MVA board OKs new Korean drama

The Marianas Visitors Authority approved yesterday to shoulder $500,000 for the shooting of a Korean TV drama series in the CNMI.

The board’s approval is “in concept,” pending final contract negotiation with the producer, said MVA board member JM Guerrero.

The MVA approved last year a similar proposal, which turned out to be a failure “because the production house [Castle in the Sky] could not conform” to MVA’s specifications, said MVA marketing manager Wayne Pangelinan.

“There was a problem with the middleman. …The program fell to pieces. It went dead,” said Pangelinan.

Meantime, producer/CEO Shin Byung-Chul left the outfit to form his own company, Fly Entertainment, which is now dealing with the MVA for the new Korean drama series featuring the CNMI.

Pangelinan described Shin’s company as “financially solvent” and is very capable of carrying out the project.

MVA vice chair Marian Aldan-Pierce said MVA would get the $500,000 from Public Law 14-64, which appropriates a total of $800,000 to MVA.

The law was enacted specifically to finance the shooting of the Korean TV series last year. The funding has not been released to MVA, the agency said.

“We’re using that funding for this project,” said Pierce.

Kwang Joong Kim, Asiana Airlines general manager, who spoke in support of the project during yesterday’s special board meeting, said it is “a very precious opportunity for the CNMI” to promote the islands through the drama series.

He said that many Korean households watch drama series.

South Korea’s population totals 49 million.

Likewise, these TV soap operas are being exported to Japan, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and other countries in Asia.

The drama series will be aired on SBS, one of the largest TV networks in Korea.

He said SBS’ acceptance of the project is very important since it usually goes for beautiful places that are crowded and sophisticated such as Hong Kong and Paris.

He said that while Saipan is beautiful, it does not have so many people, crowded market, and luxurious hotels—which are favorite scenes in Korean soap operas.

In the end, though, the production outfit managed to convince SBS to air the drama.

“SBS is very popular for a good drama series,” said Kim.

MVA board chair Jerry Tan said he is quite interested in the project, especially when it is backed by an airline.

“Having Asiana Airlines, to me, is a very important consideration. We have here an airline that’s fully convinced that it’s a good [marketing] project,” said Tan.

Under the plan, Asiana Airlines would provide free tickets to the drama actors and crew, estimated to be 80 to 100.

In-kind contribution from the CNMI, including the free airfare would total $462,000 while the cash—MVA sponsorship—totals $500,000.

The shooting is set to take place for about 30 days beginning middle of May this year. The airing is set in July.

The soap opera consists of 20 episodes, and five of these will be filmed on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

During yesterday’s meeting, Kim said that the CNMI would be featured in each of the 20 episodes. Each program would be aired for approximately one hour.

The storyline is a Cinderella-type, romantic love story, said Pangelinan. The principal character is a tour guide working on Saipan, who gets assigned to Tinian and Rota.