Cannes– UK’s ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) and South Korea’s CJ E&M have signed a landmark format collaboration agreement. ITVS GE’s MD, Maria Kyriacou, and Lee, Deok Jae, CEO of CJ E&M’s Media Division, signed the agreement at MIPCOM. The deal will see ITVS GE taking two of CJ E&M’s Korean formats to UK broadcasters, while CJ E&M will look at two of ITVS GE’s formats for its family of channels. The companies will also work together to develop the formats for interested broadcasters.

CJ E&M will be taking The Secret Life Of Students and Come Date With Me from ITVS GE’s format catalogue, whereas ITVS GE will be taking From Start Till Clear and The Genius Game from CJ E&M’s catalogue.

Maria Kyriacou says, “ITVS GE is one of the UK and Europe’s foremost format creators and distributors, while CJ E&M is a leading formats player in Korea. This agreement will give us the chance to extend our formats into each other’s markets, in order to achieve even greater global success for both companies.”

Lee, Deok Jae added, “Korea and the UK are two of the most creative territories for formats internationally, but this is the first time that producer-distributors from both countries have worked together in this way. It is an exciting opportunity for us to exchange fresh ideas and present them to new audiences in our respective regions.”