The Paramount+ streaming service launches Thursday in South Korea as a free-of-charge addition to the CJ ENM-controlled TVing platform.
Paramount+ originals such as “Halo,” in addition to “Yellowjackets,” “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber,” “Mayor of Kingstown” and “1883” will be released for the first time in Korea, exclusively through the new branded zone. It will also provide access to library movie titles including “Mission: Impossible,” “Top Gun,” and “Transformers,” CBS series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “NCIS,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” Comedy Central’s “South Park,” MTV’s young adult series and others from Showtime.
The launch is part of a strategic global partnership between Paramount Global and CJ ENM that was announced in December last year. The deal includes content licensing and distribution across Paramount+ and TVing, as well as joint efforts on seven Korean original series.
TVing was originally launched in 2010 by CJ Hellovision. It has grown substantially in the past three years, restructuring as a standalone business in 2020. It’s now jointly owned by CJ ENM, Korean tech giant Naver and TV broadcaster and producer JTBC.
Currently, the Korean theatrical releases of Paramount’s movies are handled by Lotte Entertainment, a conglomerate that rivals the CJ businesses in cinemas, film production, finance and distribution. Lotte will release “Top Gun: Maverick” in Korean cinemas on June 22, 2022.
The first Korean local production resulting from the CJ ENM-Paramount Global partnership is “Yonder,” which will be premiering later this year on TVing in Korea. It will be available on Paramount+ in all international markets where the service is available.
Set in 2032, “Yonder” is a science fiction-drama series about a man who receives a message from his deceased wife inviting him to the mysterious space. The space is designed for the dead to be able to live on by uploading memories of their lifetime from their brain. The show raises questions about life and death and what it means to have eternal happiness as humanity faces a world altered by advancements in science and technology.
As part of the company’s investment in content, Paramount is also looking at opportunities and projects for Korean adaptations of known Paramount scripted IPs, global franchises and reality programs.
“The launch of Paramount+ in Korea with TVing marks a pivotal moment in our expansion, as we introduce our premium streaming service to Asia. South Korea is a vibrant market for streaming as well as content production, music, and culture,” said Mark Specht, Paramount’s executive VP and MD for central and northern Europe and Asia.
“Please look forward to the well-made, various K-content that will enter the global market through the partnership of No.1 K-content platform Tving and one of the top entertainment companies, Paramount,” Jay Yang, CEO of TVing said.
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