BBC Studios extends content partnerships with Japan, China and Korea

U-NEXT has acquired Dinosaur Apocalypse from BBC Studios

Buyers in Japan, China and South Korea have strengthened their ties with the UK’s BBC Studios with a host of new children’s and unscripted content deals.

In Japan, BBC Studios has signed a new kids’ programming agreement with streaming service U-NEXT, expanding the latter’s preschool content. The deal introduces 20 titles comprising 531 episodes, with 15 series screening in Japan for the first time.

Among the U-NEXT titles is Dinosaur Apocalypse, which examines what really happened when an asteroid hit Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

BBC Studios has also secured a coproduction agreement with Japanese public broadcaster NHK for Matriarch, a premium factual programme centred on pioneering primatologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall.

In South Korea, Planet Earth: The Power of Nature will get a theatrical release at CGV cinemas nationwide.

In China, BBC Studios and Beijing Sita Digital Technology inked a content licensing agreement that will deliver a library of UK programming to Chinese audiences.

Beijing Sita Digital Technology will acquire rights to over 2,600 hours of BBC Studios content, including more than 500 factual and documentary programmes and 130 drama series.