Senate approves Korean soap opera funding

The Senate followed yesterday the House of Representatives’ lead in approving $800,000 for the CNMI’s sponsorship of a new Korean television drama series.

In a unanimous vote, the senators passed House Bill 14-358 appropriating the amount from the Managaha Island landing and user fee collections to the Marianas Visitors Authority for promotions and advertisements.

The bill was not originally on the Senate agenda, but it was inserted during the session.

The measure also appropriates $400,000 for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a temporary Saipan Cultural Performing Arts Center. Another $100,000 is allocated to the final development of the Carolinian and Related Language Assistance.

A group of House members, mostly belonging to the minority bloc, introduced the bill last Friday in response to MVA’s call for funding for the filming of a new Korean drama program in the Northern Marianas.

The Seoul-based production firm, Castle in the Sky Entertainment, had asked MVA for a sponsorship cost of $1 million. But the tourism agency is negotiating with the media company to lower the amount to $750,000, following pledges of in-kind support from MVA partners.

Asiana Airlines has agreed to provide round-trip air transportation, while the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands has offered hotel accommodations to the TV program’s cast and crew during production.

According to MVA, the project will provide the CNMI an opportunity to promote the destination not only in the Korean market, but also throughout Asia.

MVA reports that Korean TV drama programs are heavily exported to the Northern Marianas’ tourist markets in Asian countries. About 19 percent of the programs are syndicated in Japan, 24.5 percent in Taiwan, 18.6 percent in China, and 3.3 percent in Hong Kong.

There is also demand for Korean TV drama from other countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

While the CNMI is being given top priority in the project, Castle in the Sky has requested MVA to come up with a final decision regarding the sponsorship by early August, MVA said.

At least six other destinations have reportedly expressed interest in sponsoring the project in case the CNMI passes up the offer. These destinations are France, Canada, Australia, Kenya, Hong Kong, and Guam.