▲ The sun sets over the mountains near Byeongsan Seowon in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, in this Sept. 3, 2023, file photo. (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- New guidelines have been introduced when filming movies or dramas at nationally designated cultural heritage locations in order to prevent further damage to cultural heritage sites, state agency announced on Thursday.

 

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) issued a "Standard Filming Permit Guideline for Nationally Designated Cultural Heritage Sites" and distributed it to local governments.

 

The guidelines require safety personnel to be present on-site while shooting at national treasures, historic sites, and other important cultural properties. In addition, production teams must submit a pledge promising to take all necessary precautions to avoid harming the heritage site when applying for filming permits. 

 

The new guidelines were established in response to damage caused during the filming of a drama at Byeongsan Seowon, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Andong. 

 

Last December, controversy arose when it was revealed that nails had been driven into Mandaeru Pavilion, a designated national treasure, during the filming of the KBS drama "The First Night with the Male Lead." In response, the Korea Heritage Service explained that the guidelines were created to share important considerations regarding filming permits within cultural heritage sites and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

 

▲ This photo, provided by a readership, show KBS drama production staff attaching decorative lanterns to Byeongsan Seowon's hanging lamps. (Yonhap)

 

Under the new rules, any filming within nationally designated cultural heritage sites must comply with the guideline. Applications for filming permits must be submitted at least 15 days before the filming date to the relevant local government authorities, such as the mayor or district head. 

 

The filming plan must include detailed information on the filming location, purpose, schedule, specific filming activities, preventive measures to protect the cultural heritage, and a list of equipment being brought to the site.

 

For commercial productions, such as movies and dramas, or when the filming crew consists of more than 10 people, dedicated safety personnel must be assigned to oversee and prevent potential damage to the heritage site. The list of safety personnel must be submitted in advance. The Korea Heritage Service specified that these personnel should be experts in fields such as architecture, landscaping, history, or archaeology, or they may be cultural heritage interpreters affiliated with local governments.

 

The pledge required for obtaining a filming permit states that the production team takes full civil and criminal responsibility for any damage to cultural heritage, facilities, or accidents caused during filming. 

 

▲ Mandaeru Pavilion is located at Byeongsan Seowon in Andong. Byeongsan Seowon is a Confucian academy dedicated to Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong and his son Ryu Jin. (Yonhap)

 

The guideline also outlines specific prohibitions for filming locations. It explicitly bans driving nails into wooden structures, pillars, or stone foundations within cultural heritage sites. Additionally, flammable or explosive items such as cigarettes, lighters, and gas canisters are prohibited from being brought onto filming sites unless special permission is granted.

 

Although the guideline is not legally binding, it serves as a reference for local governments when issuing filming permits. 

 

A Korea Heritage Service official stated that while the guideline does not have legal force, it establishes a standard procedure for approving filming requests and will be used as a reference in pre-filming education and permit consultations.

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]