudden bouts of cancer," he said.

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A previous article

April 29, 2016

Sean Dulake on ‘Dramaworld’ for Viki and Memorable Moments from Filming

BY STEVE 'FROSTY' WEINTRAUB  Collider.com

Please click on link for video

Have you ever wished you could enter your favorite TV show and interact with the characters? Well, in Viki’s new international series Dramaworld, they’re aiming to sell you that kind of wish fulfillment. In the 10-episode American-Korean mashup series, written by Josh Billig and Chris Martin and directed by Martin, young college student Claire Duncan (Liv Hewson) is a rabid fan of Korean dramas, and soon finds herself in the middle of one after she’s magically transported into the world of the show she loves. Set in Los Angeles and Seoul and in both English and Korean through the use of well positioned subtitles (it’s a plot point), the show is a love letter to fans of Asian dramas which are incredibly popular around the world. Dramaworld also stars Sean Dulake (Athena: Goddess of War) as the leading man of her favorite drama “Taste of Love”, Justin Chon (The Twilight Saga) as Claire’s newfound friend who helps guide her, and Kim Sa Hee, Bae Noo Ri, and Jimmy Shubert.

Last year when the show was filming in Seoul I got to visit the set and talk to some of the cast and Chris Martin. While some of you might be wondering why we’d cover a web series, I jumped at the chance to do this because while a lot of you might not watch K dramas, they’re hugely popular around the world and I wanted to see how they were made up close.

During my interview with Dulake he discussed how the series came together, what it’s about, memorable moments from filming, the way they can work in organic cameos, and a lot more. Towards the end we even played “Save or Kill.” Check out what he had to say above and watch the recent episodes of Dramaworld on Viki.

Talks about the genesis of the project and how it took two years to make it happen.
How five years ago this project wouldn’t have happened.
Talks about who he plays and what the show is about. How the show is like Toon Town for Korean Drama (which is a great Roger Rabbit reference).
How they’re playing up the troupes of the genre.
Memorable moments from filming.
How many takes do they get to do?
Talks about the tone and what shows he’d compare it to (mentions Back to the Future and I mention Pleasantville).
The organic way of working in cameos.
How tough was it to keep the cameos secret?
Plays “Save or Kill.”
What would he recommend to people when they visit Seoul?

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September 8, 2016

Winners Of The 11th Seoul Drama Awards 2016 Announced

Source: Soompi by kokoberry

Seoul Drama Awards 2016 took place at KBS Hall on September 8. Several Korean and international stars were in attendance. Shin Hyun Joon, Girl’s Day’s Minah, and announcer Lee Ji Yeon were the MCs for the awards ceremony. Various actors and individuals were presenters as well. Furthermore, there were special performances by B.A.P, Rose Motel, Gummy, K.Will, EXID, and more.

You can check out red carpet photos here.

Find out who won below!

Best Director: Susanne Bier from “The Night Manager” (England)

Best Screenwriter: Eva Spreitzhofer from “Little Big Voice” (Austria)

Asian Male Star Prize: Anthony Wong from Hong Kong, Dennis Trillo from the Philippines, Jasper Liu (Liu Yi Hao) from Taiwan

Asian Female Star Prize: Rebecca Lim from Singapore, Fujii Mina from Japan, and Nha Phuong Tran from Vietnam.

Best Korean Drama: “The Flower in Prison”

Excellent Korean Drama: “Descendants of the Sun”

Outstanding Korean Drama OST: “You Are My Everything” by Gummy from “Descendants of the Sun”

TV Movie Silver Bird Prize: “Sabena Hijacking: My Version” from Israel
TV Movie Golden Bird Prize: “Don’t Leave Me” from France

Comedy: “Baskets” from the United States

Jury’s Special Prize: “Journey” from Australia and “Endless Love” from Turkey

Most Popular Foreign Drama of the Year: “Dramaworld” from the United States

Best Actor: Azat Seitmetov from Kazahkstan
Best Actress: Samia Sassi from France

Mini-Series Silver Bird Prize: “Mr. Robot” from the United States
Mini-Series Golden Bird Prize: “Deutschland 83” from Germany

Serial Drama Silver Bird Prize: “A Scholar Dream of Woman” from China
Serial Drama Golden Bird Prize: “Six Flying Dragons” from Korea (also called “The Roots of Throne”)

Outstanding Korean Actor: Song Joong Ki from “Descendants of the Sun”
Outstanding Korean Actress: Shin Min Ah from “Oh My Venus”

Grand Prize: “The Night Manager” from England 

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Photo: bhent_official KBS Hall

 

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September 8, 2016

Foreign studios seek increased presence in Korean productions

By Park Jin-hai The Korea Times

 

Guest speakers at Broadcast Worldwide 2016 (BCWW) gather during a press conference at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul, Aug. 31. From left are Sean Richard Dulake, actor and producer of web drama "Dramaworld," Gene Klein, executive producer of cable network USA's popular legal drama series "Suits"; and Michael Ellenberg, HBO's former drama chief who oversaw production of some globally popular dramas, including "Game of Thrones."/ Yonhap

Warner Bros Television Group, the TV arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment that produced Kim Jee-woon's film "The Age of Shadows," a Korean contender for next year's Academy Awards, says the U.S. production company is taking big steps to increase its presence in Korea and distribute K-dramas online.

