Culture ministry vows to support foreign creators after success of 'KPop Demon Hunters'

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

The mega-hit Netflix animation "KPop Demon Hunters" has reignited debate over the idea of K-content: Must it be made in Korea?

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young doesn’t think so. He said K-content "made with Korea" is just as valid and he is open to supporting creators outside Korea who produce works about or inspired by the country and its culture.

“After 'KPop Demon Hunters,' I heard more foreign producers reached out for collaborations with Korean producers. There’s nothing wrong with that — it’s good news for Korea,” Chae said during a press conference in Seoul Thursday.

“K-content made with Korea is OK. I think it’s wise to stay open to all possibilities ... And it will be nice if the ministry could support these co-producers.”

Produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix, "KPop Demon Hunters" was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and has become the platform’s most-watched title, drawing 266 million views worldwide. Encouraged by the success, Netflix reportedly plans to make a live-action adaptation.

Korea's culture ministry currently has no funds allocated to support foreign producers who create content about Korea, but that could change next year as the ministry seeks a budget worth 5 billion won ($3.5 million) for 2026, which the National Assembly will review later this fall.

Chae, who took the post last month, previously led NOL Universe, an online commerce platform specializing in tourism and cultural ticket sales. Though considered a surprise pick, his private-sector background in an IT, tourism and cultural platform was seen as a bold choice aligned with the Lee Jae Myung administration’s vision of expanding the K-culture industry into a 300-trillion-won market.

Reflecting on his first month in office, Chae said he was struck by Korea’s standing as a global cultural powerhouse.

“At the APEC high-level talks in cultural industry, many ministers wanted to talk with me,” he said. “They admired Korea’s cultural achievements, wanted to learn from our experience and hoped for exchanges of talent. Never in Korea’s history has it seen itself as it does now.”

The APEC 2025 High-Level Dialogue on Cultural and Creative Industries took place in late August in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the site of APEC annual summit slated for late October.

Despite the global success of Korean content, minister Chae warned that the dazzling exterior often hides deeper struggles on the ground.

“Since taking office, I’ve visited many sites and, to be honest, I’ve often been taken aback. Beneath the glittering surface, there’s a growing sense of despair in the industry. Many say, ‘This is the peak. There’s nowhere to go but down,’” he said.

One example, he noted, is the impact of Netflix. While the platform has played a major role in promoting Korean content globally, it has also weakened Korea’s domestic film ecosystem.

“I was shocked by what I'd heard from people in the industry. One way to help the local film industry would be to provide an alternative platform where they can screen their work,” he said. “That way, they’ll have more leverage in negotiations with Netflix instead of yielding to its demands.”