Film Industry Staff Launch 24-Hour Sit-In Against Quota Cut

South Korean movie workers launched a 24-hour sit-in in downtown Seoul on [Monday], intensifying their protest against the government's free trade deal with the United States on domestic movies.

Seoul announced in January it would cut short the number of days on which domestic movies must be screened in local theaters. The Cabinet will likely confirm the policy when ministers meet Tuesday.

About 50 movie workers started a collective sit-in near the crowded intersection of Gwanghwamun. Their action followed a protest by farmers in front of the nearby foreign ministry building, where Seoul and Washington started preparatory FTA talks earlier in the day.

By this screen quota protest, we want to open the gates of public resistance against the whole South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, the Coalition of Cultural Diversity of Moving Images, a group of actors, directors, staffers and producers organized to defend the quota scheme, said in a statement released at a press conference in Gwanghwamun.

Such prize-winning directors as Im Kwon-taek and Park Chan-wook and star actors Jang Dong-gun and Ahn Sung-ki have been part of the protest against the quota reduction. Park took the issue to the Berlin International Film last month, where he held a picket that read No Screen Quota, No Old Boy during his attendance as a workshop lecturer.

The one-man protest by movie figures will continue in Gwanghwamun alongside a 24-hour sit-in nearby, said Choi Young-dae, the Coalition's executive director.

The reduction of the domestic movie quota was a key demand from the U.S. as a precondition to starting free talks with South Korea.

Local movies now seem to be in their prime and dominate more than three quarters of ticket sales. In last week's box office record filed by the Korean Film Council, a public body, the top three films were all home-made -- Forbidden Quest, Oh My God and King and the Clown -- trailed by two Hollywood products, Underworld: Evolution and Wedding Crashers.

Movie workers and some scholars voice concern that the popularity of local output is temporary and could falter once the quota is curtailed.

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Personally, I'm surprised the Korean film industry is so adamant to reenact the quota. However, I agree 100% with their actions. I think if it was not for the screen quota, the Korean film industry, would not be in its current situation. I recall, Pak Chan Wook held a sign that said, "No screen quota = No Old Boy." With the supposed Free Trade Act, Hollywood is able to release as many films it wants to Korea. Hollywood is aware of the growing Halyu trend and views it as a threat. My view is under the Free Trade Act, Hollywood will pump a lot of money into the advertising of their blockbusters that it will draw the general public away from domestic films. Though naysayers of the original quota say the domestic box office is strong enought to stand on its own, I beg to differ. Recently, the film, The King and the Clown became the HIGHEST grossing film in Korean history. Beating out Hollywood blockbusters such as King Kong. The dominance of Hollywood films will become a gradual process. I always like to use the example of Hong Kong as an example. Hong Kong used to be the third largest maker of films (#1 Hollywood, #2 Bollywood). Over the years, Hong Kong has gone from close to 300 films a year, to around 40. The budget for Asian movies is substantially lower than that of Hollywood. To compete. Hong Kong began making "safe bet" movies, romantic comedies that w/ famous movie stars that were guaranteed to make a certain revenue. However, they have been doing this for the last 15 years, and as a result, the Hong Kong industry is practically dead.

Though one can argue, people will see "good" movies. Under the free trade act, the industry may not have the option to choose new subgenres. Old Boy, with its controversial themes would never be made in Hong Kong b/c quite frankly its too unique. Who would invest in a movie with such a risk at the box office? My hope is that the Korean gov't will realize that getting rid of their screen quota will be the same as getting rid of their culture.

- Alex Liu