Asia’s largest broadcast visual content market will kick off its three-day run on Wednesday at COEX B Hall in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul.

More than 170 visual content providers including BBC Worldwide, NHK Enterprise, Asahi TV, CITVC and TV5 will be participating in Broadcast Worldwide, BCWW2013, organized by the Korea Creative Contents Agency. About 90 domestic content distributors and manufacturers such as terrestrial TV, cable TV, general programming TV stations and production companies will also participate in the event composed of exhibition and conferences.

The event will feature a “1:1 BizMatching Program” for foreign buyers and small exhibitors, a promotion seminar for content production, and screenings and showcases.

This year, the organizers will focus on animation, and original cartoons that were adapted for other visual content will be on display at the exhibition. The 10th anniversary of TV drama “Winter Sonata” will be celebrated at a separate section of the exhibition hall. The drama is credited with bringing about a Korean TV drama boom around the world. Period television dramas will also be highlighted.

The “Global Media Conference” and “Global Format Workshop” will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, with Geoff Mulgan, one of the pioneers of the “creative economy” ― the main buzzword of the current government ― giving a key note speech at the conference. Elin Thomas, deputy chief of BBC’s format licensing, will participate in the workshop.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)