ContentAsia December 2024

DECEMBER 2024

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ContentAsia Awards Focus: Talking to 2024’s Best Directors – Tushar Hiranandani, Hadrah Daeng Ratu, Lee Myungwoo, Lee Thean-Jeen, Patha Thongpan, Sidharta Tata & Fajar Martha Santosa

PLUS Taiwan’s series of the moment, Max breakdown, Asia’s place in Netflix viewing & more

New arrivals

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editor’snote

AI & me

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A subscription version of Chatgpt helped us to proofread this magazine. So when I asked the platform to “write 500 words on the state of the TV production industry in Asia” for this editor’s note, I should not have been surprised – and I wasn’t – when it gave me back a grammatically correct summary of challenges, laced with a bit of optimism, sprinkled with a fact here and a name there, just enough for ‘authenticity’ but not enough to bamboozle lazy readers or the shortcut-crowd.

Were the 500 AI-generated words useful? As always, that would depend on need. Were they interesting? Bird’s eye, general, corporate, Cliff Note-y. So really, it depends on what you’re looking for.

Will they set the world on fire? Not my world. Could I have printed it here? Sure. Would anyone know it was AI-generated if I had, heaven forbid, been unethical and not declared the use of AI? With minor adjustments, probably not, or at least not anyone who knows me even a little bit.

The piece sounded like it had been through the corp comms mill and come out the other end safe, sanitised, accurate but with nothing actionable and zero that’s going to get me in trouble... and very little to hold onto, but not complete garbage. It sounded like a piece that could be posted on LinkedIN as an “insight” and generate ego-massaging flattery from people ‘investing’ in their network against a rainy-job-day. Or like the executive who turns up to an interview with notecards that say [‘we’re great, our plan is great, gamechanger, so much growth, etc]’. Sometimes, in a throw-back to the 1990s and the beginning of pay-TV, they even talk about the population of Asia and how great that is. The human version of my Chatgpt-written note. The lipstick-on-a-pig tactic.

And then there were the answers to this request – suggest solutions to Asia’s TV production industry problems – from my paid-AI best friend. Challenge: “Addressing Budget Constraints” Solution: “Increase Co-Productions and Regional Collaborations”. Not exactly a eureka moment. A follow up question about the obstacles to increasing co-productions and regional collaborations in TV production pointed out differences in cultural, financial (unequal funding contributions), logistical and regulatory aspects across the region. Plus creative and language barriers. Censorship. Infrastructure disparities.

Travel and visa restrictions. Also part of the solution suggested by Chatgpt is to repurpose exiting assets, like sets, props and costumes, and using tech, such as virtual production. Is this useful? Not to anyone who has spent 10 seconds actually doing the work.

Chatgpt then suggests avoiding over-reliance on one platform by licensing to multiple buyers, and developing multiple revenue sources. At this point, I’m wondering if I’m wasting my $20 a month on this subscription. And then I remember that common-sense is not so common, and that part

Editorial Director Janine Stein janine@contentasia.tv Events Manager CJ Yong cj@contentasia.tv ContentAsia Marketing & Awards Heather Berger heather@contentasia.tv Production Rae Yong Research Rhealyn Rigodon iyah@contentasia.tv Associate Publisher (Americas, Europe) and VP, International Business Development Leah Gordon leah@contentasia.tv Assistant Publisher (Asia/Middle East) Malena Amzah malena@contentasia.tv

of the industry’s current problems were created exactly by not following sage pieces of advice they could have got from their grandmothers for free.

The best part of the exercise was the fun I had playing with AI in the name of work. What did I learn? (1) That I love AI, which actually I already knew; (2) That Chatgpt is much more politically correct than I will ever be (and that could have its benefits); and (3) I need to find time for Claude.ai.

The Chatgpt attempt at an Editor’s Note and at generating solutions to current problems is at www.contentasia.tv. Search for “AI & Me”. You be the judge.

What is ContentAsia?

ContentAsia is an Asia-based multi-platform information resource that refines today’s info-deluge into usable, digestible and reliable intelligence about video content creation, funding, financing, licensing, & distribution across the Asia-Pacific region.

To receive your regular free copy of ContentAsia, email contentasia@contentasia.tv

Copyright 2024 Pencil Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

contentasia december 2024

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contents...

what’s inside...

I can think of little bigger bliss than for AI to replace me. So I tried. And then I tried to get AI to identify (and solve) the Asian TV industry’s woes. And it tried. Was the result useful? Depends on how low your bar is. But the exercise was, if not perfect, definitely worth the $20 a month subscription in entertainment value.

What We Watched 9 Asian titles made it to Netflix’s top 100 TV shows for first half 2024.

Korean drama dominated the 2.1 billion viewing hours that the nine

Premium movie platform, CinemaWorld, enters 2025 with an expanded film slate, a bigger focus on Asian hits and an even stronger commitment to on-ground engagement. At the same time, the original vision, set more than a decade ago to connect the world through film beyond Hollywood’s narrative, stands firm.

10

Gaadi – Children of the Sun

LEAP year ters Meet Masters” pitching session. The pitch is the grand finale of a nine-month cross-border

with one drama each from

18

Born again

creators, Korean mentors and international creative ambitions.

The creative duo behind Born for the Spotlight say recognition of women and opportunities are expanding in Taiwan’s TV Scene.

20

12

in Singapore as part of the “Mas-

journey that involved Taiwanese

16

Global viewing of Asian content on Netflix’s weekly non-English TV top 10 could reach 4.1 billion hours this year – accounting for 53% of all non-English-language TV viewing on the streaming platform’s top 10 from January to December 2024, according to ContentAsia’s estimates based on Netflix’s published weekly rankings.

Eight teams take to the ATF stage

attracted during the six months, Japan and India.

Eyes on...

Brought to you by AR Asia Productions

8

Connecting The World Through Films

Brought to you by CinemaWorld

Editor’s note

Patrick Frater spoke to the Netflix series’ director, Yen Yi-wen, and producer, Olive Ting.

LEAP’s Taipel workshop

The goal is to expose Taiwanese creators to top variety and reality show producers, inspire them to innovate, bridge networks for funding and monetisation, and ultimately take Taiwanese productions to international markets.”

Anne Chan CEO, AR Asia Productions

Cheryl Yang (楊謹華) in Born for the Spotlight Director Yen Yi-wen (left) and producer Olive Ting

4

contentasia december 2024

contents...

what’s inside... (con’t)

26

Indonesian series, Cinta Pertama Ayah, talks about sexual violence, justice and support systems wrapped in a family story. James Moore spoke to Indonesian director, Hadrah Daeng Ratu, one of six nominees for Best Director in the ContentAsia Awards 2024,, about her Sky Films’ miniseries for streaming platform, Vidio.

Hadrah Daeng Ratu, Director, Cinta Pertama Ayah

Remember when...

Circle of life

Korean drama Boyhood builds bridges between past and present in the story of a boy in a time before social media when life may have been more simple but had a violence of its own.

Director Lee Myoungwoo speaks about The Studio M production for streaming platform, Coupang Play.

