Korea Media Rating Board

The Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB; in Korean: 영상물등급위원회, Yeongsangmul Deunggeup Wiwonhoe) is a ratings organization in South Korea. It gives age ratings to various performances such as movies and phonogrames. It was founded in 1966 as "South Korea Art and Culture Ethics Committee" and under the present name since 1999.

Before 2006, the KMRB rated video games. Because the KMRB video game ratings ignore simulated casino-style gambling, the Game Rating Board (now the Game Rating and Administration Committee) was split from the Korea Media Rating Board to take control of video game ratings.

Films

Ratings

•  ALL  (전체관람가, All audiences). Equivalent to the MPA's G and/or PG.
•  12  (12세이상관람가, 12 years and over) – Suitable for ages 12 and above. Children below 12 years can attend in the performance only if accompanied by an adult. Equivalent to the MPA's PG-13. Examples: The Divergent Series: Allegiant, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Batman Begins
•  15  (15세이상관람가, 15 years and over) – Suitable for ages 15 and above. Children below 15 years can attend in the performance only if accompanied by an adult. Equivalent to the MPA's R, although many PG-13 rated films also receive it. Examples: The Hunger Games, The Dark Knight Rises, The Fate of the Furious
•  19  (청소년관람불가, Teenager and child restricted) – Audience restricted to those who are 19 years and above. Equivalent to the MPA's soft NC-17, although most films that receive this rating are only rated R in the US. Examples: John Wick: Chapter 2, Showgirls
•  Restricted screening  (제한상영가, Limited screening) – Video material that requires certain restrictions in viewing and distribution because of excessive expressions of sexuality, violence, and social behavior, which may seriously harm human universal dignity, social values, good customs, or national sentiment (in addition to being restricted to adults aged 19 and above). Equivalent to MPA's hard NC-17.
  • I Saw the Devil was a notorious example of a Korean film that has received a "Limited screening" rating, until it was subsequently rated "18". Examples of international films that have received this rating are Kill Bill: Volume 1 for gratuitous extreme violence and both parts of Nymphomaniac for real sexual activity. Both films have been re-rated "18".
  • Films that contain illegal content or offends the morality of adults are not permitted by South Korean censorship laws.

Descriptors

• Theme (주제) - The effect on the formation emotions, values of group of age as well as the ability to understand and accept the theme.
• Sex and Nudity (선정성) - Level of exposure of human body as well as caress, sexual intercourse and other sexual activities.
• Violence (폭력성) - Level of damage to human body and oppression through torture and blood battles, pain, indignity and sexual violence.
• Language (대사) - Level and frequency of vulgar language and slangs.
• Horror (공포) - Level of psychological shock resulting from tension, stimuli and threat.
• Drugs (약물) - Level of drugs use and promotion or glamorization of such activities.
• Imitative Behavior (모방위험) - Level of imitation, encouragement and stimulus to perform the expressed act of murder, drug, suicide, school violence and out casting and use of weapons.

TV

For TV, they use a different rating system. The TV system was first used in 2000. Originally, it had All, 7, 13, and 19. In 2007, the current system was used, and 13 was replaced by 12 and 15. This is the system used:

• All - All ages allowed. Television programs with this rating may contain some violence and/or some mild language. No adult content is allowed. Equivalent to TV-Y or TV-G
• 7 - Prohibited for under 7s. Children 7-8 can watch the program, but must be accompanied by an adult. Television programs with this rating can contain mild violence, mild language and few romance. Equivalent to TV-Y7(-FV) or soft TV-PG
• 12 - Prohibited for under 12s. Television programs with this rating may contain horror, some fantasy violence, some sexual content, little use of strong language, mild blood, and/or mild suggestive themes. Equivalent to hard TV-PG or soft TV-14
• 15 - Prohibited for under 15s. TV shows with this rating may contain use of alcohol, more sexual content, mild violence or little strong violence, major blood or gore, and/or suggestive themes. Equivalent to hard TV-14 or soft TV-MA
• 19 - Prohibited for under 19s. 19-rated programming is banned from airing during the hours of 7:00AM to 10:00PM (Can air from 9:00AM to 1:00PM for School Days). Programs that receive this rating will almost certainly have adult themes, sexual situations, strong language and disturbing scenes of violence. Equivalent to hard TV-MA
• Anything with no icon is exempt

List

• All rating list
  • Approx. 3,800 titles as of September 1, 2022

• 7 rating list
  • Approx. 2,500 titles as of September 1, 2022 (only showing on TV series and sometimes rated other movies)

• 12 rating list
  • Approx. 7,600 titles as of September 1, 2022

• 15 rating list
  • Approx. 22,900 titles as of September 1, 2022

• 18 rating list
  • Approx. 8,700 titles as of September 1, 2022 (only showing on movies and sometimes rated other TV series)

• 19 rating list
  • Approx. 200 titles as of September 1, 2022 (only showing on TV series and sometimes rated other movies)

Note

In IMDb, the rating are some other movies and TV are equivalent, which is exactly the same.

Trivia

• Formerly until 2024, the fact is only showing most lowest rated movies is 18, but the TV is more mature at 19 years older.