By I just have a hard time feeling sorry for the Korean film industry who is complaining about piracy of their movies considering how easy it is to find pirated American films all over Korea:
The Korean film industry is seething after a copy of the blockbuster “Haeundae” was found being illegally distributed over the internet last weekend, especially since the film had galvanized the industry by becoming the fifth Korean film ever to draw over 10 million viewers. Public calls for strong legal action against piracy are gaining support, but it might be too late to stop the spread of the bootleg overseas as it is already circulating on Chinese websites. [Chosun Ilbo]
Before complaining about piracy in China maybe they should clean up the piracy in Korea first.
10:38 pm on September 3rd, 2009 1
Hahahhahahaha….oh, so funny. With Korean artists BLATENTLY ripping off American/English music (hi G-dragon and other), they have the nerve to complain against their movie being copied (like every western movie being sold on the street). Retards, the whole lot.
10:42 pm on September 3rd, 2009 2
The sad part is they won't get it… They won't be able to make the cognitive leap. It's not just that it is "circulating on Chinese websites"… it's all over the electronics market as well. The Korean Police know where all the illegal DVD shops are (hint – Yongsan Gate 20), but since it was mostly non-Korean DVDs, what difference did it make.
8:55 am on September 4th, 2009 3
the 2 commenters above me speak of the korean film industry, korean government, single korean artists, the police, illegal DVD shops and those who buys illegally copied films as "they" … mash it all together and blame them for… yeah, for what? for complaining about illegal film piracy affecting their sales and their stand in the world market?
and to the writer of this post, well they do have some interests in their markets and their shares too, and, compared to that, how much does the american film business care about films from abroad? the academy awards is a good demonstration of that, where they combine all the worlds movies in one section: best foreign film. also please note that more than half of hollywoods gross is being made abroad. are you saying they should secure the distribution of hollywood films first, before they complain about their own piracy problems?
korean films are strongly supported by the public and by the government (screen quota system), which made korea the country with the fourth highest film market share (domestic compared to foreign, which is mostly american) in the world, after the us, india and china. a ratio of which european countries can only dream of, who are flooded by hollywood films. for my sources check that report and the recent Screen Digest.
and hollywood films are not so popular because of their high quality, but because they historically have such a strong financial backing and economic ties (like with cinema chains, multiplexes… direct distributors). and all that is strongly regulated in korea. that all being a reason why there are mostly hollywood dvds available in those illegal shops… and it is out of question those are worldwide more easily available too.
8:59 am on September 4th, 2009 4
and why they especially point out the problem of the circulation of "Haeundae" on chinese websites is because a wide release in china was planned, and is now in danger of being cannibalized by that illegal copies. to put it simple, why go to cinema when I already downloaded it. to avoid that hollywood releases many of its films simultaneously worldwide. maybe korea could also think of that in the future, as korean film is becoming more global
11:07 am on September 4th, 2009 5
This isn't the first time a Korean movie has been available online while it was still in theatres…which is why I think someone has finally jumped on the bandwagon: use the pirating of crappy popcorn movies for promotional purposes.
Throw in the fact that it's being downloaded in China and you've got a double-whammy.
12:33 pm on September 4th, 2009 6
The vids at gate 20 are poor copies!
1:32 pm on September 4th, 2009 7
Well if the producers of Hyundae do make enough of a stink about their work being stolen it may awake awareness about sites in korea distrubuting pirated copies and selling pirated copies on the street.
Mostly it doesn't seem any laws about it are enforced because people here think: who is it hurting?
2:52 pm on September 4th, 2009 8
Don't bother to steal that movie. Its boring.
9:06 pm on April 23rd, 2010 9
? G dragon as in "heartbreaker"? Flo-Rider and G-Dragon did a collaboration on that, hear it on Youtube. I disagree with "BLATENTLY" too, cuz most are not ripoffs! I don't think you know much on Korean music, and rather take an anti-korean-music stance without thought.
I think MODERN American/English music is just boring, I like the old music, old rock; modern music seems like just for annoying 12 year olds. For the more modern stuff, I've mostly switched to KPop (and JPop), because they're just plain awesome