Seoul, Korea – CJ E&M has released a special video trailer for The Genius Game ahead of MIPTV 2014 in April. With buyers from overseas showing high interest in the format of the hit survival show, CJ E&M is currently involved in discussions with potential European production companies. The trailer can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQem4x_JGIg.
A major hit among viewers ages 20 to 30, and also recording the highest Average Time Spent (ATS) rate among pay-TV weekend primetime shows in Korea, The Genius Game has aired two seasons on CJ E&M’s general entertainment channel tvN, with plans for a third season underway. What has distinguished The Genius Game from other survival shows is the unique demand on contestants to utilise their “sociability” and “wit” in order to win.
The Genius Game
With 13 players from diverse backgrounds participating in matches over 12 episodes, each show includes a main match and death match with one player eliminated every week. The contestant with the lowest score in the main match is relegated to the death match, and must pick an opponent to compete against. However, the winner of the main match and his or her ally is exempt from selection. The winner of the death match takes the “garnet” (virtual currency of the game) of his or her opponent who is eliminated. In the end, only the final winner of the show can liquidate garnets into actual cash. Adding to the hit quality of the show, The Genius Games in past seasons has invited such diverse contestants as a magician, poker champion, billiard player, pro-gamer, hacker, mathematician, news anchor, politician, music producer, and K-Pop idol star.
“In preparing for MIPTV, we are very excited to be bringing the format of The Genius Game to the world’s leading content forum and market,” said Jin Woo Hwang, Senior Manager of CJ E&M’s Contents R&D Team. “The strong interest and anticipation for The Genius Game highlights how far CJ E&M has come as a global leader in formats development, as well as the unique attractiveness of formats being released these days out of Asia.”