Weiyu Films for Mediacorp, is a

Singapore drama 128 Circle, by

high-concepts in favour of real people with relatable lives in authentic situations. Lee Thean-jeen, director of all three seasons, talks

Yim Si-wan and Kang Hye-won in Boyhood

Puzzle master

S

38

U

Patha “O” Thongpan Director, Enigma Enigma

“I like biopics with a little tadka”

Sidharta Tata and Fajar Martha

S

Santosa drew on lived experi-

U

FOC

ence on the streets of Jogja to create the world of Pertaruhan.

ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best

The two directors, who also have

Director, Tushar Hiranandani, talks

writer credits, talk about layer-

to Vanita Kohli-Khandekar about

ing gambling and loans onto

a career that pretty much kicked

the story of a family struggling to

46

6

world.

S

Pertaruhan The Series 2

FO C

FO C

U

a chaotic

S

off when the clapper boy fell ill.

survive in

U

42

34

about the series.

Budget is always a big issue in the Thai series industry, especially when we aim to meet international standards.”

Thai drama Enigma balanced romance, horror, coming-of-age, drama, fantasy, action and more. Thai director Patha “O” Thongpan – nominated in the ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best Director category – talks about the most challenging project of his career so far, as well as moving into his first second season ever.

Street Cred

FO C

slice of life story that sidesteps

30

FO C

S

U

FO C

It is important to show how crucial the development of a support system for rape victims is. Hopefully, if there is another opportunity to discuss this issue, I can delve deeper into the concept of ‘surviving’ deep trauma and the process of ‘healing’. Everyone needs hope in their life.”

contentasia december 2024

U

S

Just causes

contents...

what’s inside... (con’t) Formats Outlook Asia’s formats environment has changed dramatically in the past three years. The response, industry leaders say, is flexibility, collaboration and to solve for different problems. Plus a breakdown of formats in the region from January to September 2024.

50

Your Honor, Yes Studios/KT Genie TV

There’s all this new, interesting YouTube content that’s exploding, and that makes regular TV formats challenging on many levels. These digital shows are short, they’re fun, they’re very easy to entertain and engage audiences.”

Linfield Ng, VP Formats Distribution and Production, NBCUniversal Formats

Formats is one of the answers. Not the only one, but one of the ways to reduce risk. That’s what we have been working on with our clients.”

It has definitely been a challenging time...

I wouldn’t view it from just a formats perspective... But I also think that this entire piece is evolving. The market is slowly shifting towards being okay with risk, at least in India.”

Mrinalini Jain, Group Chief Development Officer, Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India

Sabrina Duguet, Asia Pacific EVP, All3Media International

Worlds apart The second season of Taiwanese drama, The World Between Us, pushes the envelope on story and production scale as well as special effects, demonstrating what the local content industry is striving for. The production team behind the new series talks about resurfacing a blockbuster after a five-year break.

60

Hsueh Shih-ling and Vic Chou in The World Between Us II

From the moment we received the script, we knew this production would require every ounce of our past experience, and more.”

Jayde Lin, CEO, DaMou Entertainment

8

Max headroom A market-by-market breakdown of Warner Bros Discovery’s (WBD) Max in five Southeast Asia markets, plus Hong Kong and Taiwan. Max launched in the seven markets on 19 Nov.

66 contentasia december 2024

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Stormskerry Maja

Premium movie platform, CinemaWorld, enters 2025 with an expanded film slate, a bigger focus on Asian hits and an even stronger commitment to on-ground engagement. At the same time, the original vision, set more than a decade ago to connect the world through film beyond Hollywood’s narrative, stands firm.

Connecting The World Through Films CinemaWorld launched in 2012 to bring non-Hollywood hits from around the world to Asian film lovers. Thirteen years on, the premium movie network – available in linear and SVOD formats through more than 90 distribution partners in 22 territories across Asia – has refreshed its curation and expanded engagement efforts. The premium service has also committed to a short films initiative to support Asian filmmakers.

Moving into 2025, CinemaWorld continues to expand its priorities. The slate is more than 90% first and exclusive to Asia, and the line-up includes more true stories, twisted tales, films that reflect social and cultural issues of today’s world.

There’s also a high focus on titles, such as Germany’s Elaha

Victoria Must Go

(2023) and Iran’s Empty Nets (2023), that illuminate different cultures.. Elaha is about young Kurdish-German woman’s struggle with her womanhood, patriarchy and tradition. Empty Nets is a heartbreaking Iranian love story that confronts social hierarchy, tradition and corruption.

“We are echoing our audiences’ preferences for conversational

Manta Manta Legacy (2023); and the Polish hit Hard Luck (2023).

and introspective works,” says CinemaWorld’s chief executive Suarina

CinemaWorld has also adapted

Chua. “Elaha opened up the dialogue about gender expectations

to shifting viewer tastes, particularly

and female emancipation experienced in different cultures... Such

the rising demand for horror films, over

stories will remain a staple in our curation,” she adds.

the past two years. “We recognise the

Tentpole titles for 2025 are Finnish box office hit, Stormskerry Maja

Intimate Stranger

growing popularity of horror films and differenti-

(2024), a breathtaking epic about a young girl’s experience of life and

ate ourselves within the genre by offering a selection of psychological

death, love, lust and grief, and Canadian drama Temporaries (2023),

horrors with unique stories and strong accolades,” Chua says. Titles

about a woman who becomes an advocate for migrant workers.

catering to this expanding audience include Natatorium, Hunters On

True stories scheduled for the first six months of 2025 are Ann, a film documenting the last 13 hours before the death of a 15-year-old Irish girl during childbirth in 1984; and Subuk, the story of a mother’s love for her autistic son that led to changes in the Polish education system.

Chua says CinemaWorld has evolved from its original focus on festi-

A White Field, and A House in Jerusalem, with Goodnight Mommy set for release in the first half of 2025.

In 2024, the line-up expanded to support Asia’s rising filmmaking environment. This included the Asian Filmmaker Spotlight, which showcased Asian filmmaking talents from East Asia (Confetti and Intimate

val films and award winners/nominees to a more diverse curation, now

Stranger), South Asia (Gaadi – Children Of The Sun) and Central

including popular genre films such as romance, action, psychological

Asia (Paralympian). Chua says the Spotlight highlighted emblematic

thrillers and horror, to cater to a broader audience of film lovers.

stories from across the region, adding diversity to the channel’s film

This shift is reflected in box office hits like Norway’s Victoria Must Go (2024), premiering in December 2024 for the festive season; Colombian action-thriller Timeline (2023); Germany’s top box office title

10

Brought to you by CinemaWorld

curation.

Gaadi – Children of The Sun by Sri Lankan director Prasanna Vithanage tells the story of Tikiri, an outcast noblewoman in 1814 Kandy,

contentasia december 2024

Singapore Mystery Film Screening

Ceylon, who battles to preserve her iden-

engagement. This involves partnerships with film events around Asia,

tity and dignity; Confetti by director Ann

including the Jakarta Film Week in September 2024, the Mystery Film

Hu, follows a mother who travels with her

Screening in Singapore in April 2024, and a special screening in Taiwan

nine-year-old daughter from a small town

in September 2024.

in China to New York City, in search for a school for dyslexic children; and Intimate

Never Sang, a coming of age story about a rebellious Tokyo teen-

Stranger by Mayu Nakamura is a thriller

ager who arrives on a small island to meet her aunt and learn the art

featuring a twisted Oedipal relationship

of pearl diving (but secretly to find a treasure she was told about as

between a grieving mother and a young

a child); and cross-cultural romcom, Tokyo Fiancée (2014), about a

man who claims to know the whereabouts of

young Japanophile Belgian woman in Tokyo in a whirlwind romance

her missing son.

