Bela Bajaria Chief Content Officer at Netflix | Official website
The inaugural Creative Asia Forum occurred during the 2024 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), drawing over 130 emerging filmmakers from across Asia. This event connected young talent with creative leaders in the region, featuring masterclass discussions and workshops with Netflix's content and production teams.
This forum was the first collaboration between Netflix and BIFF. Chief Programmer Nam Dong-chul expressed hope that the event would uncover new voices and stories, stating, "I truly hope that forums like this will continue to prosper, so that it will serve as a great opportunity for us to discover new talent and new voices and new storytellers."
Minyoung Kim, Vice President of Content for APAC at Netflix (excluding India), delivered a keynote address highlighting the potential of Asia Pacific as a content hub. Kim stated, "At Netflix, we focus on finding local authenticity that has the potential to travel globally."
Korean and Japanese language titles rank among the top three most viewed non-English content on Netflix worldwide. Kim noted, "When you try to make a show for everyone, you end up making a show for no one."
Acclaimed Japanese director Hiroshi Kurosaki discussed his series Beyond Goodbye. He said about his experience working with Netflix: "Netflix allowed [investment in resources], and so for me, and all the team staff, we were very appreciative of Netflix."
The creators behind Born For The Spotlight spoke about storytelling transcending language barriers. Producer Olive Ting remarked on international reception: “People from United States or viewers from Korea have given us positive feedback.”
Yi-Wen Yen highlighted evolving roles for women in Asian storytelling due to platforms like Netflix: “In recent years...we are seeing some changes in the local industries...I’m very happy to see these changes in Taiwan.”
Indonesian directors Kamila Andini and Ifa Isfansyah shared insights on their award-winning show Cigarette Girl. Andini emphasized female strength: “This is a time to acknowledge many things that have been untold and forgotten.”
A workshop led by Sung Q Lee and Jungsu Ha aimed to inspire young filmmakers through creativity, collaboration, and accessible technology.
Netflix’s content leaders participated in an open Q&A session addressing various topics related to authentic storytelling.
The Creative Asia Forum aligns with Netflix’s commitment to nurturing creative talent through initiatives such as the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity (NFCE). By late 2023, over $41 million had been committed globally towards NFCE initiatives.
Held on October 6th in Busan, this invite-only event was attended by aspiring Asian filmmakers along with students and alumni.