ITV

Tag: Unforgettable Duet

  • Korean TV format powerhouse plants flag in India with two ambitious deals

    Korean TV format powerhouse plants flag in India with two ambitious deals

    CANNES: Seoul’s Something Special has cracked India’s booming television market with a one-two punch, licensing two Korean formats to Karman Unlimited that promise to deliver both tears and laughter to subcontinental audiences. The Seoul-based agency announced the deals at Mipcom, the world’s largest television content marketplace held this month in Cannes.

    First up is Unforgettable Duet, a heart-wrenching unscripted series that reunites dementia patients with their pasts through music and memory. Families curate mementos and a cherished song, which are then loaded onto a Memory Bus that triggers long-buried recollections. The finale sees the patient perform an emotional duet with a family member, crowned by a tribute song from a professional artist. It is therapeutic television at its most potent.

    Then there is Hit & Miss Tour, a raucous comedy show featuring five long-time comedian friends competing in six to eight daily mini-challenges across tourist destinations. With over 210 games in the bank and sponsorship from tourism boards across Turkey and Greece, the format has proved a ratings winner on Channel S in South Korea.

    Something Special president and executive producer Jin Woo Hwang sees the deals as validation of the company’s mission to export Korean creative firepower globally. Karman Unlimited founder & chief executive Sunita Uchil —who previously held sway at Zee TV International—is equally bullish, predicting that Unforgettable Duet will strike a chord with Indian families whilst Hit & Miss Tour delivers the laughs the country desperately needs. Two formats, two markets, infinite possibilities.

  • 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.