On Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 November, C21Media, the largest UK publisher for the TV industry organized a summit gathering executives working in production, distribution and broadcasting of television series. Interestingly, they used the term “drama” to name it, the way Korean TV professionals coin their TV series.

TV professionals were invited to attend numerous conferences shedding lights on various aspects from coproducing international series to the impact of digital platforms on the nature of the dramas produced. Although most executives were from the two leading industries, the U.S. and the UK, attendees were also from Scandinavia, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and even South Korea!

Actually, it was quite lucky that one representative from the Korean Broadcasters Association happened to be there, thanks to a partnership with C21 which had previously covered the Seoul Drama Awards (where French ghost series Kaboul Kitchen – Season 2 had been awarded best foreign drama).

Some other attendees had some connections with South Korea in one way or another. Indeed, a representative from Endemol Italy, which acquired the format of Ice Adonis from CJ E&M to adapt into an Italian TV series, was there too. So was supposed to be Disney ABC’s EVP of Casting, Keli Lee, born in South Korea (she was on the list of attendees at least, although there has not been any sight of her). She is the one who offered their breakthrough roles to the most recognizable Korean (American) faces of Hollywood today: Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy), Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Yunjin Kim (Lost).