Korea Media Rating Board, Film rating agency in Busan, South Korea.
The Korea Media Rating Board evaluates films, videos, and motion pictures distributed across South Korea and assigns age classifications to each. The assessment examines content elements including violence, language, sexual material, and other factors to determine appropriate viewer ages.
The organization began in 1966 as the Korean Art and Culture Ethics Committee focusing on ethical issues in media. In 1999, it was renamed the Korea Media Rating Board and shifted its primary focus to film classification.
The board's rating system shapes how South Koreans encounter films by categorizing content into ALL, 12, 15, and 19 classifications, each tied to specific themes, language, and depictions. These categories reflect what the society considers appropriate for different ages.
The classification system ranges from ALL for general audiences through 12 and 15 age groups to 19 for mature content. Anyone interested in the rating criteria can find detailed guidelines on the board's website explaining how each film receives its classification.
Beyond evaluating films, the board holds authority to recommend approval for foreign artists seeking to perform in South Korea. This dual responsibility makes it an unusually influential institution in the country's entertainment industry.
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