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Netflix Announces Series ‘Ooku: The Inner Chambers’ at Anime Japan Event - variety.com - Japan - Tokyo - city Baku
variety.com
25.03.2023 / 07:07

Netflix Announces Series ‘Ooku: The Inner Chambers’ at Anime Japan Event

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Netflix has announced new series “Ooku: The Inner Chambers,” the first anime adaptation of a hit Japanese manga by Yoshinaga Fumi. At the ongoing Anime Japan convention in Tokyo, the streamer also unveiled “Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune,” another anime series, adapted from a military sci-fi novel by Carlo Zen and set to upload in May. Directed by Abe Noriyuki and produced by Studio Deen, “Ooku” is inspired by tales emerging from the Ooku women’s quarters within Edo Castle and imagines that gender roles are reversed. After a plague threatens the male population women take up positions of authority. The new (female) Shogun Yoshimune enquires into why the women adopt male names when taking power and starts to unravel other mysteries within the inner sanctum. The original manga was published by Hakusensha / Melody.

Hybe to Sell SM Entertainment Stake After Losing to Kakao in K-Pop Bid Battle - variety.com - North Korea - Beyond
variety.com
24.03.2023 / 11:41

Hybe to Sell SM Entertainment Stake After Losing to Kakao in K-Pop Bid Battle

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hybe Corp., the talent powerhouse behind K-pop sensation BTS, said on Friday that it will sell its share stake in agency rival SM Entertainment. The move would finalize Hybe’s admission of defeat in a dramatic takeover battle in which it was out-gunned by Korean tech leader Kakao Corp. Hybe initially bought a 14.8% stake in SM in February from SM’s founder and K-pop pioneer Lee Soo-man. Hybe expected to be able to buy the remaining 3% tranche held by Lee according to agreed conditions and then launched an open offer to other shareholders to buy a further 15%. But SM’s management opposed Hybe’s quasi-takeover and harnessed Kakao and its subsidiary Kakao Entertainment with a range of measures. These included a content distribution deal and the sale of newly issued shares and bonds to the Kakao pair.

Viz Media Poised to Score With Soccer Anime Series ‘Captain Tsubasa’ (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Paris - USA - Japan
variety.com
23.03.2023 / 04:23

Viz Media Poised to Score With Soccer Anime Series ‘Captain Tsubasa’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Viz Media has picked up a wide collection of rights in North America and Latin America to animated Japanese sports series “Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc.” The series is adapted from a popular manga by Yoichi Takahashi and is licensed by Shueisha Inc. The deal includes digital streaming, TV, electronic sell-thru, home video and merchandise rights for North and Latin American territories. The new series is currently being produced by Studio KAI, with the official main staff including: director Ono Katsumi; character design and executive animation director, Watanabe Hajime; and series composition, Tomioka Atsuhiro. The voice cast includes Sanpei Yuko as Tsubasa Ozora, Gukuyama Jun as Karl Heinz Schneider and Suzumura Kenichi as Wakabayashi Genzo and Hyuga Kojiro as Sato Takuya. It is set to launch October 2023.

Kodansha Launching K Manga Japanese Comics Platform in U.S. - variety.com - Japan
variety.com
21.03.2023 / 17:13

Kodansha Launching K Manga Japanese Comics Platform in U.S.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading Japanese publisher, Kodansha is to launch an online comic book distribution service from May. Titled K Manga, the operation will go live in May and be exclusive to readers in the U.S. The company is publisher of many of the best-known manga titles in history including “Attack on Titan” and “Ghost in the Shell.” These and some 400 others will be available at the launch of the serialization platform.

‘Burning’ Star Yoo Ah-in to Face Criminal Probe After Drug Tests - variety.com - South Korea - city Seoul
variety.com
21.03.2023 / 15:03

‘Burning’ Star Yoo Ah-in to Face Criminal Probe After Drug Tests

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, star of “Burning,” “The Throne” and Netflix series “Hellbound,” must report to the police on Friday in connection with the alleged use of a variety of drugs. Allegations of Yoo’s drug use emerged a month ago and he has previously spoken with authorities. The Yonhap news agency now specifies that he will be considered as a criminal suspect when he presents himself to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Friday. It is unclear whether Yoo will be formally arrested at that time. Yoo became a person of interest in early February after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety revealed that he had bought suspicious quantities of the sedative Propofol in a series of purchases starting in 2021. Propofol is a strong sedative that can also be used as an anesthetic. The authorities have looked into several doctors’ offices and clinics in Seoul that may have administered the drug.

