The 2015 Korean Chinese Animation Co-production Forum was held on Oct 30th at the Sejong Hotel in Seoul, prepared by Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairman KIM Sae-hoon) and Film Bureau (Director ZHANG Hongsen) of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and TV of China.

 

This forum was held for the first time, designed to seek the ways for practical cooperation between Korean and Chinese film industries, including co-investment, co-production and co-fundraising, through analyzing the industry and current state of production. KIM expressed his expectation during the welcome speech that “It will be an important point of departure towards pioneering new global market as well as deep understanding of each other’s animation industry and policy.”

 

The theme of the first presentation was “the kind of policy to mobilize Korean-Chinese co-production (including investment and fundraising).” MAO Yu, Deputy Director of Film Bureau of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and TV of China, which practically led this forum, proudly illustrated the 1.1 billion CNY box office profit and 86.88 million admissions in Chinese animation industry last year. He acknowledged the potential of Korean animation and suggested that the animation industry in both countries should hold an event every year to share results of co-production and vision for new projects, supported by both governments and thus build a Korean Chinese animation production platform. 
 
PARK Jae-woo, a member of KOFIC, suggested that the vision should be aiming at entering the global market including North America, based on the planning skills and production pipelines of Korean animation industry and the capital and distribution power of Chinese animation industry. Moreover, he added that both parties should settle a standard contract to create a healthy co-production environment, regularly hold a variety of forums and workshops, and minimize regulations.

 

QIAN Jianping, Director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, and KIM Kang-duk, President of RG Animation Studios, reviewed the past and present of both countries’ animation industry and made a forecast on the future. QIAN explained the characteristics of the works by Shanghai Animation Film Studio and introduced major works including a 2D sketch animation Monkey King, a paper animation Calabash Brothers and art animation shorts.

 

KIM made a survey on Korean animation industry including TV animation which produces more than 60 works per year, followed by various kinds of feature animations for theater, based on low budget and aiming for broadcasting on IPTV. He also highlighted the requests on both governments made by MAO and PARK, and ended his presentation by expressing hope for Korean and Chinese animation to excel American and Japanese counterparts.

 

The last session was a free discussion moderated by KIM Young-jae, a professor of Cultural Contents at Hanyang University. Various opinions were expressed on Korean-Chinese animation co-production, by eight leading animation experts from both countries including CAI Xiaodong, President of Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture Co Ltd; KANG Moon-ju, President of Enpop Co. Ltd; and XU Ke, CEO of Shanghai Hippo Animation; KIM Il-ho, President of OCON Animation Studio; YU Zhou, co-president of Light Chaser Animation Studios; KIM Hyoung-soon, president of Locus corporation and Sidus Pictures Corporation; HU Mingyi, director of film and entertainment department of Hengdian group; CHO Kyoung-hoon, president of Studio Animal Co. Ltd. Due to limited time, questions were not taken from the floor, but the audience offered a round of applause when MAO emphasized the Asian value in animation co-production.