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It was a unique experience in every sense. When I arrived in Korea, I felt completely lost: a real cultural, linguistic and even culinary shock. I must confess that I never managed to have breakfast properly, and I often survived thanks to the kindness of colleagues. My dear colleague Jean Hur from MBC took me to a restaurant and helped me discover local food. Another evening, thanks to the patience of Tommaso Muffato from the BBC, I finally managed to eat a pork soup and visit Busan’s beautiful waterfront, which was full of excited fans waiting for the arrival of the world-famous K-pop band BTS.
But let’s move to the professional side.
My participation in the Busan Content Market was a fantastic experience. At the beginning, I did not know anyone. The first familiar and friendly faces were the wonderful Jean from MBC — the company behind The Masked Singer, one of the most successful entertainment formats in the world, sold in around 60 countries — and Jinhee Lee from CJ ENM, the powerhouse behind formats such as I Can See Your Voice and some of the most successful K-dramas currently travelling globally, like Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on Netlix.
Other leading korean companies I met at Busan were showcasing their best titles, like KBS Media (To My Beloved Thief), SBS Media Group, SLL that presented the screening of drama series Sacred Jewel during the event of BCM x Canneseries with the tradition pink carpet.
At BCM, I saw for the first time what the enormous business of micro dramas really means. There were many companies entirely dedicated to this phenomenon, which everyone around the world is talking about. Short dramas are already dominating the Asian market, and they will soon become a major topic in Europe as well, in Italy we had the first one, titled Tutto in una notte, but everybody is talking about it and how to make a profitable business model. I met companies like DramaBox based in Singapore and NetShort with offices all over Asia. While XiXi is espanding its C-dramas outside China.
What struck me most was the speed of innovation. While in Europe we are still discussing how artificial intelligence can be used as a tool to support our work, in Korea and China AI is already part of the production process for films, series, documentaries and short-form dramas. Many micro dramas are already being produced with the support of AI, ready for export. MBC C&I showed me the feature film Raphael while MooAM the company with AI presented several series both animation and dramas, like Genfluencer.
Between the robots moving through the exhibition halls, the advanced Korean and Chinese technologies, and the incredible efficiency of the market, I honestly felt that Europe is lagging behind. Dear old Europe, the world is moving fast — very fast.
As always, the French showed a strong strategic vision. The partnership between CANNESERIES, traditionally held in Cannes in April, and Busan was a smart way to build bridges between Europe and Asia, encouraging dialogue, exchange and collaboration.
The Chinese pavilion was also remarkable: a vibrant space featuring TV channels, production companies, micro drama specialists and advanced technology providers. This part of the market was more complex for me, as I often needed an interpreter, but it was also one of the most fascinating areas to explore. Here I met the China Movie Channel, leading platforms like iQIYI, Maiya Media and many production companies: Shanxi Kaipaila Film & Media. Also, top chinese universities attended the market: Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and Communication University of China.
In the end, I am deeply grateful to the organizers of Busan Content Market, in particular I am very grateful to the director of the market, Mr Mahn-Woo Kwon, for inviting me and allowing me to experience such a rich and inspiring atmosphere.
I came back with a lot of material, many impressions and several questions about the future of our industry. In the coming days, I will write more about what I discovered — especially about micro dramas, AI-driven production and the growing role of Asia in the global content business.
For now, I can only say this: Korea surprised me, challenged me and opened my eyes to a market that Europe should observe much more closely.
At BCM, I saw for the first time what the enormous business of micro dramas really means. There were many companies entirely dedicated to this phenomenon, which everyone around the world is talking about. Short dramas are already dominating the Asian market, and they will soon become a major topic in Europe as well, in Italy we had the first one, titled Tutto in una notte, but everybody is talking about it and how to make a profitable business model. I met companies like DramaBox based in Singapore and NetShort with offices all over Asia. While XiXi is espanding its C-dramas outside China.
What struck me most was the speed of innovation. While in Europe we are still discussing how artificial intelligence can be used as a tool to support our work, in Korea and China AI is already part of the production process for films, series, documentaries and short-form dramas. Many micro dramas are already being produced with the support of AI, ready for export. MBC C&I showed me the feature film Raphael while MooAM the company with AI presented several series both animation and dramas, like Genfluencer.
Between the robots moving through the exhibition halls, the advanced Korean and Chinese technologies, and the incredible efficiency of the market, I honestly felt that Europe is lagging behind. Dear old Europe, the world is moving fast — very fast.
As always, the French showed a strong strategic vision. The partnership between CANNESERIES, traditionally held in Cannes in April, and Busan was a smart way to build bridges between Europe and Asia, encouraging dialogue, exchange and collaboration.
The Chinese pavilion was also remarkable: a vibrant space featuring TV channels, production companies, micro drama specialists and advanced technology providers. This part of the market was more complex for me, as I often needed an interpreter, but it was also one of the most fascinating areas to explore. Here I met the China Movie Channel, leading platforms like iQIYI, Maiya Media and many production companies: Shanxi Kaipaila Film & Media. Also, top chinese universities attended the market: Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and Communication University of China.
In the end, I am deeply grateful to the organizers of Busan Content Market, in particular I am very grateful to the director of the market, Mr Mahn-Woo Kwon, for inviting me and allowing me to experience such a rich and inspiring atmosphere.
I came back with a lot of material, many impressions and several questions about the future of our industry. In the coming days, I will write more about what I discovered — especially about micro dramas, AI-driven production and the growing role of Asia in the global content business.
For now, I can only say this: Korea surprised me, challenged me and opened my eyes to a market that Europe should observe much more closely.
