Eunhee Hong of Hong Pictures: “The Last Survivor Has Strong Potential for Global Expansion”

The Last Survivor, the flagship title presented by Korean company Hong Pictures at LA Screenings, has significant global expansion potential, according to Eunhee Hong, CEO and producer of the company.

“The issues of climate crisis and survival are not the story of a single country, but challenges that the entire world must face together. We hope to find excellent global partners through LA Screenings and move forward with co-productions and various forms of collaboration,” Hong told PRODU.

Hong Pictures has specialized in environmental documentaries that resonate emotionally with audiences. With The Last Survivor, the company wanted to “go one step further and develop content that encourages viewers to reflect and take action themselves. Rather than delivering a forced or overly strong message, we wanted to naturally inspire reflection on our current lifestyles and consumption habits,” the executive explained.

She noted that the project was selected by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) in 2023 and represents a new type of factual survival format that combines environmental issues, survival, and economic systems.

“The Last Survivor explores how human beings can survive in a world where ‘carbon’ is used as a survival currency. More than a conventional competition-based reality show, it is a format that invites viewers to reflect on the decisions and actions we must take in the era of climate crisis,” she described.

Hong explained that the project originated during the production of The Last Wildlife, a series produced by Hong Pictures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“While living alongside nomadic communities at the time, we wondered: unlike city dwellers surrounded by advanced civilization, how were they able to withstand the pandemic without masks while living in harmony with nature? That question ultimately led to another: ‘If Earth were to face a crisis, who would be the last survivors?’”

OPPORTUNITIES IN LATIN AMERICA

Although this was the company’s first participation in LA Screenings, Hong believes that collaboration with Latin America will create “many more opportunities to produce high-quality content for this enormous market.”

She said that The Echo of the Earth, the series currently in production, addresses global environmental issues, “the kind of content that needs to be shared with as many people as possible. That is why people from different cultures, languages, and religions must work together to create content that connects with everyone.”

Hong also shared that she had the opportunity to meet Indigenous communities in Colombia thanks to support from the country and various organizations.

“That experience allowed me to meet extraordinary people in places I could never have reached on my own, and to reflect on what we in the modern world are losing sight of. With that spirit, I hope that through relationships and collaborations with Latin American media companies, The Last Survivor can evolve into a series centered on South American Indigenous peoples who live in harmony with nature, creating content that transcends borders and resonates universally. I hope to find partners with whom we can think and work together,” she concluded.

SUCCESS OF KOREAN CONTENT

For Hong, the key to the international success of Korean content is its ability to “connect with the most universal human emotions while remaining deeply Korean.”

She added that the blending of genres to create emotional immersion is another important success factor.

“In addition, the high production quality relative to budgets provides excellent investment efficiency for global platforms, creating more opportunities for Korean creators. And the many challenges and failures along the way ultimately led to the success we see today,” she emphasized.

Hong also pointed out that Korea’s rapid industrialization, intense competition, and the coexistence of modernity and tradition amid an accelerated digital transformation have created an environment that encourages content creators to be more innovative and creative.