Timeline

Asian tentpoles for the first half of 2025 are Japan’s All The Songs We

with a Francophile Japanese student.

In July, August and September 2024, the

Besides providing more value to the viewer experience on its main

channel added exclusive interviews with the directors Intimate Stranger, Confetti

through its brand extension, CinemaSHORT has been eventful. In 2022,

and Gaadi – Children of The Sun to its line up. “We hope to provide more value beyond the viewing

the CinemaWorld Film Fund was established in collaboration with regional film schools to support young, budding filmmaking talents.

“CinemaSHORT is committed to promoting diverse storytelling, and

experience, to allow audienc-

fostering emerging talent from underrepresented communities. Our

es a peek into the creative

goals are to help budding filmmakers gain exposure...and to monetise

minds behind these Asian

their shorts,” Chua says. The shorts are showcased on CinemaWorld’s

stories,” Chua says.

linear channel as a lead into the Sunday premieres and are presented

As part of its expanded Confetti

channel, CinemaWorld’s venture into the Asian Short Film space

entertainment landscape,

at regional events.

“For all its evolution in the past 13 years,” Chua adds, “Cin-

CinemaWorld is also commit-

emaWorld’s original vision holds firm—to connect the world through

ted to boosting film community

films.”

CinemaSHORT, Asian Short Film Awards Gala Night 2023

Jakarta Film Week Partnership in September 2024

11

analysis

Asia hours hit 50% of Netflix top 10 Global viewing of Asian content on Netflix’s weekly non-English TV top 10 could reach 4.1 billion hours this year – accounting for 53% of all non-English-language TV viewing on the streaming platform’s top 10 from January to December 2024, according to ContentAsia’s estimates based on Netflix’s published weekly rankings. Non-English viewing hours for the 34 weeks between 1 April 2024 and 17 November totalled 5 billion; 2.7 billion of these were Asian titles, led by Korea and Japan. The percentage of Asian titles on the global top 10 ranged from 19% to 80%, with an average of 53%. Non-English TV viewing peaked at 240 million hours in April, driven by Studio Dragon’s Korean drama Queen of Tears, which spent 15 weeks on the global non-English Top 10 but only one week at #1.

200,000,000

150,000,000

100,000,000

50,000,000

Source: Netflix Top 10 1 April 2024-17 November 2024. Chart: ContentAsia

12

contentasia december 2024

analysis

WhatWeWatched JANUARY – JUNE 2024 9 Asian titles made it to Netflix’s top 100 TV shows for first half 2024. Korean drama dominated the 2.1 billion viewing hours that the nine attracted during the six months, with one drama each from Japan and India.

Nine titles from Asia were included in

The other six from Asia on the top 100

the top 100 shows watched on Netflix in

included Japanese action thriller, House

the first half of 2024, ContentAsia’s analysis

of Ninjas at #56 (112.9 million hours

of the platform’s “What We Watched”

viewed/15.9 million views) and the only In-

engagement report shows.

dian title on the top 100 – Heeramandi: The

Seven of the nine titles were from Korea, with one each from Japan and India.

Together, the nine attracted just over 2.1 billion viewing hours (15% share) of the total 13.9 billion hours spent on the top

Diamond Bazaar – at #67 with 108 million hours viewed/14.8 million views.

In the first half of 2024, Netflix titles were watched for more than 94 billion hours.

Four of the 10 biggest shows were from the U.K. – Fool Me Once (108 million hours),

100 shows.

The top three Asian titles from January

Baby Reindeer (88 million hours), The

to the end of June 2024 were all Korean

Gentlemen (76 million hours) and One Day

dramas, led by Queen of Tears at #14 with

(39 million hours).

682.6 million hours viewed/29.2 million views; Parasyte: The Grey at #20 with 126.8 million

Society of the Snow with 104 million hours –

hours viewed/25.4 million views; and Korean

made up nearly a third of all viewing.

romcom My Demon at #46 with 311.2 million hours viewed/17.7 million views.

Those were the only three Asian shows in the top 50 of the 6,800+ titles listed.

JULY – DECEMBER 2023 11 Asian TV series appeared on Netflix’s top 100 TV titles for the second half of 2023.

Korean drama dominated the 1.847 billion hours that the 11 attracted over the six months. Eight of the 11 titles were Korean and the other three were from Japan.

Eleven titles from Asia made it to Netflix’s top 100 shows watched in the second half of

Japanese live action series, Yu Yu Hakusho, was at #60 with 16.5 million views (69.2 million hours

streamer’s “What We Watched: A Netflix Engage-

viewed), followed by Korean drama, My Demon

ment Report”.

(14.9 million views/151.8 million hours viewed)

The top Asia title was JTBC’s Korean drama,

Squid Game, which remains Netflix top show of all time, was 79th, followed by Baki Hanma.

The series drew 630.2 million hours viewed (33.2

The other three Asian titles on the top 100 were

million views) on Netflix in the second half of 2023.

My Happy Marriage at #89, Destined With You at

In second place was kids’ show Bebefinn, part of Korea’s The Pinkfong Company, at #40.

Mask Girl, produced by BonFactory for Netflix,

#97 and Doona! at #99.

Netflix’s non-English TV shows and movies made up nearly a third of all viewing in second half 2023.

was #3 at #48 on the top 50, with 127.3 million

Korean titles took 9% of non-English-language view-

hours viewed (18.5 million views), followed by

ing, following by Spanish (7%) and Japanese (5%).

Korean series Celebrity at #49, with 164 million

The top show globally for second half 2023 was

hours viewed (18.3 million views).

16

50 for the second half of 2023.

2023, according to ContentAsia’s analysis of the

King The Land, which streamed in Korea on TVing.

King The Land

Queen of Tears

Non-English stories – led by Spain’s

The four were the only Asian titles on Netflix’s top

One Piece, with 541.9 million hours viewed (71.6 million views).

contentasia december 2024

LEAP year

Eight teams take to the ATF stage in Singapore as part of the “Masters Meet Masters” pitching session. The pitch is the grand finale of a ninemonth cross-border journey that involved Taiwanese creators, Korean mentors and international creative ambitions.

Anne Chan, CEO of AR Asia Productions with Homme Tsai, Chairperson of Taicca

Eight standout teams from the final of the 2024 LEAP Co-Development

ing, market-

Program: Variety Show project will pitch their innovative concepts at

ready formats.

the upcoming Asia TV Forum (ATF) on 4 December 2024. This exclu-

After the Taipei

sive pitching session, titled “Masters Meet Masters”, will see the teams

workshop, 16 par-

present their unique ideas for variety shows, following a rigorous nine-

ticipants from eight

month development process.

teams were selected

From 50 to 8: The LEAP Journey The journey began in February 2024,

for phase two of

when LEAP kicked off with over 100 participants across 50 teams. After

the programme,

an intensive selection process, eight teams emerged as the finalists.

which included a

The programme, which ran to November, aimed to expose Taiwanese

three-day intensive

creators to industry veterans and global trends while helping them

workshop in Seoul

refine their concepts for international markets.

