Ellen Y.D. Kim, director of the Asian Contents & Film Market, has outlined an expansion vision for the organization that would extend its reach beyond its traditional four-day event in Busan. The proposed ACFM 365 platform would operate continuously throughout the year, functioning as a permanent database and matchmaking service. The initiative would consolidate data from The A Report and integrate services currently provided by the Asian Project Market and the Busan Story Market into a unified system.
Kim identified public funding constraints as the primary barrier to realizing this expansion. She stated that national funding allocated to ACFM has remained flat for two consecutive years, despite significant growth in the market’s scope and influence. Kim characterized continued investment in film markets as essential infrastructure support rather than discretionary spending, comparing it to investments in other industries.
The current edition of ACFM, marking its 21st year, has demonstrated substantial growth metrics. Industry registration increased 14.4% compared to the previous year, with overall attendance rising 13.5%. The market currently features 339 exhibiting companies and institutions from 32 countries and territories, representing a 17% increase from the prior year. Notable expansions include growth in technology exhibitors from seven to 18 companies, and national agencies and film commissions increasing from 62 to 79 participating organizations.
Kim’s strategic priorities for the five-year period include regular publication of The A Report, establishing a permanent leaders’ forum, and transforming Cinema by Brand into a standalone financing mechanism. Additional objectives include partnerships between the Asian Cinema Fund and international financing entities, and expansion of country representation to potentially exceed 70 nations. Kim emphasized that the market’s structural foundation, comprised of the Sales Market, the Asian Project Market, and the Asian Cinema Fund, would remain unchanged.
Kim addressed broader challenges facing the Asian film industry, including shifts in production financing patterns, intellectual property control, and technological disruption. She noted that Korean producers increasingly plan international pre-sales and co-productions from development stages, while alternative funding sources from sectors outside entertainment have begun supporting film projects across the region.
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