Variety will present a virtual showcase of buzzy new programs coming from Korea’s KBS, SBS FormatEast on Nov. 12 at 9:30 a.m. PT.
Jun Young Song, program director and showrunner for Korean Broadcasting System, and Iljoong Kim, senior director of Seoul Broadcasting System and an executive director of FormatEast, SBS’ format sales unit, will offer details of three upcoming shows. KBS is the original home of “The Good Doctor,” the medical drama that ABC adapted into a hit starring Freddie Highmore.
KBS will raise the curtain on the singing competition series dubbed “The Song We Loved, A New Singer,” which taps into nostalgic hits from the 1970s to the 1990s to help find new musical talent. The series had a 10-episode run earlier this year on KBS.
FormatEast’s new show “The DNA Singer” turns a crooner competition into a family affair. The show promises to blend science and music to examine what a person’s DNA says about their singing ability. Also getting the spotlight is “Blue Chip Stars,” a reality show that will allow celebrities to “list” themselves on the “human stock market” while the audience at home helps decide their worth.
The producer and executive will shed light on the factors that are driving TV series, K-pop, movies and other forms of South Korean pop culture to be embraced by mainstream audiences in America and territories far beyond the Korean Peninsula. On the heels of Netflix’s global success with Korean drama “Squid Game,” the two also discuss what it takes for a show to become a crossover hit in America.
To register for this virtual event highlighting the explosive growth of Korean content and what it means for Hollywood, visit variety.com/koreantvpanel.