(17-19 June). Phase

Workshops and Mentorship The participants first gathered in Taipei

three saw each team

for a three-day workshop (10-12 April) led by nine experienced produc-

paired with a Korean

ers from Korea. Among the mentors were some of the biggest names

creator, who mentored

in the industry, including Miyeon Kim (Running Man), Junghee Jang

them through a series of online

(The Voice, Shooting Stars), Mingoo Ko (Korea No. 1, Siren: Survive the

sessions, with monthly check-ins

Island / CEO of Studio Modak), InSoon Kim (EVP & head of content for

for five consecutive months. The online

Something Special), Jongyeon Jung (Society Game, The Genius), and

phase was split into two parts: the first focus-

Sangho Shin (Long Time No See, Underdog Kids). These seasoned pro-

ing on Creative Development (three months, three meetings), and the

fessionals guided the teams through the process of developing engag-

second on Packaging (two months, two meetings).

18

LEAP’s Seoul workshop

contentasia december 2024

Brought to you by AR Asia Productions

Top from left: LEAP’s Taipei workshop; Anne Chan, CEO of AR Asia Productions; Junghee Jang, Miyeon Kim, Korean producers; Jinwoo Hwang, CEO of Something Special; Mingoo Ko, producer/CEO of Studio Modak; Mo Eun-seol, writer of Culinary Class Wars

LEAP’s Taipel workshop

The goal is to expose Taiwanese creators to top variety and reality show producers, inspire them to innovate, bridge networks for funding and monetisation, and ultimately take Taiwanese productions to international markets.”

Anne Chan, CEO of AR Asia Productions

Final Pitching Session The

The initiative helps creators connect with top producers and com-

culmination of this com-

missioners, as well as providing exposure to potential buyers and spon-

prehensive development

sors, Chan adds.

process will take place at the ATF in December, where each team will present their variety/

The 2024 session will feature a panel of five to six industry experts and platform commissioners who will provide feedback on the projects and potentially open doors for future collaborations.

reality show concept in a five-minute

Each year, LEAP aims to foster innovation in Taiwan’s entertainment

pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A ses-

industry while promoting the country’s growing presence on the inter-

sion. The eight concepts represent a range of genres, including dating, competition, LGBT+, music,

national stage.

LEAP is a variety/reality show development initiative under the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), co-organised with

survival, food, game show, and

Hong Kong-based regional production company, AR Asia Productions,

fantasy.

and Something Special, a Seoul-based independent international

Bridging Networks and

format agency.

Expanding Global Reach The goal of the LEAP programme is not only to develop highquality variety and reality show formats but also to bridge networks, inspire creativity, and enable Taiwanese productions to reach global audiences, says AR Asia Productions’ chief executive, Anne Chan.

Save the Date!

Date: 4 December 2024 (Wednesday) Time: 10.00am - 12.00pm Location: ATF Pitch Pit, Room 4412 Language: English 19

productioninterview

The creative duo behind Born for the Spotlight say recognition of women and opportunities are expanding in Taiwan’s TV Scene. Patrick Frater spoke to the Netflix series’ director Yen Yi-wen and producer Olive Ting.

Born again Main pic: Cheryl Yang (楊謹華)

Born for the Spotlight,, a 12-part Taiwan drama series that premiered in November and shot immediately to Netflix’s #1 show in the country, is an entertaining tangle of aspirations, over-inflated egos and bitchy barbs framed in a narrative about women seeking careers in the TV business.

The show’s multiple characters – who include a naïve newcomer and an experienced talent agent crudely named Ms. Chubby – seem to risk almost daily heartbreak as they navigate (or choose to avoid) a greedy and unforgiving industry.

Central to the story are a retired star known for her beauty, but who is now indulging in binge drinking and casual sex hook-ups, and her former best friend whose ascendant producing career threatens to overtake that of her once successful director-husband.

If the themes sound familiar, retro or stereotypical, the show’s director Yen Yi-wen says most of the ele-

Director Yen Yi-wen and producer Olive Ting

ments are absolutely real. “Some of the storylines come from my lived experiences, some are the contribu-

20

contentasia december 2024 content

Scripted / Drama Series, S2: 6 x 60’ Total Episodes: 12 x 60’ sevenonestudiosinternational.com

productioninterview

Ageism and sexism are not as prevalent as in the past when there was more emphasis on romance stories and every discussion would prioritise appearance over performance... Now that we have a wider range of genres there’s more diversity. And you can be an actor in Taiwan even if you don’t have the perfect look or body shape.”

Yen Yi-wen, Director, Born for the Spotlight

Chen Ting-ni (陳庭妮)

tions of other actresses,” Yen says. “I discovered that we share many

appears to have stuck with her through

frustrations and anxieties.”

to the much larger Born for the Spotlight.

Yen has been working as an actress for some 20 years and, after two previous nominations, won a Golden Bell Award in 2015 for Angel’s Voice Recorder. “Finally, I’d got the recognition that I’d sought. But

In the glossy new show, only A-listers are allowed to cry.

Significantly, Born for the Spotlight is cre-

the next morning I had to return to another set and participate in a

ated and enabled by women. The series’

mediocre story. I felt not only helpless and hopeless, but also that I

producer is Olive Ting (Secrets in the Hot

wasn’t doing justice to myself or to the audience,” Yen says.

“That same day, after I’d finished work, I returned home and

Spring) and it was greenlit at Netflix, where the head of Chinese-lan-

cried. Then I turned on the computer and started to write

guage content is Maya Huang,

a ridiculous story about an actress who gets an award, but

a Taiwan-based screenwriter-

whose hair starts to fall out immediately after, who gets aller-

turned-commissioner.

gies and has other mishaps, but still can’t cry about it,”

tional streaming platforms in the Taiwan production scene has

she says.

In the intervening years,

helped women creators shift to

Yen co-wrote and co-

what Ting calls “a new para-

directed family drama

digm”.

series, The Making of an

“In the past, in Taiwan, if you

Ordinary Woman, which

wanted to get a green light from

released in 2019. But

distributors or television compa-

the memory of that post-award depression

22 Yang Chin-hua (楊謹華) and James Wen (詹懷雲)

The involvement of interna-

nies, you’d have to pitch a romance story. The streamers are open to different

contentasia december 2024

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productioninterview

Hsueh Shih-ling (薛仕凌) and Hsieh Ying-hsuan (謝盈萱)

ideas and we are not faced with the same group of decision makers,” Ting says.

“That’s why we are now seeing shows like The Making of an Ordinary Woman or Wave Makers happening. [Streamers] also have more abundant financial resources, so we can be more ambitious and bolder in the writing process.”

Hsieh Ying-hsuan (謝盈萱) and Yang Chin-hua (楊謹華)

If I looked at this show only from an actress’s perspective, I’d feel that some parts are very brutal.

But as a writer and director, I can see the bigger picture.

I can transform these stories and use humour to get the bigger message across.”

