The Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission said on Tuesday it held the 2026 Next-Generation Media Festival to discuss innovation in the broadcasting and media industry using AI technology and ways to expand into overseas markets.

The event, co-hosted by Bami Tongwi and the Korea Communications Agency (KCA), was held on Tuesday at Seoul Dragon City. Marking its 12th year, it drew about 400 participants including broadcasters, production companies, academia, research institutions and government officials.

The programme included an awards ceremony for broadcast content, a launch event for an integrated radio platform, a keynote speech, a future strategy conference and a broadcast content investment briefing session.

Studio Dragon's drama "100 Days of Lies" won the broadcast content grand prize. The top excellence award went to four works: Studio S' "Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia," MBC's "Rookie Director Kim Yeon-kyung 2," SBS' "My Stranger" and D'Live Gangnam Cable TV's "Gift of the City, Public Notice."

Thirteen people who contributed to the development of the broadcasting industry received commendations from the Bami Tongwi chairman. Kim Jin-man (김진만), head of MBC's production headquarters, received a merit plaque for strengthening the overseas competitiveness of broadcast content and contributing to the realisation of public interest.

The future strategy conference discussed the state of the domestic broadcasting and media market and strategies for overseas expansion of content. Key topics included distribution strategies for Chinese short-form content, changes in the production environment from adopting AI, and ways for domestic audio content to expand overseas. A talk concert also reviewed cases and limitations of AI use at broadcasting production sites.

Cooperation for international co-production also took place. "Korea-China-Japan Ramen War" and "Global Bingo Battle" each signed memorandums of understanding for co-production and investment cooperation with China's Maiya Media and Japan's Media Polpo, respectively. An investment briefing session was also held for 12 content proposals in the areas of AI use and international co-production.

At the venue, organisers introduced technologies to improve production efficiency, including short-form filming and editing using an AI robotic arm, a 3D AI virtual reporter, an AI virtual human and broadcast archive video search.

Kim Jong-cheol (김종철), chairman of Bami Tongwi, said, "As AI technology is rapidly changing the entire industry from planning to distribution of broadcast content, I hope this event will serve as an opportunity for K-media to make a further leap in the global market."