Craig Hunegs, president of business and strategy at Warner Bros Television Group, said the company has "a long term commitment to Korean talent, producers, and storytelling excellence of the Korean film and television industry," in a keynote address at the Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) convention held at COEX in Seoul, last month.

At a time when K-dramas' international viewership is surging and foreign studios are vying to take them abroad and even participate in their production, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted the 16th BCWW from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. The convention aims to promote and export Korean TV content overseas.

For this year's convention under the theme of "Content, Infinite Possibilities," some 240 broadcasting companies from 40 countries participated in the three-day event to discuss media trends in one of the world's most rapidly growing cultural powerhouses. Renowned speakers included Hunegs; Michael Ellenberg, HBO's former drama chief who oversaw the production of globally popular dramas, including "Game of Thrones"; Gene Klein, executive producer of cable network USA' s popular legal drama series "Suits"; and Sean Richard Dulake, producer and actor of web-based drama "Dramaworld."

"Korean content carries much weight with the global market. This is the right time to plan, develop, and produce works jointly with Korea. We, together with DramaFever, will take aggressive action to make Korean content gain recognition as a mainstream culture," Hunegs said.

Warner Bros Television Group acquired the K-drama web streaming platform DramaFever in February. Since then it has dramatically increased the site's programming budget, exclusively licensing titles such as "Jealousy Incarnate" and "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo," which are currently airing on Korean TV networks.

According to Hunegs, the U.S. production company plans to produce four Korean-language titles in 2017.

Appeals for wholesome sexiness

Sean Richard Dulake, who plays the romantic male lead Joon Park in the online drama series "Dramaworld," which made headlines with its punchy parodies of K-dramas' cliches, said the global appeal of K-dramas lies in their wholesome sexiness.

"I had always wondered why Korean content was connecting to outsiders," said the actor-producer during the interview with The Korea Times on the opening day of the BCWW, a media convention hosted by the culture ministry.

Dulake said most of the K-drama fans are in their teens to mid-20s who are "hopeless romantics."

"A lot of content they find in (their) local market is very gritty, with a lot of antihero stuff. Characters are having sex in the first episodes," he said. "What K-drama offers to fans is this wholesome way to fall in love and it brings a different kind of joy to their lives," he said.

In 2013, Dulake directed "Finding Hallyuwood," a documentary about the Korean wave phenomenon. In April, he and his American friend Chris Martin, who was also working in the Korean film industry, paired up to make an interesting web drama "Dramaworld" on the video streaming site Viki.

As this is his first work as an independent producer, Dulake didn't expect the 10 episode fantasy series about a 20-year-old American college student who falls in love with Korean drama could become such a big sensation.

K-drama is still a sub-culture but it's a "big" sub-culture in the U.S, which might be regarded as the next hippest thing after Hong Kong films years ago, according to Dulake.

The drama got translated into 30 different languages within 24 hours of its release, which is by far the biggest number in the shortest period of time, according to him. On Viki, users voluntarily provide subtitles for their respective languages.

"Korean drama fans in America don't hide that they are watching K-drama. They are proud (of being a fan) and think it is cool, hot, and unique," said Dulake. "Some people said that they accidentally began watching it out of curiosity and became hooked on Korean dramas."

Specificities matter

Ellenberg said that the success of the drama's international appeal comes from specificities.

"The success was looking at the specifics in great detail, something like that is what it really takes to get into the story," said Ellenberg during the interview with The Korea Times. "The more the shows feel specific and unique, the more details are well-drawn and authentic. That's what helps a show become universal. It is really important to first understand who your target audiences are and really make something that those people will love and that hopefully others will love it too."

A fan of South Korean directors Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, he said watching the two directors' movies "The Host" and "The Handmaiden" knocked him out.

"Korean television and movie talent seem to take really big risks and do things differently," Ellenberg said. "Korean artists frequently take a traditional genre and do it very differently," and watching them do it is "always exciting and inspiring," he said.

Asked about the future of TV in the new media era what with all its digital devices, Ellenberg said TV still has future since it hasn't yet reached its peak.

"Television is almost too broad a term now to have much meaning ultimately... More and more, producers are less concerned with the platform," he said.

What Netflex, Amazon, Hulu, the biggest streaming sites in U.S. are really changing, however, is distribution, not the form, according to Ellengerg. "The form hasn't changed that much _ half-hour shows or hour-long shows. I don't think the short-form will replace what has been done with the long-form."

jinhai@ktimes.com