Entertainment executives and government officials from South Korea and Vietnam have committed to expanding bilateral cooperation in the cultural industries, driven by Vietnam's growing demand for Korean content and both nations' shared goals of strengthening their creative sectors. The commitment was made during the Korea-Vietnam Cultural Industry Cooperation Roundtable held in Seoul on Monday, which brought together key stakeholders from both countries.

South Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young emphasized that "now is the time to elevate bilateral cultural exchanges to the next level" during the roundtable discussions. Chae presented Korea's comprehensive strategy for cultural industry development, which includes expanding policy financing, implementing tax incentives, and investing in research and development for cultural technology. The plan also features an artificial intelligence-driven innovation strategy that covers content creation, production, and distribution across all entertainment sectors.

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung expressed his country's eagerness to learn from Korea's advanced cultural industry practices. He stated that Vietnam hopes both nations will share valuable experiences based on mutual trust and their cultural similarities. The minister emphasized Vietnam's commitment to building stronger partnerships that would benefit both countries' entertainment industries.

The roundtable featured presentations from leading content companies in both countries, showcasing successful business models and industry insights. Korean companies HYBE, Krafton, and Carriesoft presented their success stories in music, gaming, and animation respectively, demonstrating Korea's diverse entertainment portfolio. From Vietnam, BHD CEO Ngo Bich Hanh, VAC founder Dinh Ba Thanh, and YeaH1 CEO Le Phuong Thao shared perspectives on current industry trends and challenges facing the Vietnamese market.

Sohn Ki-won, CEO of Kim Jonghak Production, which has produced many popular Korean television shows, identified Vietnam's demographic profile as a key attraction for Korean content companies. "Vietnam is a young country with great growth potential," Sohn explained, noting that the average age is around 33 years old, with 40 percent of the population living in urban areas and a high concentration of content-consuming individuals in their twenties and thirties.

Sohn highlighted Vietnam's strong receptivity to Korean culture, spanning from K-pop music to Korean cuisine, as well as the Vietnamese government's commitment to developing digital infrastructure. "Coupled with Korea's own AI industry growth policies, we see the potential for sustainable cultural industry growth through cooperation," she said. Kim Jonghak Production is currently exploring various collaborative opportunities, including remake proposals using existing intellectual property and joint planning of original projects that would feature Vietnamese actors in Korean television shows and co-produce Vietnamese series.

While no specific release dates have been announced, Sohn indicated that romantic comedies and family dramas are genres that particularly resonate with Vietnamese audiences. However, she acknowledged that collaboration will face certain challenges, including cultural and production differences. "Despite our cultural affinity, there are differences in sentiment, storytelling, and social taboos," Sohn explained, adding that language barriers, time zone differences, and varying decision-making processes could potentially slow down projects.

BHD Vice President Ngo Bich Hanh discussed her company's extensive history of bringing Korean content to Vietnamese audiences. In 1997, BHD became the first company to license a Korean television show from KBS for broadcast on Vietnamese national television. Since that pioneering effort, the company has distributed numerous Korean films and produced local remakes of major Korean titles, including "Descendants of the Sun" and "Good Doctor."

This year represents a significant shift toward deeper collaborative partnerships for BHD. The company, working together with Film and TV Asia, has signed a memorandum of understanding to co-produce an original Vietnam-Korea film project. The production is scheduled to begin filming in Vietnam in March 2026, with the release targeted for the end of that same year, marking a new milestone in bilateral entertainment cooperation.

Ngo emphasized the importance of institutional support for these international partnerships to succeed. "We hope Korea's government organizations will provide more incentives for international co-productions and location filming," she stated. She noted that cinema industries are facing difficulties worldwide, making additional funding and location support crucial for maintaining strength and promoting both Vietnamese and Korean culture through collaborative projects. The roundtable concluded with both sides expressing optimism about the future of cultural industry cooperation between the two nations.