Wave Makers was a 2023 Koko Entertainment series for Netflix that was set in the milieu of election work-

Yen Yi-wen, Director, Born for the Spotlight

ers. It touched on multiple themes, including Taiwan’s robust democracy, women politicians, ethnic minorities and capital punishment, but will especially be associated with its through-line of workplace sexual harassment. Several commentators have credited the show with in-

with,” says Yen. “It is simply not respectful.”

But on these lines, Yen and Ting again say that change is afoot.

vigorating Taiwan’s real-world #MeToo movement, provoking a round

“Ageism and sexism are not as prevalent as in the past when there was

of public allegations and causing a grovelling apology to women

more emphasis on romance stories and every discussion would prioritise

from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

appearance over performance,” says Yen. “Now that we have a wider

The targets in Born for the Spotlight are less elevated than a presi-

range of genres there’s more diversity. And you can be an actor in

dential election race, but they are probably more immediately rel-

Taiwan even if you don’t have the perfect look or body shape.”

evant to a greater number of viewers. There is a painfully frustrating scene in the show’s first episode where several mid-level executives are casually discussing casting options. Again, Yen says she based this on lived experience.

“Everyone in the meeting is eating their lunch. Or having fun. Certainly, not paying attention or relating to the real lives they are dealing

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Yen says that the show’s pace and comedy help make social messaging more digestible.

“If I looked at this show only from an actress’s perspective I’d feel that some parts are very brutal. But as a writer and director, I can see the bigger picture. I can transform those stories and use humour to get a bigger message across.”

contentasia december 2024

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Teuku Rifnu Wikana as Darma in Cinta Pertama Ayah

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Just causes Indonesian series, Cinta Pertama Ayah, talks about sexual violence, justice and support systems wrapped in a family story. James Moore spoke to Indonesian director, Hadrah Daeng Ratu, one of six nominees for Best Director in the ContentAsia Awards 2024, about her Sky Films’ miniseries for streaming platform, Vidio.

Sky Films’ Indonesian crime drama, Cinta Pertama Ayah (Amara’s First Love), is the story of Amara, whose perfect life is shattered on the night of her friend’s birthday when she survives a sexual attack. Her father, Darma, will do whatever it takes to ensure justice is served. Yasmin Napper stars as Amara opposite Teuku Rifnu Wikana (Impetigore) as Darma.

Hadrah Daeng Ratu

Rianti Cartwright plays her mother, Kemala, with Dwi Sasono and Ersa Mayori as Reza and Nabila, the parents of Stefan (Ahmad Al Ghazali) and Suzie (Chelsea Shania).

Cinta Pertama Ayah ran from January to March 2024 on Indonesia’s

What inspired you to work on a project with such difficult themes? “We

top streaming platform, Vidio, sparking lively debate over its portrayal of

took our inspiration from the many cases of sexual harassment against

taboo topics, sensitive social issues and the high-emotion brought to lo-

young women that frequently occur in Indonesia. Many female victims

cal screens. Local reviewers talked about the power of the online com-

do not dare to speak up and many rape cases are still often overlooked

munity and social sanctions that kick in if the legal system fails, as well as

by authorities. This series dares to demand that justice must be upheld.

the deep impact left on the entire family, including siblings – in this case

Our story shows that the most important thing a victim needs is a strong

a younger sister played by Nurra Datau – by traumatic situations.

support system from those closest to her. The story idea developed into

Indonesian filmmaker, Hadrah Daeng Ratu, nominated for Best Direc-

a synopsis and scenario together with the producer and scriptwriter –

tor of a Scripted TV Programme for Cinta Pertama Ayah in this year’s

and it kept evolving. Even during the workshop process with the actors,

ContentAsia Awards, talks about the eight-episode drama...

there were intense discussions to strengthen the story further.”

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Cinta Pertama Ayah

It is important to show how crucial the development of a support system for rape victims is.

Hopefully, if there is another opportunity to discuss this issue, I can delve deeper into the concept of ‘surviving’ deep trauma and the process of ‘healing’. Everyone needs hope in their life.”

Hadrah Daeng Ratu, Director, Cinta Pertama Ayah

The project deals with many sensitive subjects – was this an obstacle to production? “The most challenging aspect was how to present a deep sense of trauma so that the audience could truly feel what a victim has experienced and understand how it affects entire families. It was important for us that the audience becomes more empathetic and aware.

Thankfully, the results met our expectations as filmmakers. The acting performances of the father (Teuku Rifnu Wikana) and the child (Yasmin Napper) were really well received by the audience. There were many tears, and some were even swept away by the story.”

What kind of impact did it have locally in Indonesia? “Rape victims desperately need support from various parties to heal from their trauma and continue living. Wrong and unwise comments, as well as stigmas, can have fatal consequences for the victim and the victim’s family.”

How did you decide on the look and feel of the show, and what role did it play in telling the story? “From the very beginning of my involvement, the audiovisual concept came about naturally. The visuals have an intentionally intimidating feel, along with surreal elements, because we can never truly know how the victim feels and thinks. We tried to represent their emotions and how they relate to others and situations during the post-traumatic syndrome process. The technical choices that support these visuals – such as lens selection, colour tone, and even sound design – were all carefully considered in the film.”

Cinta Pertama Ayah was one of the most-watched series on Vidio when it launched. What do you think resonated most with audiences? “There

What was the most rewarding part of working on this project? “It is

could be many reasons. It could be the chemistry between the actors

important to show how crucial the development of a support system for

or because of the issues presented in the story. In the case of Cinta

rape victims is. Hopefully, if there is another opportunity to discuss this

Pertama Ayah, I think the popularity was down to the story, the strong

issue, I can delve deeper into the concept of “surviving” deep trauma

performances of the actors and the interesting visual concept.”

and the process of “healing”. Everyone needs hope in their life.”

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contentasia december 2024

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Boyhood

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Remember when...

Korean drama Boyhood builds bridges between past and present in the story of a boy in a time before social media when life may have been more simple but had a violence of its own. Director Lee Myoungwoo speaks about The Studio M production for streaming platform, Coupang Play.

From the comedy-action hit The Fiery Priest to One Ordinary Day, director Lee Myung-woo has earned praise for his talent in creating unique comedic characters and skilfully balancing artistic quality with mainstream appeal. Most recently, Lee brought Korea’s nostalgic 1980s Chungcheong Province to life in Boyhood,, a project that secured him Silver at the ContentAsia Awards (Best Director of a Scripted TV Programme). The series is about Jang Byeong-tae, a socially awkward boy who is mistakenly recognised as White Tiger, the best fighter in town, on his first day at Buyeo Agricultural High School.

What was the main inspiration behind Boyhood? “Boyhood is inspired by my personal experiences from the late 1980s. As Seoul successfully hosted the Olympics in 1988, it gained global recognition, becoming a symbol of national pride. However, life in small provincial towns, far from the bustling capital, was quite different. This project aims to evoke nostalgia for those who lived through that time and offer a fresh perspective to younger generations who did not. By focusing on the lives of those in an analogue world, Boyhood seeks to portray the most ordinary yet relatable stories, bridging past and present through its narrative.”

Walk us through your creative process from the initial concept to the final product... “Conversations Conversations about school days often include the phrase, ‘At least I wasn’t someone who got beaten up by others’. During that era, the primary worry was not about whether someone else was violent, but whether you yourself were being targeted. The fear of violence was pervasive, and there were no effective systems or individuals to address it cleanly.

