(February 2022) - Korean entertainment journalists and podcasters Melissa Kim and Sara Layne to present on K-Dramas at this year’s 2022 South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference in Austin, Texas.

Aptly titled “Hot Market: Navigating the Future of Korean Dramas,” the upcoming panel presentation will take a deep dive into the highly addictive, entertaining world of Korean television dramas.

South Korean television dramas, or K-Dramas, have skyrocketed in international popularity in the past few years, perhaps most notably in Western markets post-pandemic.

The hot popularity of K-Dramas has never been more evident than with streaming juggernaut Netflix releasing the astronomically successful Squid Game, a deadly, high-stakes thriller. A critical and commercial success, the K-Drama now holds the coveted spot as the streaming platform’s most-watched program ever.

However, Squid Game is just one title from the treasure trove of viable content produced in South Korea. Other hits include All of Us Are Dead, Crash Landing On You, and comedies like What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? There is seemingly an endless rabbit hole of Korean TV genres, from romance and sci-fi to police procedurals, medical dramas, zombie thrillers, and variety shows. So, where should one begin?

Panel presentation “Hot Market: Navigating the Future of Korean Dramas” will cover various unique features of K-Dramas in the American market.

Topics will include the profitability of Korean dramas, navigating the numerous genres of Korean television, and the potential long-term viability of Korean content in the U.S.; all are key aspects to consider for curators of international content and for buyers potentially launching in the Korean market.

Presenters Melissa Kim and Sara Layne are journalists with expertise in the Korean content market. Together they co-host and co-produce Kdrama Reports, a podcast centered around Korean television and films with reviews, interviews, and discussions on culture.

Melissa Kim is a Korean American journalist, podcast producer, filmmaker, and media consultant. As a journalist, Kim has covered independent films and Asian American and Korean artists at events such as SXSW, Sundance, and the Hawai’i International Film Festivals. Her articles have been published in NBC News, Character Media, and Mochi Magazine. Kim’s experience in the media industry includes casting, publishing, project management, and international television distribution.

Sara Layne boasts a decade of covering Korean entertainment. Her journey started in 2011 as a writer for DramaFever, the first-ever streaming platform to offer Korean dramas to its subscribers in the U.S. Since then, she has written articles for publications such as The Kraze Magazine, Comic Book Resources, and Fanbyte. Layne also hosts a podcast on Korean hip-hop and R&B on Aewen Radio, an online radio station specializing in Korean music.

When asked why Korean entertainment is important to her, Sara shared, “Korean entertainment is important to me because quite simply, I enjoy it. Even though I’m not Korean, I can relate to the music and television shows. As it grows in popularity, I want to help guide those who are interested but don’t know much about it.”

The presentation will be held on Monday, March 14, 2022, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm CT at the Austin Convention Center - Room 13AB.

SXSW is an annual festival featuring film, interactive media, music, and tech industry conferences which takes place from March 11-20, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (SXSW continues to plan for a hybrid event while working with public health safety protocols.) For more information, go to www.sxsw.com.

Learn more at https://schedule.sxsw.com/2022/events/PP113547  

Check out their podcast, Kdrama Reports, available on Spotify.