Netflix and Jeju go from tangerines to teamwork with deal to grow content industry

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Netflix and Jeju go from tangerines to teamwork with deal to grow content industry

Published: 16 May. 2025, 18:38

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kim Min-young, vice president of content for Asia at Netflix, right and Oh Young-hun, Jeju governor, left, pose for photos after a signing of a business agreement between Netflix and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on May 16. [NETFLIX]

"When Life Gives You Tangerines," sign a content deal. That's just what Netflix and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province did on Friday, inking a business agreement on domestic content production and revitalizing Jeju culture and tourism.

The agreement aims to evolve the K-content ecosystem, creating a production environment unique to Jeju Island that provides real benefits to domestic creators and production companies.

The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Min-young, vice president of content for Asia at Netflix, Oh Young-hun, Jeju governor, and other officials from each organization.

With the success of the Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” which is partially set in Jeju, the island has been thrust into the spotlight as a tourist attraction with various charms for domestic and international fans alike. Netflix is behind other works such as the variety show “Kian’s Bizarre B&B,” set in nearby Ulleung Island, and the upcoming dating show “Better Late Than Single,” set in Jeju.

The streaming giant and the resort island have come together to establish various institutional measures, including expanding incentives for Netflix-produced content filmed on-site on Jeju, simplifying administrative procedures for filming permits, reducing rental fees for local facilities and equipment and providing convenient lodging for overseas production personnel.

Through these measures, the island's government and Netflix plan to support creators to work in a more stable environment.

Tourists enjoy a barley field in Jeju Island, one of the settings for the Netflix series “When Live Gives You Tangerines,” which is partially set in Jeju, on May 4. [NEWS1]

The two parties also plan to actively utilize the platform's global marketing capabilities and channels to effectively promote Jeju Island’s cultural and tourism assets domestically and internationally, and to join forces to enhance the value of the local brand through content.

They plan to discuss various collaborations, such as promotions using official Netflix content such as trailers and posters, as well as partnerships with domestic and international events and exposure of Jeju-specific content.

A joint research initiative to examine the impact of this cooperation on the overall economy and culture more closely will also be conducted. The platform and the island plan to broadly examine the impact of Jeju-based content on regional awareness and tourism demand, as well as the process through which local production support leads to the growth of the overall regional economy.

A scene from the Netflix series “When Live Gives You Tangerines,” which is partially set in Jeju [NETFLIX]

“The value of this business agreement between Netflix and Jeju Island lies in the fact that it provides practical support for the long-term growth of the Korean content ecosystem, which has world-class competitiveness,” said Kim.

“Today is a meaningful day as Jeju Island becomes the first regional autonomous body to sign a business agreement with Netflix, opening the door to not only revitalizing content that we have worked hard to achieve within the Korean content industry but also developing culture and regional tourism,” said Oh.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]