“The central theme of Boyhood is violence, focusing on the protagonist’s journey to overcome it. As the director, I wanted to avoid making the series overly heavy due to its serious subject matter. Instead, I aimed to present the story in an enjoy-

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contentasia december 2024 content

Yim Si-wan and Kang Hye-won in Boyhood

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able and light-hearted manner through comedic techniques, while still

recognisable rather than relying on lengthy explanations. I needed

addressing the theme of how we should confront and address violence.”

viewers to easily grasp who the characters were and support the protagonist’s journey. My approach involved boldly exaggerating certain

Period dramas are never without their challenges… “We paid meticu-

aspects of the characters while grounding the rest in genuine, realistic

lous attention to props, costumes, hairstyles and music to create a

emotions. They were intended to resemble people that might en-

visually engaging experience. My artistic aim was to craft a series with

counter in everyday life, while infusing them with exaggerated, almost

visual pleasure.

cartoonish elements. My goal was for viewers to see themselves in the

“One other challenge was ensuring that the comedy genre would

protagonist and think, ‘That’s my story!’”

resonate with a broad audience, especially given its predominantly male-centric narrative. We were concerned about how to engage

The visual style is also distinctive… “The series, set in the 1980s, aimed

female viewers and whether the audience might be too limited.

to capture the era’s vibrancy and modernity. While the decade might

“We focused on making Byeong-tae, the main character, compel-

now seem like a faded photograph, for those who lived through it, it

ling while also highlighting the importance of the love stories involving

was a period of vivid colour and innovation. To reflect this, I directed

female leads Seon-hwa, whose relationship with Byeong-tae ends in

both the director of photography and the art director to use the most

failure, and Ji-young, who supports him yet remains unnoticed.”

vibrant colours possible. A period series does not have to be dull; rather, I aimed to create a visually dynamic presentation.”

It has been almost a year since the show first aired in Korea. What has been the most surprising or gratifying reaction from the audience?

Are there any elements or lessons from this project that you plan to

“Since the show premiered, there has been a noticeable surge in the

carry forward into your future work? “This project has been a significant

popularity of the Chungcheong dialect among the public. In restau-

growth experience for me as a director. Most importantly, by shifting fo-

rants, people have been discussing episodes of Boyhood, and in bars,

cus from relying on star power to emphasising the strength of the story,

many have been mimicking the unique toast phrases used by the high

content and quality, I’ve reaffirmed my belief that exceptional work

school characters. Social media has also been inundated with content

can be created through these elements.”

imitating the Chungcheong dialect and scenes from the series.

More generally, I believe it has encouraged viewers to reconsider violence, both in schools and within society at large.”

Looking back on this journey, what is your biggest takeaway and what’s next for you? “Despite the risks, the experience has been invaluable.

Currently, I am working on a new romantic comedy series set to air next

Many of the characters are highly complex and distinctive. How did

year, focusing on a storyline designed for multiple seasons. We’re also

you develop them? “I focused on making their traits immediately

trying our best to develop Season 2 of Boyhood soon.”

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Lee Thean-jeen on the set of 128 Circle

Circle of life

Singapore drama 128 Circle, by Weiyu Films for Mediacorp, is a slice of life story that sidesteps highconcepts in favour of real people with relatable lives in authentic situations. Lee Thean-jeen, director of all three seasons, talks about the series.

In the first season of Singapore drama 128 Circle, a group of veteran

one of the toughest creative decisions involved whether to put our

street-food vendors fight to save their cherished food centre from clos-

characters through a year of Covid-19 when many shows produced

ing. In the second season, they navigate the challenges of COVID,

during that period tried to play it down. We decided to keep it real.

keeping their business and sanity intact. In the latest season, these

With 128 Circle, the approach and style were based on quiet observa-

hawkers face their toughest challenge yet: Gen Z. ContentAsia talks to

tion – letting the characters and the story shine, without anything else

director Lee Thean-jeen about maintaining the momentum in this multi-

getting in the way. If you thought the situations unfolding were for real,

lingual drama.

then we did our job.”

What was the starting point for 128 Circle? “We wanted to create some-

Can you share how you approached the development of your charac-

thing that portrayed life in Singapore in an authentic way. Something

ters, and what you hoped to convey through them? “We drew inspira-

that was inclusive and represented the diversity of the social fabric, the

tion from real life. The characters embody traits and personalities of

antithesis to a high-concept show with dragons and dead bodies. The

people we knew, loved, loathed and observed. We also gave the ac-

hawker centre, where 128 Circle is set, is a melting pot where you’ll see

tors the freedom to play it real. And now, I am not even sure where the

Singaporeans – and visitors – from all walks of life and backgrounds. So,

character ends and the actor begins. Which is really great.”

it felt like a natural location to set the show and originate the characters and stories.”

Ratings for 128 Circle season three have continually grown. What do you think this says about the popularity of this kind of drama in Sin-

Walk us through your creative process... “Our basic tenet has been to

gapore? “I think viewers see a little of themselves and their lives in the

keep it real. And that permeates the process, from conceptualising, to

characters, and the situations they face. There’s a lot of great program-

the writing and to the way the show is shot and even post-produced.

ming out there, and it’s nice to see that a slice-of-life drama about

We produced our second season in the midst of the pandemic, and

ordinary people trying to get through the day can resonate.”

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Duan Weiming as Larry in 128 Circle

We drew inspiration from real life. The characters embody traits and personalities of people we knew, loved, loathed and observed.

We also gave the actors the freedom to play it real.

And now, I am not even sure where the character ends and the actor begins, which is really great.”

Lee Thean-jeen, Director, 128 Circle

What has been the most surprising or gratifying reaction from the audience since season three aired at the beginning of this year? “We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the engagement that clips from the show have achieved on social media – with some of them clocking millions of views. Responses didn’t only come from Singapore, but from around the region as well. What’s interesting is how viewers relate the experiences of our characters with their own, and discuss and debate them online, blurring the line between fiction and reality. In fact, some of this has inspired us to create storylines in the show.”

What were some of the biggest obstacles you encountered during the production, and how did you overcome them? “One of the more

Are there any elements or lessons from this project that you plan to

interesting challenges with a show set in a hawker centre was actually

carry forward into your future work? What’s next on the horizon for you?

filming in a hawker centre. It’s hot, noisy and not the most conducive

“128 Circle Season 3 afforded us the opportunity to do some pioneering

location for actors and a film crew to spend 12 hours a day for weeks

work in Virtual Production, which we intend to build upon for future proj-

on end alongside actual hawkers who are trying to eke out a living. In

ects. We are in development on a show that is at the other end of the

season two, the production migrated to a studio set which was custom-

spectrum as it can be from a contemporary slice-of-life drama about

built to replicate the design of the hawker centre. And in season three,

ordinary people. It’s really exciting, but that’s about all I can say about

we incorporated virtual production techniques.”

it at the moment.”

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Enigma

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Puzzle master Thai drama Enigma balanced romance, horror, coming-of-age, drama, fantasy, action and more.

Thai director Patha “O” Thongpan – nominated in the ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best Director category – talks about the most challenging project of his career so far, as well as moving into his first second season ever.