Indonesian Horror Title ‘Motel Melati’ Sets Regional Distribution – Global Bulletin - variety.com - Britain - Indonesia - Malaysia - Hong Kong - Singapore
variety.com
20.03.2023 / 14:49

Indonesian Horror Title ‘Motel Melati’ Sets Regional Distribution – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Indonesian horror feature “Losmen Melati” (aka “Motel Melati”) has set theatrical releases in Malaysian and Singaporean cinemas on April 6, and April 13, respectively, following its release in Indonesia on Thursday.  The film is co-directed by Mike Wiluan and Billy Christian. It tells the story of a secluded and enigmatic guest house, run by its mystifying owner, Madam Melati. As she lures in unsuspecting visitors to the guest house, they are confronted with their worst nightmares, never to be seen again.  The movie features a cast of Alexandra Gottardo (“Tanah Air Beta”), Kiki Narendra (“Perempuan Tanah Jahanam”), Fandy Christian (“Letters for You”) and Samuel Panjaitan (“Ghost also Selfie”). Presented by streamer Catchplay and Infinite Studios, “Losmen Melati” is co-distributed by Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures in Singapore.

Gina Noer’s Teen Sex Movie ‘Like & Share’ Wins Top Prize at Osaka Asian Film Festival - variety.com - China - Canada - Japan - Indonesia - Hong Kong - Taiwan
variety.com
20.03.2023 / 13:57

Gina Noer’s Teen Sex Movie ‘Like & Share’ Wins Top Prize at Osaka Asian Film Festival

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Like & Share” from Indonesia’s Gina S. Noer was named the best picture and collected the Grand Prix on Sunday at the Osaka Asian Film Festival. “All of us on the jury were struck by the film’s clear and powerful message, which affirms young women’s sexual curiosity and desire while clearly saying no to sexual violence. The style of the film is also original. The sweet, poppy feeling that fascinates the audience in the first half of the film becomes darker as the story progresses, making us shudder. “Like & Share,” with its strong message and brilliant direction, is a film that needs to be seen now more than ever,” said the jury in a statement.

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Charges to $15 Million Total on Second Weekend - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
20.03.2023 / 05:33

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Charges to $15 Million Total on Second Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese animation “Suzume” retained the top spot at the South Korean box office for a second weekend, far outstripping holdover titles and newcomers including “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” On its second weekend of release, “Suzume” earned $5.65 million, just a small fraction below its opening weekend score of $5.71 million. Underlining its dominance, the film increased its market share from 60% previously to 62%. After 12 days of release, the film has accumulated $15.8 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

‘Kiss of the Con Queen’ Secures Asia Distribution as Production Expands - variety.com - Ireland - Thailand - Japan - Indonesia - Cambodia - Tennessee - city Bangkok - city Jakarta, Indonesia
variety.com
15.03.2023 / 02:05

‘Kiss of the Con Queen’ Secures Asia Distribution as Production Expands

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Filming has begun on Tom Waller’s true-crime thriller, “Kiss of the Con Queen,” with real-life victim Eoin O’Brien (“The Last Full Measure”) taking the lead role. He plays actor duped by an impersonator to travel to Indonesia on the promise of auditions for a leading role in a DC origins series, only to discover that he had been scammed by the infamous Con Queen of Hollywood. In the real world, the alleged perpetrator, 41-year-old Indonesian food blogger Hargobind Tahilramani, is accused of pretending to be both male and female Hollywood executives and having swindled hundreds of victims of millions of dollars. He was arrested in 2020 after an FBI manhunt and is currently in prison in the U.K. where he is fighting against possible extradition to the U.S. The U.K. court hearings have been dramatic and disturbing.

