watchlist2023: how did we do? formats will continue to fast track output.
Kim Chiu in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
If India leads, scripted adaptations are happening across the region, some breaking new ground. In early November, for example, NBCUniversal Formats’ first ever scripted/telenovela deal for Thailand premiered on One 31 HD free-TV broadcast channel. Telemundo’s original 140+ episode Latin drama, El Cuerpo del Deseo, Asia's formats biz today is nowhere
was reformatted to the 24-episode prime
near the volume of its heyday in 2017/8.
time show, Second Chance, for Thailand.
As 2023 closes, it looks like the drop
This is the first time the series is being re-
from last year will be about 20%. But
made in Asia.
that’s not the whole story.
There were other firsts as the year drew to a close, including the first version of
Last year this time we said format adapta-
NBCUniversal’s Suits in Mongolia and the first
tions in Asia in 2023 would not return to
versions of Nippon TV’s Mother and Woman
highs of first half 2017, when the region had
– My Life for My Children, both greenlit by
285 formats on air/commissioned. And we
Saudi media group, MBC. The deal gives
were right. As we head to the end of the
Nippon its first Arabic adaptations.
year, we’re at 150. December, may end at
Meanwhile, production alliances are bur-
160, 165 tops. At 160, that’s 21.5% down on
geoning. In November, regional streamer
the 204 recorded for full year 2022.
Viu and Philippines’ programmer ABS-CBN
But the numbers game is only one part
announced a Philippines’ version of 2018
of Asia’s format story. The genre mix has
Korean romcom, What’s Wrong with
changed as well, and along with it invest-
Secretary Kim. The series
ment and overall value. While Asia builds its premium story-telling muscle, scripted
releases in 2024. A Thai version of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is also on
Breeze by the Sea, (from left.) EP Poul Yang, actor Charles Lin, director Peter Ho, EP Lee Lau
the way at Thai-Korean JV, True CJ Creations. The series is one of three that kicked off production in Nov 2023. The others are versions of thrillers Happiness and Mouse. The new titles are part of a growing stream of adaptations from the seven-year-old joint venture. Black Dog: Being A Teacher premiered as Thank You Teacher in June this year, and will be followed in 2024 by romcoms Familiar Wife, Start Up and Emergency Couple and legal thriller, Lawless Lawyer. CJ ENM-linked ventures elsewhere in the region are spreading their wings. Out of Hong Kong, CJ ENM Hong Kong has started filming its first Mandarin remake, the US$3-million Breeze by the Sea, off the coast of Taiwan. The 12-episode drama, adapted from 2018 Korean series Top Star U Back, is slated for release in Q4 2024. What do we think is most likely to happen in 2024? India will continue to be Asia’s top formats market. Vietnam may catch up or even overtake India in volume terms. Thailand, consistently among the top three markets in Asia, will hold its spot. Will volume be up? We’re not very hopeful. Will value be up? Maybe. 12
Second Chance, starring Cris Horwang and Jirayu Tantrakul
contentasia december 2023