AStory, CJ ENM, KBS and Bighouse among Korean studios to showcase at KOCCA event

Something Special’s Jin Woo Hwang presents Unforgettable Duet at the showcase

LA SCREENINGS: The Korean studios are out in force at the LA Screenings Independents this week, with seven of the country’s biggest and best showcasing titles and pursuing coproduction partnerships here in Los Angeles.

Companies including AStory (behind Netflix period drama Kingdom), MBC America (owner of The Masked Singer format) and television format specialist Something Special were among those pitching titles at The Hollywood Roosevelt on Thursday as part of an event organised by Korea Creative Content Agency.

Bighouse Entertainment, KBS Media (owner of The Good Doctor format), CJ ENM and SBS International also presented a slate of titles to buyers during the morning event.

Among the projects on display was MBC America’s hybrid medical/legal procedural Doctor Lawyer, which exec Rachel Kim described as “Suits meets The Resident,” and mystery horror gameshow Haunted Atlas, inspired by the drama Midnight Horror Story.

Haunted Atlas blends ghost hunting and reality competition into a format that is “highly adaptable globally,” according to MBC’s Kim.

AStory pitched professional wrestling scripted drama Riky to buyers. Set in 1960s Japan, the project follows a former master and disciple who become sworn enemies, all while concealing their Korean roots and captivating Japanese audiences. Seung Wook, global business exec for AStory, said the studio is seeking production and financing partners for the project, in addition to several other titles on its slate.

Something Special showcased Unforgettable Duet, an unscripted format following a dementia patient whose families gather mementoes and a favourite song to help them recall the past. Together, they ride on a ‘memory bus’ filled with personal mementos that reveal long-forgotten life moments before the show steps into the studio with an emotional duet performance by the patient and family member.

The format has already been sold into three territories, revealed Something Special’s Jin Woo Hwang, with an adaptation deal in Australia said to be at an advanced stage. The original version is produced by Something Special and Studio Rudolph for South Korean cable network MBN.