Campaign Profile

Patrick Rivet, CEO of CANAL+ subsidiary THEMA, outlines how the content and channel distributor has led the charge in driving and exploiting demand for Asian programming in Europe and North America, and offers a glimpse of the company’s new titles for Cannes.

Can you outline your strategy for bringing Asian content to the world?

Over the years THEMA has acquired recognition for bringing non-Western content to Europe and America. We started with African content, then Turkish, then Korean. We use our office presence in key territories – such as the US, Canada, Mexico, Spain and France – to identify local viewing habits and select titles for our clients. Asian content has a wide array of themes, from horror to romance, and it is important to curate.

From a commercial point of view, we have a hybrid distribution model between content licensing and advertising, depending on the needs of our client. We also collaborate with local media outlets to enhance visibility: content needs to be known about.

What has your success exporting K-drama taught you about the global appetite for Asian content?

There is a growing demand in Europe and US for diverse cultural content that departs from Western-centric narratives – and Asia is at the new centre of this phenomenon.

The role of streaming platforms has been key, tearing down borders and producing hits like Crazy Rich Asians, but also the movie industry granting best movie awards to Asian movies like Parasite and Everything Everywhere All at Once. The professional approach to storytelling seen in this content, combined with skilled acting and direction, has been a significant factor in the global appeal.

Which territories have the highest demand for this content in Europe and the Americas?

The US is the largest market for K-dramas in the Americas. The popularity of K-pop has helped pave the way for Korean dramas, with series like Crash Landing on You becoming mainstream hits. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have also played a crucial role in this growth. There is a significant and growing audience in Canada too. Multiculturalism and the influence of immigrant populations from Asia have contributed to the rise in demand for Korean and other Asian content. THEMA will launch four CANAL+ Original titles from Vietnam and Myanmar on Roku in the US and Canada this November.

Which demographics are watching Asian content in these markets, and how is this changing?

There is a younger audience. This demographic is tech-savvy and more global in their tastes. They have embraced Asian content, particularly through social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, which expose them to K-pop, anime and K-dramas. Streaming platforms have made access easier, and their interest often extends beyond entertainment to other aspects of Asian culture, such as fashion, food and beauty.

Initially Asian dramas had a stronger appeal among female audiences, but there’s been a notable shift, especially with shows like Squid Game and Alice in Borderland, that have attracted a larger male audience. These shows feature action, suspense and dystopian themes, which appeal to a broader demographic.

What new titles from CANAL+ in Myanmar and Vietnam are you showcasing at Mipcom?

For this Mipcom we are showcasing two CANAL+ Original titles that were released earlier in 2024 and that were true sensations in their respective countries.

From Vietnam, the action drama Toward the Fire follows the epic adventures of a crew of courageous firefighters, and how they balance their life-threatening jobs with their personal lives and inner struggles, taking us on a journey with the human beings hidden below the inspiring heroes.

As for Myanmar, The Return is a mystery drama series about a small-town family that is shaken up by the suddenly returns of their father who had been missing for 15 years, bringing with him some haunting questions.

What potential does Thailand have to becomes the new South Korea in terms of exports?

Thailand has a well-established film and television industry, producing high-quality movies and TV dramas – known as ‘lakorns’ – for both domestic and regional audiences. Thai filmmakers and TV producers have developed a strong reputation for storytelling in genres like romance, horror and action, which have appeal beyond national borders.

Thai films, such as Ong-Bak, Shutter and Bad Genius, have achieved international recognition, demonstrating that Thai entertainment can compete on the global stage. Our partner Viu, in which CANAL+ is a shareholder, is the number one platform in South-East Asia and produced successful hits in Thailand with the thriller The Outing and the drama Get Rich.

What other Asian markets are you eyeing for potential content exports?

Beside Thailand, Viu has produced powerful and unique stories from Philippines and Indonesia, developing talent pools of directors in the Southeast region. We would like to export some of these titles within the next 12 months.

What is the ‘secret sauce’ that makes Asian content so popular around the world?

To define the mix of ingredients that makes its secret sauce, I would say first the high production quality that creates an experience appealing across cultural boundaries. Then, of course, since content is king, good stories with character development and emotional journeys that the audience can connect with. And lastly, a wide range of genres, from romantic comedies and historical epics to fantasy and horror, making it accessible to different tastes globally, away from the single martial arts theme it has been categorised for decades.

What are the new partnerships and development strategies for content distribution for THEMA in the coming year?

We have a wide portfolio of key content such as Korean and Turkish thanks to our strategic partnerships with SBS, CJ ENM, StudioGenie and Kanal D. This allows us to diversify the monetisation going through content licensing, SVoD and AVoD distribution. The new partnership we just signed with Viu will aim to create the same dynamic with Asian contents. High-end productions from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia will soon be added to the ones we distribute from CANAL+ Vietnam and Myanmar.