Thai director, writer and producer Patha (aka O) Thongpan’s Enigma caps a career that has ranged from horror, mystery and thrillers to comedy and romance, including directing high-profile shows like F4

Patha Thongpan

Thailand: Boys Over Flowers and The Gifted. The four-episode Enigma season one, which won Thongpan a ContentAsia Awards’ nomination for Best Director this year, aired on GMM25 and Prime Video. The super-

Enigma season one aired on Prime Video as well as GMM25 in Thailand.

natural thriller, produced by GMMTV and Parbdee Tawesuk, delves into

Were you happy with its performance? “We received very satisfying

mysterious events at a prestigious high school where a diligent 12th-

ratings and viewership numbers, not just in Thailand but in many other

grade student becomes suspicious of a new substitute teacher. The

countries. Of course, this type of drama is quite unique and far from

horror mystery continues with Enigma 2, which started filming this month.

mainstream, so it didn’t become a massive hit everywhere. But we’re happy to see more people willing to explore this genre, and it’s great to

How do you feel about returning to a project with a supernatural story-

see Thailand becoming more open to new and different styles of work.”

line? “Actually, the subject of black magic is a common theme in Thai productions. However, we didn’t think that anyone had successfully

What were your biggest challenges on Enigma? “Budget is always a

made a modern and relevant take on it. It was really fun to explore

big issue in the Thai series industry, especially when we aim to meet

and, as I hadn’t directed horror since ThirTEEN Terrors almost 10 years

international standards. The only way to overcome this is to focus

ago, I felt it was time to dive back into something exciting like this.

on creating the most perfect script possible – maintaining suspense

Growing up with Japanese anime, much of my signature style is rooted

throughout the entire story. It also required a precise and efficient

in that. So, I had a lot of fun creating cool spells and grand, spectacular

shooting process with no unnecessary shots. Preparation was more

visuals. I wanted the project to feel like a superhero movie, where the

than usual, but it was worth it. This project turned out to be one of the

villain is just as compelling as the hero – like Batman.”

most challenging in my career.”

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Metawin Opas-iamkajorn (below) and Chanikarn Tangkabodee in Enigma

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Budget is always a big issue in the Thai series industry, especially when we aim to meet international standards.”

genres. This show had to balance romance, horror, coming-ofage, drama, fantasy, action, and more.”

What learnings are you taking from season one into the new season? “The detailed groundwork laid in season one has made the process

Patha “O” Thongpan, Director, Enigma

of setting up the next project much smoother. Now, it’s just

What has been the most surprising or gratifying audience reaction?

about adding exciting new flavours to

“I’ve been incredibly touched by the global response and the in-depth

the mix. The goal for both me and the team

reviews. Reading detailed analyses always brings me joy because it

at Parbdee Tawesuk is to keep pushing boundaries. This experience

shows that our work not only entertained people but also made them

has made us more confident and excited to take on more new and

think deeply and interpret the story in their own way. It reminds me of my

creative challenges. Season two is a really intense project. This is my first

film school days, analysing great movies with friends. It surprised me just

time working on a second season, and while we have a bigger bud-

how many strangers approached me, telling me how much they loved

get, the ambition has grown several times over, making many aspects

Enigma and are eagerly awaiting season two. It makes my heart swell!”

extremely challenging. However, it’s an exciting new door to open, allowing us to build on the original work, retain its charm, and create

How did you decide on the look and feel of the show? “We wanted

an even more thrilling world with new challenges for the characters to

something spectacular and fresh, balancing horror and cool elements

face.”

like in anime or superhero movies. We put a lot of thought into colors and tones, especially when blending Thai black magic with a more

As a director, what are your biggest takeaways from the Enigma experi-

international style. It was important that the magic didn’t feel out-

ence? “What I’m most proud of is seeing the team break through their

dated but also didn’t look too Western, like witchcraft, so a lot of effort

own limitations. We pushed some of the younger, less experienced

went into framing the shots, placing the props, and setting the light-

crew to become true professionals who won awards for their work. I’m

ing. Essentially, it was about problem-solving for a project with a mix of

incredibly happy about that.”

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Fajar Martha Santosa

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Street cred Sidharta Tata and Fajar Martha Santosa drew on lived experience on the streets of Jogja to create the world of Pertaruhan. The two directors, who also have writer credits on the series – talk about layering gambling and loans onto the story of a family struggling to survive in a chaotic world.

Indonesian action drama, Pertaruhan The Series 2, was one of

How did the project evolve from season one to

streaming platform Vidio’s top performing original titles last

Season two? “The driving force behind the creative

year. The second season picked up the story where the first

process was the Penekawan development team,

season left off, with Elzan risking everything to defend his family

which we are both a part of. At the end of Perta-

home against a bank’s attempts to confiscate their property and

ruhan Season 1, we wondered where will we take

ruin their lives. As part of ContentAsia Awards’ director’s focus, series’ directors Sidharta Tata and Fajar Martha Santosa – who

Elzan and his family next? What kind of world will they explore? From there, our idea evolved. If Pertaruhan is a story about a family struggling to survive in

both also have writer credits on the show – explain

a chaotic world, what other chaos

why they returned to explore more of Indo-

could they encounter? The con-

nesia’s criminal underworld.

cept of exploring gambling and What originally inspired you to portray

loans then emerged. We then

this side of Indonesia? “We both have

discussed this with Vidio and

quite a bit of experience being on

Screenplay, and the story

the streets. We grew up in an area

developed further by adding

known for thuggery, gambling, and

new characters and events.”

city gangs in Jogja (Yogyakarta), Indonesia. However, unlike Ja-

Pertaruhan The Series 2

karta, Jogja mixes a rich culture

had two million unique

with gangster life that creates

views in its first month

its own unique characteristics.

on Vidio – making it

This allowed us to honestly

one of the most suc-

reconstruct the basic concept

cessful series ever on the platform. What

behind Pertaruhan.”

does this say about

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Sidharta Tata

contentasia december 2024

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Pertaruhan The Series 2

the popularity of this kind of

Social media was ablaze when the

drama in Indonesia? “That’s

show aired. What was your reaction?

a very difficult question and

“Believe me, we were all surprised by

there are many possibilities.

this. Some even held watch parties or

We were also quite surprised

created cosplay content on their social

by the number of views and

media accounts. The cast? They were

so we tried to analyse it further.

even shocked when praise or criticism

We think it comes down to three

landed in their private messages from fans

things. Action that is as realistic as

who were so passionate about the charac-

possible and performed without stunt

ters they portrayed.”

doubles. Straightforward dialogue, using everyday language and common cursewords that are often heard in real life. And a brand of straightforward and surprising comedy that fuses the ac-

What kind of impact has the series had on local culture? “Hopefully we’ve given viewers a renewed sense of confidence in local, homegrown TV content.”

tion and script.”