Aoyagi Yumiko, Japanese-U.S. Screenwriter, Signs With Creative Artists Agency (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Los Angeles - Japan - Tokyo
variety.com
14.03.2023 / 19:17

Aoyagi Yumiko, Japanese-U.S. Screenwriter, Signs With Creative Artists Agency (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief U.S.- and Japan-based screen writer and producer Aoyagi Yumiko has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for talent representation. Born in Yokohama, Japan, but having grown up in Los Angeles and graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo, Aoyagi now works across both the Japanese and U.S. film and TV industries. She debuted as a screenwriter in 1995, writing the fourth episode of the Fuji TV series “Seiga wa Tatsu” before winning Galaxy Award prizes for telefilm “Saigo no Kazoku Ryoky: Family Affair.” In 2003, she wrote the show “Kokoro,” becoming the youngest person ever to write for the coveted morning slot on Japan’s national public broadcaster, NHK. The slot about a young woman’s development in a traditional neighborhood in Tokyo, has a continuous history of over 60 years and is known as “the face of Japan.”

Good Move Media Bends With Japan’s ‘Plastic’ for FilMart Launch (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - California - Japan - Tokyo - Hong Kong - Burma - city Shanghai
variety.com
14.03.2023 / 05:25

Good Move Media Bends With Japan’s ‘Plastic’ for FilMart Launch (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong-based indie sales agent Good Move Media has added Japanese music drama “Plastic” to its FilMart slate. The film is directed by Miyazaki Daisuke, the Japanese helmer behind “Yamato (California),” which had festival play in 2016, and 2019 slacker youth title “Tourism” in 2019. The new picture is the story of teenagers Juna and Ibuki, who set out to find the psychedelic rock band Exne Kedy. Exne Kedy is a fictional creation from musician Ide Kensuke, who previously released punky album “Kensuke Ide With His Mothership — Contact From Exne Kedy and the Poltergeists,” but the band is actually credited as performing and providing part of the music track in the film. “Plastic” is recently completed and headed for a theatrical release in Japan in July.

Udine Far East Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years of Asian Films - variety.com - Italy - South Korea - Thailand - Japan - Hong Kong - city Hong Kong - Mongolia
variety.com
14.03.2023 / 02:15

Udine Far East Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years of Asian Films

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, is back in full force in 2023, celebrating its 25th anniversary edition from April 21–29. A key component of the celebrations will be a focus on the Asian films of the 1980s. “We have never programmed these films, nor put together this kind of program before,” says Thomas Bertacche, the FEFF’s co-head. “But these were the films and directors that inspired us to shape Udine into the festival that it is today.” Pitching the historical lineup as “hidden treasures,” the selection is expected to include early works by Japan’s Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Thailand’s Nonzee Nimibutr and South Korea’s Jan Sung-woo.

K-Pop: HYBE and Kakao End Hostilities in Takeover Battle for SM Entertainment - variety.com - North Korea
variety.com
12.03.2023 / 09:27

K-Pop: HYBE and Kakao End Hostilities in Takeover Battle for SM Entertainment

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Korean tech giant Kakao has gained the upper hand in the battle for control of K-pop agency SM Entertainment, after HYBE Corp., the firm behind music idols BTS, said Sunday that it had called off its takeover bid. SM is the second largest talent Korean music talent firm and is behind music acts including Super M, Aespa, BoA and Red Velvet, Girls’ Generation, H.O.T., EXO, Super Junior, SHINee and NCT Dream. HYBE said on Sunday that it will “discontinue the acquisition process […] after observing that the market has been showing signs of overheating due to competition with both Kakao and Kakao Entertainment,” something that it said could “damage shareholder value.”

Korea’s CJ ENM Puts Emphasis on TV Content at Revived FilMart - variety.com - South Korea - Hong Kong - city Hong Kong
variety.com
11.03.2023 / 01:15

Korea’s CJ ENM Puts Emphasis on TV Content at Revived FilMart

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief CJ ENM is putting an emphasis on TV content over feature film at the upcoming FilMart rights market in Hong Kong. The South Korean behemoth, which operates multiple studios and the TVing streaming platform, is touting at least six shows and formats. Sebastian Kim, the group’s director of international content sales and acquisition, will also be taking part in a Monday morning seminar “Spotlight Conversation: The Asian Wave in 2023 and Beyond” at FilMart. His lineup is headed by “The Heavenly Idol,” a fantasy, romance series which sees a priest from a different era transported to the present day as a pop idol. His training makes him a hopeless celebrity, but he has to learn to adapt. Starring Kim Min-gue and Go Bo-gyeol, the 12-part series began airing mind-February on tvN.

