ITV

Tag: NMedia

  • Something Special licenses Battle in the Box’s US rights to UK’s Interstellar

    Something Special licenses Battle in the Box’s US rights to UK’s Interstellar

    Mumbai: Seoul-based international format agency Something Special’s president Jin Woo Hwang announced that they licensed the US rights for ‘Battle in the Box’ to UK production company, Interstellar. Interstellar produced the UK version which aired this past summer with host-comedian Jimmy Carr on U&Dave TV (owned by UKTV, a subsidiary of BBC). The show was created by Nmedia and is globally represented by Something Special. It originally aired in South Korea on MBN with top ratings.

    The program is about two celebrity teams who enter an empty box divided by a movable wall armed only with a toothbrush to live with for 24 hours. Teams earn space and luxuries by conquering physical and mental challenges. Victory expands their living area, but more room for one team means less for the other. With challenges occurring around the clock, the celebrities must be strategic to secure their space.

    Hwang stated: “Something Special is thrilled how Battle in the Box was received in the U.K. and now has an opportunity to go to the U.S. This unique game show format, created by their partner Nmedia, launched in S. Korea on MBN and was a major hit. Take two pairs of celebrities and put them in an expandable box for 24 hours, what could go wrong? We love working with Interstellar and look forward to even more versions of Battle in the Box.”

    Interstellar MD David Williams stated: “Bringing the brilliant Battle in the Box to U&Dave in the UK has been an absolute joy. We cannot wait to take everything we’ve learned about this groundbreaking reality and gameshow format and apply it to a host of new famous faces in the US. American celebrities beware, the Box is coming for you!”

  • 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.”