Being the first ever Korean drama collection with to be invited to the Cannes International Series Festival (Canneseries) is a once-in-a-lifetime expertise for the primary forged of the Tving and Paramount+ unique “Bargain.”
“Bargain,” a couple of human organ trafficking ring and its targets who’ve to escape a sudden earthquake, is additionally the solely Korean title to be invited to Canneseries this yr.
It is additionally the first unique collection made out of a home streaming service to have been incomes prestigious recognition, shedding a ray of hope to native over-the-top (OTT) companies struggling to compete with the streaming behemoth Netflix.
Canneseries is a pageant held in Cannes, France each April earlier than the Cannes International Film Festival in May. Cannes is one among the three most prestigious worldwide movie festivals together with the Berlinale and the Venice Film Festival, and the Canneseries was established in 2018 to rejoice collection together with movies.
“It is very unreal being right here in Cannes with our drama ‘Bargain,’” mentioned Jin Seon-kyu, who performs one among the primary characters in the collection, throughout a web-based group interview with Korean press Sunday. The forged and director of “Bargain” are at the moment in France for the pageant occasions.
“I feel that it is very significant that we have now been invited right here as a part of the first Korean drama collection invited to Canneseries. We are nominated in 5 classes proper now, and I hope we do find yourself profitable one thing to give you the chance to rejoice this feat.”
“Bargain” is up for awards in the Best Series, Best Music, Best Screenplay, Best Performance and Special Interpretation Award classes and can be competing in opposition to 10 different collection.
“Foreign followers have been arising to us and asking for autographs right here at Cannes once we obtained to the airport,” mentioned Chang Ryul, who stars together with Jin and Jeon Jong-seo as the primary characters. “I feel we felt the energy of Korean content material and the way far alongside we have now are available in moments like that.”
Originally a 14-minute quick movie by director Lee Chung-hyun made again in 2015, “Bargain” was picked up by native manufacturing studio Yong Film and expanded right into a full-length drama collection after the 2015 quick movie acquired important acclaim domestically. Lee additionally directed the collection.
The collection grabbed the Canneseries invitation via using a extremely dangerous and experimental approach of filming, in accordance to Jin, Jeon and Chang. The collection adopted a one-take methodology, the place there are virtually no divisions or cuts between pictures and the digital camera repeatedly follows the actors via varied backgrounds and sequences, which leaves virtually no room for errors.
“This experimental approach that we shot our collection is one among the primary explanation why ‘Bargain’ acquired recognition from Cannes, for my part,” mentioned Chang. “Carrying out a three-and-a-half-hour story with this methodology is very uncommon and difficult. Not solely us actors however the total crew and workers labored tirelessly for this undertaking, and this was acknowledged via this Canneseries invitation.”
Although “Bargain” itself deserved the invitation and important acclaim, it was the numerous Korean movies and dramas that got here earlier than the collection that made it potential for “Bargain” to garner a lot consideration from international followers, in accordance to Jeon.
“I feel international audiences have been at all times enthusiastic about Korean content material and masterful works earlier than us have paved the highway for current movies and collection to be acknowledged,” mentioned Jeon. “But with the onset of streaming companies and international content material becoming extra accessible, a complete new wave of curiosity in Korean content material has come earlier than us. I really feel grateful to be at the middle of that wave of curiosity with ‘Bargain.’”
With the invitation and nominations, the primary forged feels a way of accountability, mentioned Chang.
“It can be nice if we may win awards, however what is extra necessary is having the ability to ship to and attain audiences,” mentioned Chang. “I hope ‘Bargain’ succeeds in doing so and that viewers could be entertained via our collection.”
The awards for Canneseries can be introduced on April 19.
“Bargain” could be streamed on home streaming service Tving and on Paramount+ internationally.
Tving reported that the collection introduced an inflow of paid customers to the native streaming service after its launch and elevated the variety of visits from current customers for 2 consecutive weeks.
BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]