‘Lyle, Lyle Crocodile’ Set for China Theatrical Release - variety.com - China - USA - Hollywood - New York - county Mitchell - Japan - Taiwan
variety.com
09.03.2023 / 13:43

‘Lyle, Lyle Crocodile’ Set for China Theatrical Release

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief American musical comedy film “Lyle Lyle Crocodile,” is set to release in mainland China cinemas, having received approvals for import and distribution from Chinese authorities. It will play in China from April 15, 2023. The film was released in North America in early October last year and many other territories at the end of 2022. Parts of Asia have been later to receive the title with Korea and Taiwan play it from January and Japan set to open it from March 24. The film has grossed $108 million worldwide, with $60.9 million of that coming from international markets and $46.8 million from the North American domestic market, studio backer Sony Pictures reported.

HBO Supply Deal With Japanese Streamer U-Next Renewed by Warner Bros. Discovery - variety.com - Australia - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
07.03.2023 / 09:27

HBO Supply Deal With Japanese Streamer U-Next Renewed by Warner Bros. Discovery

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Warner Bros. Discovery and Japan’s U-Next have announced an extension of their relationship with a renewed deal to supply content to the SVOD platform. The agreement sees U-Next continue as the streaming home of HBO in Japan. Featuring exclusive content rights for HBO, HBO Original and HBO Max Original series, the strengthened agreement includes: current and future seasons of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us” and “Succession” as well as returning HBO Original and HBO Max Original series “True Detective: Night Country,” “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and “And Just Like That…”

Netflix to Increase Asia Content Spending by 15% in 2023 as Revenue Growth Accelerates in the Region – Study - variety.com - Australia - China - South Korea - India - Thailand - Japan - Indonesia - Singapore - Philippines - region Asia-Pacific
variety.com
06.03.2023 / 09:15

Netflix to Increase Asia Content Spending by 15% in 2023 as Revenue Growth Accelerates in the Region – Study

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Global streaming operation Netflix is forecast to spend $1.9 billion on local content in the Asia-Pacific region this year as group revenue from the region accelerates to 12%, according to a new report. The content investment spending figure represents a 15% hike. Netflix will grow revenues this year by 12% year-on-year to exceed $4 billion compared with 9% growth in 2022, says a new report published on Monday by Media Partners Asia.

Korea Box Office: ‘Swordsmith Village,’ the Latest ‘Demon Slayer’ Franchise Film, Takes Weekend Honors - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
06.03.2023 / 05:57

Korea Box Office: ‘Swordsmith Village,’ the Latest ‘Demon Slayer’ Franchise Film, Takes Weekend Honors

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Weekend honors at the South Korean box office went to the Japanese animation film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To The Swordsmith Village,” the latest installment in the “Demon Slayer” film and TV franchise. It earned $2.31 million between Friday and Sunday, for nearly a quarter of the total weekend cinema business, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

K-Pop’s Corporate Clash: HYBE’s Battle for SM Entertainment Gets Rougher - variety.com - North Korea
variety.com
02.03.2023 / 14:32

K-Pop’s Corporate Clash: HYBE’s Battle for SM Entertainment Gets Rougher

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief HYBE Corp., the talent firm behind K-pop sensation BTS, has launched a campaign to woo the shareholders of SM Entertainment, the rival Korean talent empire in which it is poised become the largest single shareholder. In a letter and video package, issued Thursday, HYBE said that it was launching a campaign website detailing its business strategy and the ways in which it plans to prioritize SM shareholders. The documents directly criticized SM’s current management and also struck out at Korean entertainment-tech giant Kakao, with which SM has recently struck an alliance.

Asian Streamer Viu Approaches Profitability, Divulges Subscriber and Revenue Data - variety.com - Japan - Indonesia - Hong Kong - Singapore
variety.com
27.02.2023 / 14:57

Asian Streamer Viu Approaches Profitability, Divulges Subscriber and Revenue Data

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Multi-territory Asian streaming service Viu has publicly disclosed key performance metrics for the first time and said that it was cash flow positive on an annual basis in 2022. The company, which operates in 16 Asian and Middle East markets and is seen as a rare success story in regional streaming, counts Hong Kong conglomerate PCCW as its principal shareholder, which also unveiled its own profits and loss figures for the 2022 calendar year. Viu which operates both ad-supported and paying tiers, said that it had 66.4 monthly active users in 2022, an increase of 13% year-on-year. Paying subscribers increased by 45% to 12.2 million over the same period.

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