ITV

Tag: InSoon Kim

  • Something Special signs Courtney Boyett to script global sales success

    Something Special signs Courtney Boyett to script global sales success

    MUMBAI: When a company’s called Something Special, you expect its hires to be nothing short of headline-worthy. True to form, the Seoul-based format agency has brought on Courtney Boyett as senior manager of global sales, adding a bilingual edge and a globe-trotting flair to its international ambitions. Boyett steps into the role after a stint at Kiwi Vine, where she spearheaded business development in webtoon localisation and edited stories for global audiences. A fluent speaker of both English and Korean, she began her career as a translator and researcher, giving her a strong cultural bridge that fits neatly into the DNA of a format specialist.

    Armed with a business degree from Alabama’s Troy University and time at Inha University in Seoul, Boyett has lived across the U.S. and Korea while racking up stamps from extensive travels, an experience that may come in handy as she takes Something Special’s formats to markets worldwide.

    True to form president and executive producer Jin Woo Hwang couldn’t hide his enthusiasm: “Courtney will no doubt deliver great results with her sparkling personality and expertise. After my recent MENA trip, our sales arm is primed for expansion.”

    True to form co-founder EVP & head of content Insoon Kim, echoed the sentiment: “When I first met Courtney at Hong Kong Filmart, I was immediately impressed by her professionalism and bright character.”

    For Boyett, the feeling is mutual. “I’m excited to work with Insoon, Jin and the team at Something Special and look forward to sharing their innovative formats with the content world at several markets,” she said.

    With Asia’s format exports booming and Something Special sharpening its global push, Boyett’s appointment is both timely and telling: this is a format house with no intention of staying local.

  • TF1 picks up Korean formats Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for France

    TF1 picks up Korean formats Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for France

    MUMBNAI: From cryptic mansions to cash-fuelled elevators, two of Korea’s most bonkers reality shows are packing their passports and heading to France. Something Special, the Seoul-based format agency known for its boundary-pushing unscripted content, has struck a double-format deal with Studio TF1 via Flanagan Productions, licensing two of its hit Korean shows Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for French adaptation.

    It’s a spooky-meets-spendy combo: Still Alive is a clue-hunting, rule-breaking game show set in a mysterious mansion where contestants must stay sharp or face mysterious, instant elimination. With hidden rules, 24-hour gameplay, and comedic curveballs, the show blends suspense with laughs, and has already been picked up in 14 territories, including Germany, Italy, and across the Nordics.

    Meanwhile, The Penthouse Game trades ghosts for gold. In this high-stakes, hierarchy-driven format, financially struggling contestants fight for dominance both literal and metaphorical as they ascend (or descend) a vertical playing field controlled by a central elevator. With gold tokens, food rations, and three hosts acting as agents of power, it’s part Monopoly, part Squid Game, part social experiment.

    Both formats were snapped up by Flanagan Productions, one of Studio TF1’s flagship labels, known for adapting edgy international hits for prime-time French TV.

    “We’re thrilled to bring these high-concept Korean formats to France,” said Flanagan head Florence Boudaud. “They’re bold, unexpected, and packed with creative storytelling exactly what today’s audiences are craving.”

    For Something Special, co-founders Jin Woo Hwang and Insoon Kim see this as further proof that Korea’s wildly inventive reality concepts are more than just fleeting trends, they’re becoming global go-tos for fresh unscripted content.

    “Our motto is simple create and connect,” said Kim. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing with formats like Still Alive and The Penthouse Game.”

    With the global appetite for Korean storytelling at an all-time high, these two eccentric, high-drama formats are ready to give French audiences a taste of K-reality with a side of chaos.

  • Something Special welcomes Jacob Han as head of productions, set to lead Unforgettable Duet series

    Something Special welcomes Jacob Han as head of productions, set to lead Unforgettable Duet series

    MUMBAI:  Something Special, the Seoul-based format powerhouse co-founded by Jin Woo Wang and InSoon Kim, has announced the appointment of Jacob (Jongbin) Han as its new head of productions. Han, a seasoned producer with a 12-year track record, is set to lead the full series production of Unforgettable Duet, a poignant and heartwarming show commissioned by MBN, with backing from the KOCCA Fund.

