Korean filmmakers are returning to shorter run times. This trend towards shorter run times is also apparent in blind screenings (test screenings where general audiences watch the film without prior information so as to gauge genuine reactions) and as a desperate measure to adapt to changing viewer habits influenced by short-form content on platforms like YouTube and other social media, according to the Korea Times.
Until the 2000s, most Korean films were under 100 minutes. With the transition from film to digital production in the late 2000s, films exceeding two hours became more common due to reduced costs and increased footage from using multiple cameras. The rise of Korean blockbusters also contributed to longer runtimes as filmmakers wanted to include more content. The recent decrease in runtimes was explained: “In our view, it’s a 1-hour and 78-minute movie,” said director Park Chan-wook in May 2022 when he met with Korean journalists at the Cannes Film Festival for his film “Decision to Leave.” “If we say it’s 2 hours and 18 minutes long, viewers might get the preconceived notion that it’s a boring film,” he said. 
Park’s concerns, from two years ago, have now become a common focus within the Korean film industry. Rather than exceeding the two-hour mark, there is a growing emphasis on keeping movie runtimes within 100 minutes. This is in response to the rise of various short-form content and the need to compete with over-the-top services (OTT). (This also falls in to line with studies that people, especially young adults’ attention spans have decreased with the increased use of smartphones.)
This year’s major Korean film releases: “Citizen of a Kind,” 114 minutes; “Troll Factory,” 109 minutes ; “Following,” 103 minutes; “Hijacking,” 100 minutes; “Handsome Guys,” 101 minutes, “Escape,” 94 minutes, and “Project Silence,” 96 minutes.
I wonder if TAROT’s TV series format of seven 30 minute episodes with the same theme is an experiment to see if this blueprint meets expectations of the new viewing habits.
