Dexter Studios (206560, hereinafter Dexter), a comprehensive content specialist company, is expanding its technological participation across the entire content industry through DI (Digital Intermediate), a process considered essential for determining the quality of video content.
Dexter recently entered the short-form content market by participating in the digital color grading for the original short drama ‘My Baby’s Dad is My Best Friend’ on LEZHIN Entertainment’s short drama platform ‘LEZHIN Snack’.
‘My Baby’s Dad is My Best Friend’ is a romantic comedy short drama about male and female best friends who share parenting responsibilities despite never dating or marrying. It is written and directed by Lee Byung-hun, known for films like ‘Extreme Job’ and ‘Twenty’, and the drama ‘Melo is My Nature’. It is LEZHIN Snack’s flagship production, aiming to be a ‘well-made short drama’ that breaks away from the preconceptions of existing short dramas being light and sensational, offering a sophisticated narrative and immersive experience.
This project marks the first instance of Dexter DI Headquarters participating in the post-production of a short drama. They focused on achieving a distinct visual intensity that differentiates it from conventional short dramas, ensuring the characters’ emotional arcs and the work’s narrative are clearly conveyed even within the short runtime.
Commonly referred to as digital color grading, DI is a core post-production process that completes a video’s emotional tone and atmosphere. It is an indispensable step not only for films and dramas but also for variety shows and the rapidly growing short drama content. DI work is also applied to animated productions, not just live-action. Dexter has handled color grading for Netflix animations such as ‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’, ‘Devil May Cry’, and ‘Lost in Starlight’.
Aligning with the expansion of OTT platforms into variety shows and the steep growth of the short drama market, Dexter’s DI division is diversifying its portfolio into the ‘trendy content’ sector. This requires fast turnaround times suited to short production schedules and specialized emotional direction tailored to each material. Beyond its existing business areas of domestic and international feature films and global OTT content, it is expanding into variety shows, short-form content, and independent films. Projects including LEZHIN Snack’s ‘My Baby’s Dad is My Best Friend’, Netflix’s variety show ‘Super Rich in Korea’, Coupang Play’s variety show ‘Next Legend’, and independent films ‘Sumbisori’ and ‘LArirang’ have all undergone Dexter’s work.
Shin Jeong-eun, Colorist at Dexter DI Headquarters, stated, “Digital color grading determines the final visual quality of a project, regardless of genre or platform.” She added, “The more pioneering and uncharted the territory, the more crucial it is to have skilled colorists with diverse experience and know-how involved.”
Lee Kyung-jong, Colorist at Dexter DI Headquarters, noted, “Particularly for short dramas, renowned directors from Chungmuro and major production companies are joining forces to enhance content quality. We anticipate a corresponding increase in demand for sophisticated DI services that meet these elevated standards.”
Meanwhile, launched in 2015, Dexter’s DI Division leverages Korea’s top-tier colorists and infrastructure to build and expand its unparalleled portfolio. This includes feature films like ‘Parasite,’ ‘Decision to Leave,‘ ‘12.12: THE DAY,’ and ‘Exhuma’, Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ series, ‘When life gives you tangerines’, Disney+‘s ‘Moving’, ‘The Light Shop’, and other OTT content.
▲ Lezhin Entertainment, Coupang Play, Noori Pictures