    Han, a former senior producer at MBC, brings a wealth of experience to Something Special, having been recognised as the Korean Producer Association’s best TV producer of the year in 2021. His career highlights include winning the best programme award from the Korea Communications Agency in 2020 for Mystery TV: Surprise and a best programme award at MBC in 2018. Before joining Something Special, Han led content operations at uhomes.com in the UK, overseeing social media content for five Asian markets.

    Unforgettable Duet is a deeply emotional unscripted series where dementia patients are reconnected with cherished memories through mementos and a powerful duet performance with a family member. The series, which was one of the highest-rated specials last year, returns this summer under Han’s direction.

    Hwang and Kim expressed their excitement, stating, “Something Special are pleased to celebrate our sixth year in business with Jacob Han as our new head of productions who will oversee several of our projects, starting with the wonderful Unforgettable Duet this summer. His vast international production experience, along with our recent investment will help propel Something Special to the next level.”

    Han echoed their sentiments, saying, “I am thrilled to join Jin, InSoon and the entire Something Special team as head of productions. Something Special has been a leader of Korean formats, breaking new ground by taking our formats onto the world stage. As my first project, I am honored to produce the full season of  Unforgettable Duet which was one of the highest rated specials last year.”

  • South Korean format factory Something Special gets cash injection

    South Korean format factory Something Special gets cash injection

    MUMBAI: Seoul-based format agency Something Special has secured a financial booster shot from two South Korean investment heavyweights, Daekyo Investment and SB Partners, to fuel its global expansion ambitions.
    The deal, whose financial particulars remain under wraps, sees Daekyo providing the lion’s share of capital with SB Partners chipping in supporting funds. The cash injection comes as Something Special celebrates its fifth birthday, giving it ample ammunition for its next growth phase.

    The format agency, helmed by president and executive producer Jin Woo Hwang and executive VP and head of content InSoon Kim, has already made significant inroads in the global format marketplace. Its smash hit Battle in the Box  has been snapped up in 23 territories, while Still Alive has found homes in 11 markets.

    Its  latest offering, Unforgettable Duet—a heartstring-tugging format featuring dementia patients reconnecting with memories through beloved songs—debuted on MBN as one of 2024’s highest-rated unscripted launches. The show has since secured a full ten-episode commission for 2025 and caught the fancy of Helium Pictures, which optioned it for Australia and New Zealand in December 2024.

    Daekyo Investment, which manages the Daekyo K-Contents Scale Up Fund targeting small and medium-sized venture companies in Korea’s cultural content sector, seems pleased with its new portfolio addition. The firm’s executive director Roh Jai Seung gushed: “Something Special has proven itself to be a globally known and highly respected content company. They are shining a light on the best of Korean creativity to the world.”

    Hwang and Kim responded: “We are honoured that Daekyo Investment and SB Partners recognise Something Special’s vision and potential. As the leading independent Korean agency representing A-list producers and formats worldwide, we remain committed to our motto: We connect and create.”

    The Seoul outfit also represents the white-hot format The Traitors in Korea and boasts partnerships with format behemoths including FremantleMedia, Banijay, ITV UK, UKTV and Warner Brothers International Television.

  • Korea’s Something Special wins two KOCCA funds

    Korea’s Something Special wins two KOCCA funds

    Mumbai: Seoul-based independent international format agency – Something Special’s EVP – head of content InSoon Kim, has announced the company won two KOCCA annual funds and accepted both the Format lab (five years in a row) and the pilot fund. KOCCA allows for a max of two funds per year for one company.

    For the Format Lab, Something Special selected four teams of established Korean producers such as: Sook-kyung Kang, original creator of Physical 100, and Hyunsook Ji, original creator of Singles Inferno, to work with Something Special’s own award-winning format producers. The producers will develop original Korean IP made for international format distribution. Something Special’s company mandate is to help Korean content make its way into the global marketplace. Over the past four years, successful formats such as spooky reality game show Still Alive and play-along-able music gameshow The Beatbox came from the Format Lab and have been optioned in Germany, Spain, and more.

    Something Special has achieved another milestone by winning the format production fund. The production is set to produce a pilot with a top-tier Korean creative and production company soon.

