Netflix Blares the Wind Band, Disney+ Shouts "Extra!"…OTT Promo War Heats Up at BIFF [BIFF Wrap-Up ②]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Busan, the city of cinema, buzzed with intense promotional battles among global OTT platforms. Netflix and Disney+ took various locations across Busan as their stage during the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), prominently featuring Shin Jak-gwa (CEO) works to capture audience attention.

During the festival period, the festive atmosphere was easily felt in Busan. Centered around the BIFF Hall, foot traffic from domestic and international film industry professionals and audiences continued to flow into the Haeundae area.

From the moment of arrival in Busan, OTT platform works stood out. Major locations, including Busan Station, Haeundae, Gwangalli, and the BIFF Hall, were densely packed with works from Netflix and Disney+.

In particular, the presence of the two platforms' anticipated titles, Netflix's "Possible Love" and Disney+'s "Remarried Empress," was prominent. Large-scale advertisements promoting the works were placed throughout the BIFF Hall and various parts of Haeundae, and large promotional materials for OTT works could easily be found at Busan Station as well.

Marking its 10th anniversary in Korea, Netflix set up a space to celebrate the milestone centered around a cafe in front of the BIFF Hall, while also ramping up promotion for new releases such as the upcoming series "Honey Job," "Blue Road," and the film "Possible Love."

Netflix did not stop at simply hanging large advertisements. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, Netflix held a parade, gathering characters from works that have represented the platform over the years, including "Squid Game," "D.P.," "K-Pop Demon Hunters," and "The East Palace." A unique spectacle unfolded as the characters formed a wind band and paraded through the streets of Busan, and an event offering "reverse gifts" to audiences further captivated those visiting the festival.

Disney+ also countered with a formidable volume offensive. A large advertisement for Season 2 of "Made in Korea" was placed at Busan Station, the gateway to the city, while the highly anticipated second-half title "Remarried Empress" launched an extensive promotional campaign across major areas of Busan.

"Remarried Empress" conducted outdoor parades at major landmarks representing Busan, including Haeundae, Gwangalli, and the BIFF Hall. In particular, it attracted attention with unique promotions leveraging the work's setting, such as distributing extra editions of newspapers to citizens featuring the headline "Empress Navie Requests Divorce and Simultaneous Remarriage Approval."

Additionally, large advertisements were hung in high-traffic areas, including the exterior wall of the Grand Hyatt Busan Hotel in Haeundae, the BIFF Plaza area, and Busan Station, asserting its presence throughout the city.

Ultimately, during this year's Busan International Film Festival, Busan became a massive promotional stage where not only films screening in theaters but also new global OTT works simultaneously reached audiences. The strategies of OTT platforms to actively utilize the space of traditional film festivals to promote their works and create direct touchpoints with audiences have become even clearer.

As the boundary between cinema and OTT rapidly dissolves, competition among platforms to secure audience attention at the festival is also intensifying. The promotional war by Netflix and Disney+ that covered every corner of Busan vividly illustrated the changing landscape of the content market.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original