Seoul International Drama Awards

looks for future of drama industry

Members of the organizing committee of the Seoul International Drama Awards 2018 speak at a press conference

at Korea Press Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Korean dramas “Mother” and “Fight for My Way” are among finalists competing for this year’s Seoul International Drama Awards.

The organizing committee of the annual awards announced 28 television dramas from around the world had made it to its list of finalists during a press conference at Korea Press Center in central Seoul on Tuesday.
 
This year’s competition is divided into four categories; comedy, TV movie, mini-series and serial drama.

“Korean dramas are not content only enjoyed by us. They are consumed beyond Asia, around the globe,” said Korean Broadcasters Association Secretary-General Yang Yoon-seok.

“The International Drama Awards ceremony is now an independent cultural brand that symbolizes its host. While there are various TV festivals around the world, we specialize in drama, setting us apart from the rest,” Yang said.

Veteran actor Yoo Dong-geun, SBS producer Lee Myung-woo, professor Noh Dong-ryul and culture critic Kim Kyo-sik were at the conference to announce the nominees, sharing their evaluation reviews.

They pointed out a need to re-evaluate the quality of local dramas, in light of the high quality of dramas around the world.

“Reviewing the works, I felt that the quality of productions has been elevated overall. We say that we are a strong nation in drama production. But I came to wonder where we are at,” Yoo said.

This year, a total of 268 entries from 56 countries were submitted, marking the largest number since the annual event was launched in 2006. The number of entries is double that of this year’s Cannes International Series Festival, according to the organizers.

“We were able to share desires, conflicts and issues unique to each country through the dramas,” Lee said. “It was a special experience for us to empathize with the dramas’ desires and concerns.”

Organized by the Seoul Drama Awards and the Korean Broadcasters Association, the event brings together experts and fans from around the world to recognize well-made productions and leading figures in the small screen drama scene.

To promote the awards, the organizing committee will screen international dramas at Yeouido Hangang Park in September. The screening schedule has yet to be set.

The 13th annual Seoul International Drama Awards will take place at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sept. 3.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)