    And the UK version of Battle in the Box is scheduled to air on 16 and 17 July with host, popular comedian Jimmy Carr, produced by Interstellar for UKTV and channel U & Dave. The show, originally created by Nmedia and represented by Something Special, aired in South Korea on MBN with top ratings.      

    Still Alive: A reality gameshow format where ten contestants find clues and complete in challenges within a mysterious mansion and try to remain until the end.  

    Battle in the Box: Gameshow showcasing two celebrity teams who live in an empty box divided by a movable wall armed and compete for food and household items.

    Kim stated: “Something Special is pleased to be selected for the prestigious KOCCA funds — for five years in a row, which demonstrates the strength of our company. Since Something Special’s inception five years ago we continue to pride ourselves on working with top producers to develop original Korean format content that can travel around the world. Stay tuned for announcements on some great formats in the coming months!”

  • Something Special & ITV Studios sign multi-territory option deal for ‘Battle in the Box’

    Something Special & ITV Studios sign multi-territory option deal for ‘Battle in the Box’

    Mumbai: Something Special, the Seoul-based international format agency founded by format specialists Jin Woo Hwang (president & executive producer) and InSoon Kim (EVP & head of content) have announced that global production powerhouse ITV Studios has optioned the hit Korean celebrity format Battle in the Box for France, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

    Battle in the Box, created by Korea’s NMedia and represented globally by Something Special, has traveled around the world in recent months including previously announced deals with Fremantle (for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal) and UKTV which commissioned the groundbreaking game show for Dave and UKTV Play, hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr.    

    Battle in the Box is a comedic competition and reality game show hybrid in which two celebrity pairs live in an empty box specially designed with movable walls. With no home comforts, celebrities must conquer physical and mental challenges in order to win special prizes and ever-coveted floorspace. Winning these challenges expands their living area while shrinking the losing team’s. Round-the-clock challenges with cameras watching their every move means each pair must strategize to expand their space and win!

    Something Special VP & head of sales Praise ChanMi Shin stated: “It’s extraordinary to see the huge international response to Battle in the Box which we instantly loved and couldn’t wait to take globally. And now our partners at ITV Studios are taking this exciting show further and building on its success. We look forward to seeing how each country adds its own touch to this hilarious series.”

    ITV Studios VP format acquisitions Ella Umansky stated: “We’re excited to be taking out such a fun, creative format alongside Something Special. It’s a simple but hilarious concept that translates everywhere. Celebrities are used to taking up space but Battle In The Box takes things right back to basics – they’ll have to earn every home comfort, including the floorspace.”

  • MoveMe options Something Special format “Still Alive”

    MoveMe options Something Special format “Still Alive”

    Mumbai: Something Special, the Seoul-based International format agency founded by format specialists president & executive director Jin Woo Hwang and EVP & head of content InSoon Kim have announced that Germany’s MoveMe has optioned the exciting mystery-reality competition Still Alive, created and represented by Something Special. Territories in the deal include Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.  

    MoveMe, based in Cologne and Berlin, is an independent TV production company managed by the award-winning producers Andrea Schönhuber-Majewski, Meikel Giersemehl, and Christine Vescio. The core competence of the company is developing and producing entertainment formats such as shiny floor studio shows and great comedy formats, high-class documentaries and entertaining reality program, fictional and non-fictional series, and films for all media outlets.

    Still Alive is a reality game show format where ten contestants find clues and complete challenges in a mysterious mansion and must stay alive for 24 hours by not breaking the hidden rules, including a veiled “death rule” that causes immediate elimination. Contestants and viewers alike will be filled with apprehension solving the riddles and trying to stay alive. This show was created with Something Special by Korea’s top-tier creators, Miyeon KIM and Bora LEE.

    Something Special head of production Haeseon Park stated: “We’re thrilled to have created such an interesting, mysterious format “Still Alive” and are so pleased that MoveMe, who’ve produced great television for German audiences, will produce this exciting new show. “Still Alive” is a unique competition and will keep viewers engaged in solving the clues right along with the contestants.”

    MoveMe MD Meikel Giersemehl: “’Still Alive’ is a very unique reality show! It combines hilarious game elements with the story of the ‘Death House’ and its mysterious master. The celebrities taking part in this playful show dive into a world of funny, unknown rules – the perfect setting for a super fresh reality program. We are very much looking forward to bringing this vibrant format to German TV screens!”