Actor Kim Nam-gil: "I Can Feel the Crisis Facing K-Content... We Must Protect the IP at the Root of Our Stories" [BCWW 2026]

[Financial News] As K-culture expands its presence in the global broadcasting and video market, actor and producer Kim Nam-gil emphasized that "it is important to protect good stories and our own unique IP" to ensure the continued growth of K-content.

Kim Nam-gil opened the 2026 Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW), which began in Seoul's Samseong-dong on the 14th, as a special speaker. During the special session "The World Beyond the Cut: Actor Kim Nam-gil," hosted by broadcaster Park Kyung-lim, he discussed the potential and challenges of K-content from his perspectives as both an actor and a producer.
Kim Nam-gil identified "the story" as the first factor he considers when choosing a project. He said, "Characters are important, but as many boundaries have broken down in the global market, the most important thing is whether it is a story that anyone can relate to and share, regardless of race or culture."
His approach to working on set has also changed following the global spread of K-content. Kim Nam-gil explained, "I now step onto the set with a sense of responsibility for conveying a culture. Culture is not limited to grand history; the way only Koreans live their daily lives is also culture. I keep thinking about how people in other countries will receive it and what questions and curiosity it may spark about Korea."
His decision to move beyond acting and participate in production also began with the "stories he wanted to tell." Kim Nam-gil founded the culture and arts NGO Gilstory ENT in 2020 and participated in producing the dramas Island and The Fiery Priest 2.
He said, "We are living in an era when actors also participate in planning and production, much like Hollywood's showrunner system. As I considered how to convey the stories I wanted to tell more effectively, I naturally became involved in production." He added, "Although we have no choice but to focus on projects and IP with a high likelihood of commercial success, the many other kinds of stories must also be protected." He further noted, "It is the responsibility and duty of popular culture and arts professionals to consider what we should be interested in and what stories we should tell amid social phenomena and the spirit of the times."

He also offered a candid assessment of the reality facing Korea's content industry. Kim Nam-gil said, "The crisis facing Korean content has become palpable amid the economic slowdown, and the passion on the ground is gradually shrinking. I feel two emotions at once: that this is both a crisis and an opportunity."
He identified investment funding and IP protection as the most urgent priorities. He emphasized, "The source of the Korean stories reaching the world through OTT platforms is IP, yet we are not properly protecting that IP. To move to the next stage, we must protect and preserve our IP."
Citing foreigners' interest in Korean convenience stores as an example, he pointed out, "What foreigners are curious about is not the convenience-store system itself, but what Korean people eat there and how they live. Such everyday life is also culture and can become material for stories." He continued, "I do not think there are separate experts when it comes to content IP. What we experience in life and what we want to share with and tell more people is the beginning of a story, and that becomes IP."
He also stressed the importance of respecting other countries' cultures. He said, "We must not look down on or carelessly portray other countries' cultures under the pretext of introducing our own stories. Consideration, understanding and the building of relationships begin with mutual respect for one another's cultures."
Finally, Kim Nam-gil advised young people aspiring to work in the content industry, "Start by asking what kind of story you want to tell. Even if the times and the world change, I hope you will begin with what you love most. I will continue to tell good stories."
Meanwhile, BCWW, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and COEX, will continue through the 16th. Marking its 26th edition this year, the event operates an exhibition market, conferences, showcases, an awards ceremony, workshops and a promotional zone for original domestic OTT content under the slogan "Illuminate Every Possibility." The number of participating companies stands at an all-time high of 403, up by 31, or 8.3%, from last year's 372.





[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter