Open Thread #797

Magazine writer Zeahaa Rehman recently wrote on the demise of North American rom-com genre. Hollywood is not investing in much except blockbuster superhero movies, studio pet projects or animation sequels. As culture writer Elamin Abdelmahmoud wrote earlier this year, Hollywood has “arrived at the nadir of original stories,” capitalizing on audience familiarity to ensure maximum profitability. Rom-coms were made and shown in theaters until 2000 but did not have large box office numbers. Before streaming services existed, those films made revenue through both the initial release of a movie as well as DVD sales. Having two streams of revenue, as Matt Damon explained during his recent appearance on Hot Ones, made it possible for studios to invest in riskier films—like rom-coms—because even if they underperformed at the box office, they could make up for it in DVD sales. Streaming services killed DVD sales and offered only low licensing fees in return, leading studios to stick with films guaranteed to make a profit when widely released in theaters.

Ironically, today the biggest force to push audiences toward K-dramas is the very force that led to the rom-com drought in Hollywood: Netflix. As K-pop’s visibility increased in American pop culture, so did Netflix’s K- drama offerings which were different, well-made and limited series runs that hit a good chord with viewers.

I know streaming services are content consumption monsters that need a steady stream of content to get and retain subscribers. International TV shows are easy to license or adapt for new markets. But the need to feed the beast may create a saturation point of poor dramas, second seasons, etc. which will lead to another change to find a new genre to exploit.

Open Thread #797
Source: Buzz Pinay Daily