Seoul, Korea – CJ E&M announced on March 17 that it will cooperate with Chinese satellite broadcaster Dragon TV on the local production of television program content in China. This cooperation will include the local development of hit Korean variety programmes such as Grandpas over Flowers and a spin-off Sisters over Flowers for the Chinese market, joint research and development of TV contents, and mobilisation of the production resources of Korean dramas.
Grandpas over Flowers
CJ E&M produces and distributes content across the media, film, music, live entertainment, and game sectors. Its total variety network, tvN’s, biggest hit in 2013 was Grandpas over Flowers, a travel variety show starring four veteran actors in their 70s. Sisters over Flowers, a spin-off to Grandpas over Flowers, starring four actresses, also has been a huge hit in Korea achieving even higher ratings. Both “Flowers” shows are have been well-received across Asia, especially in Japan and Taiwan as well as Korea.
Dragon TV is a satellite broadcaster owned by Shanghai Media Group (SMG), with coverage reaching one billion viewers in China. Moreover, SMG has been actively cooperating with CJ E&M in the area of live entertainment by establishing United Asia Live Entertainment, along with China Arts and Entertainment Group, in 2010.
As the first Korean programme to be exported as a format, CJ E&M successfully led Chinese production of the audition show Super Diva in 2012, and also participated in the local production of the variety shows Superstar China and The Romantic. In film, the company recorded a huge hit last year with A Wedding Invitation, produced and distributed with Chinese partners. In 2014, CJ E&M is looking ahead to joint film projects such as The Fist, Pyeongando, and Love and Lingerie (working titles) in China. In live entertainment, through its joint venture United Asia Live Entertainment, CJ E&M is working to produce Chinese versions of Mamma Mia! and Cats, having already produced a Chinese remake of the Korean musical Finding Mr. Destiny and the original Chinese musical The Princess.
