[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] With the film “Scandal” being remade 23 years after its original release, and “Director Kim” and “True Education”—both based on webtoons of the same name—becoming back-to-back hits, the production of works utilizing existing intellectual property (IP) is gaining momentum in the home entertainment market. Amid a slump in content investment, this is seen as a strategy to reduce the uncertainty of box office success by leveraging proven stories and established fan bases.

According to a comprehensive survey conducted by Edaily on the 9th of dramas (excluding weekend dramas and daily serials) released last year via TV and online video services (OTT), works based on original IP accounted for 33 out of 89 total dramas (37.1%). Compared to 2015—10 years ago—when only 12 out of 45 dramas (26.7%) were based on existing IP, this represents an increase of approximately 10.4 percentage points. The absolute number of IP-based productions has also roughly tripled over the past decade.

Analysts attribute this rise to rising production costs and a decrease in the number of productions. An official from a drama production company explained, “As production costs have risen and the number of productions has fallen, the fear of failure has grown,” adding, “Driven by the obsession that every production must break even, we find ourselves seeking out original IPs with established fan bases.”

Changes in the production environment are also having an impact. Since the introduction of the 52-hour workweek, securing scripts in advance and planning shoots have become more critical; as a result, original works with already completed narratives are considered more advantageous than purely original creations for minimizing variables in the production process.

A broadcasting industry official noted, “Decisions on whether to produce a drama are typically made after reviewing the first four episodes or so of the script, but with original works, it can be difficult to predict how the story will unfold.” The official added, “Works based on existing source material rely on a complete narrative, which reduces uncertainty and makes scriptwriting relatively smoother, thereby minimizing variables on set.”

However, there is significant concern that as reliance on IP intensifies, opportunities for original works and new creators may dwindle. Jeong Deok-hyun, a pop culture critic, said, “It is important to expand investment opportunities that connect creators with investors so that companies can invest in a diverse range of creators.”