‘SQUID GAME’ IS STILL FRESH
‘Squid Game’ remains the most searched South Korean drama worldwide, a new study has revealed. According to research by cybersecurity firm VPN Overview the Netflix show continues to attract 15 million web searches per month, despite being released over a year ago, in mid-September 2021. In second place is “All of Us Are Dead,” a zombie apocalypse drama based on a popular webtoon, with almost three million average monthly searches. Both shows have already been renewed for second seasons. Romantic drama, “Business Proposal” comes in third with 1.5 million average monthly searches. Other shows with search endurance include 2019’s “Crash Landing on You” and Love Alarm” and 2020’s “Itaewon Class.” (A surprising omission is “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.”) “It is interesting to see how even one year after its original release, ‘Squid Game’ is still so popular all over the world,” said a VPNOverview spokesman. “This year’s seven Emmy nominations and the two wins for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor’ and ‘Outstanding Directing’ both in a drama series awarded last month have brought the drama to everybody’s attention once again, reminding the public just how much of an impact it made worldwide and continuing the ‘Korean wave’ that has been raging in the last few years.”
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
Lebanese filmmaker and actor Nadine Labaki will be presented with the prestigious FIAPF Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asia Pacific Cinema at the 15th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) Ceremony on the Gold Coast, Australia on Nov. 11, 2022. The Award, now in its 16th presentation, celebrates a film practitioner from the region whose career and actions contribute strongly to the development of the Asia Pacific film industry. Labaki broke through with her 2007 feature Caramel which premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Her 2018 film Capharnaüm, a manifesto on damaged childhood, refugees and the cracks in a society that turns its back on humanity, played on competition in Cannes. It won the jury prize.
NEW ZEALAND REVIEW
New Zealand is subjecting its primary location incentive, the New Zealand Screen Production Grant, to periodical review and has asked the local industry to weigh in on its continuation or modification. The NZSPG offers a 20% incentive to international productions to film in New Zealand, and 40% for local productions. It also attracts international live action and post, visual and digital effects productions to New Zealand. The remit of the review does not include the role of The New Zealand Film Commission and any changes to the incentive will not happen before July next year. Research by consultancy Olsberg SPI suggest that gross screen sector revenue is estimated to be $2.05 billion (NZ$3.5 billion) per year.