How did you decide on the look and feel of the show, and what role What were the challenges in making this sequel? “There were certainly

did it play in telling the story? “Pertaruhan has three main elements:

many challenges. First, we had to find a setting that could represent the

action, drama and comedy. These aspects decided how the visu-

world of Pertaruhan. So, we had to shoot in three cities: Jogja, Semarang

als would work. We often chose to use fast-panning camera move-

and Kendal. It required a lot of energy to find locations, and move from

ments during fight or comedy scenes to create a surprising effect. Or

place to place during filming. Next, introducing new characters was

slow track-in shots when we needed an emotional atmosphere and

extremely challenging. Even determining how important they were for

wanted the actor to appear distressed.”

the story’s development – were they merely tools in the story? Or could they drive the narrative? Actually, we never really worried about whether

What are the main lessons that you’ve learned from this project?

this sequel would be better or worse. Wow…that sentence sounds so light

“We learned that working with a crew and cast who share the same

today, doesn’t it? Haha. But that’s how it was. At that time, we believed

understanding creates a pleasant working atmosphere, which directly

that we were all servants of the story. So, we served the story.”

impacts the results. It all starts with fostering a collaborative environment. Recently, we worked on a thriller series and, yes, that method proved to be highly effective.”

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contentasia december 2024

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“I like biopics with a little tadka” ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best Director, Tushar Hiranandani, talks to Vanita Kohli-Khandekar about a career that pretty much kicked off when the clapper boy fell ill.

ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best Director Tushar Hiranandani’s filmography

“immersing viewers in an eye-opening tale of ambition, corruption

suggests a person who is, at heart, a journalist who ventured into feature

and power”.

films. Yet he made his name writing successful comedies such as Masti

The ContentAsia Awards Jury clearly agreed, voting for Hiranandani

(now a franchise with three films), Housefull (2 and 4) and Half Girlfriend.

for his treatment of this rich subject matter, his attention to detail and

Applause Entertainment’s Scam 2003: The Telgi Story with Studio

production design, his ability to bring characters and their journeys to

Next for SonyLIV was Hiranandani’s first streaming series as director.

life, and creating an environment where viewers become so heavily

The show chronicles the life of Abdul Telgi, who orchestrated India’s

invested in the main character.

biggest counterfeit stamp paper scam, worth Rp30,000 crore/

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar talked to the Mumbai-based director about being bad at studies, his best friends, cold-calling director Hansal Mehta, the time Indra Kumar threw him out, and how he made his

US$3.8 billion.

The Telgi scam exposed

way back and up.

deep-seated corruption in India’s political and

Your father, Ashok Hiranandani, was a film distributor. What attracted

bureaucratic corri-

you to writing and directing? “My dad lost our house somewhere in

dors of power.

the late 1980s, early 1990s. In those days distributors put in their own

Applause

money. For me the fun part of growing up was going to the pre-

Entertain-

mieres of the films he distributed – Nikaah (1982), Toofan (1989),

ment says

Pathar Ke Phool (1991)... Since I am dyslexic I was bad at studies.

the TV series

It meant spending a lot of time at home playing cricket and watching

recreates the

films. Movies were my best friends. When we lost everything we shifted

vibrant tapestry of the 1990s,

As a writer you create heroes. But in real life there are so many wonderful unsaid stories that excite me.

I cry, laugh, clap, if that happens, it is a story I want to do.”

Tushar Hiranandani, Director, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story

46

contentasia december 2024

S

U

FO C

Scam 2003: The Telgi Story

to a one-room home in Jogeshwari (in the Western suburbs of Mumbai).

leased in October 2020, I watched it in one night. And early in the

“Dad had produced Indra Kumar’s first Gujarati film. Kumar gave

morning, I called Hansal Mehta (the director) to rave about the show.

me a job as assistant director (AD). My task was to get cigarettes and

He didn’t know me. I kept in touch with him. Later on in June 2021 he

stuff for people... When the clapper boy fell ill, I was allowed on the

offered me Scam 2003: The Telgi Story.”

set. Over three years of working as an AD on several films I learned so much about camera angles, lenses, about shooting.

Scam 2003, Saand Ki Aankh and now Srikanth... Are you becoming the

“When Kumar was launching his third film, I had just seen Dil Chahta

biopic man? “As a writer you create heroes. But in real life there are so

Hai (2001, a cult film that defined a generation). I told him it was time

many wonderful unsaid stories that excite me. I cry, laugh, clap, if that

for something different and he threw me out. Eventually, just when I

happens, it is a story I want to do. Srikanth Bolla (the visually-impaired

was about to write a film for Milaap Zaveri, Kumar called me. And I

businessman on whom Hiranandani based his second film) fobbed

narrated the film to all of them; they laughed. That is how Masti (Fun,

me off for long. But eventually his partner, Ravi Mantha, invited me to

2004, the first film he wrote) was born.”

spend three days following him around in Hyderabad. Srikanth said he had given the rights to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (maker of Rang De

How did you move to directing? “I always wanted to become a direc-

Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, among other movies). Eventually

tor. When I got married in 2011, Nidhi (his wife, Nidhi Parmar) didn’t like

both Ravi and Srikanth were keen that I do the film; they got the rights

what I wrote. But I enjoyed the process of writing. I had nine hits and

back from Mehra.”

was among the highest paid writers. In the same year, I saw an episode of Satyamev Jayate (a Star TV show hosted by Aamir Khan) which fea-

You don’t write your own films? “No. Things have changed so much. And

tured Chandro and Prakashi Tomar (the octogenarian sisters-in-law

writers like Sumit (Purohit), Jagdeep (Siddhu), Karan Vyas know that I like

who learned to shoot in their 60s and went on to win several national

biopics with a little tadka (zingy tempering). (Sumit and Jagdeep wrote

championships. Chandro died in 2021). It made me cry. And that is

Srikanth; Karan wrote Scam 2003) Also Bhushan (Kumar, MD of T-Series

how Saand Ki Aankh, my first film as a director, was born. Nidhi said she

and Srikanth producer), doesn’t interfere. He gave us a free hand.”

would produce it (under Chalk N Cheese Productions, a banner the couple co-owns). Then we met Anurag Kashyap (filmmaker and then

What are you working on now? “We (Chalk N Cheese) are producing

co-founder of Phantom Films) at a wedding and he said he will pro-

a Marathi film for Zee, based on true events. There three films in the

duce it. Reliance Entertainment had 50% of Phantom then and they got

pipeline.”

involved. Saand Ki Aankh released in October 2019. It didn’t do well but got a lot of respect and brought me several offers from OTT.” Then Covid happened... “I had spent so much money buying this

This interview first appeared in ContentAsia’s October/November

house, we had just had our son and at one point I was writing six films.

2024 edition and is reprinted here as part of our

And suddenly there was no work for two years. When Scam 1992 re-

ContentAsia Awards’ focus on the Asia’s best directors.

48

contentasia december 2024

Million Dollar Listing India, NBCUniversal Formats / Sony LIV formatsoutlook

Formats in Asia: 9M 2024 Asia’s formats environment has changed dramatically in the past three years. The response, industry leaders say, is flexibility, collaboration and to solve for different problems. Plus a breakdown of formats in the region from January to September 2024.

If Vietnam recorded the most formats by volume in the first nine months of this year, India took the headline lead in the last quarter, capped at the end October with the announcement that Goldie Behl’s Rose Audio Visuals and global indie All3Media International were working on an Indian version of Studio Lambert’s unscripted series, Buy it Now. The show, a departure for Rose Audio Visuals, known for its scripted productions, focuses on “turning local inventions into national sensations”.

Rose Audio’s move into unknown territory could be seen as a sign of the times – a hunt for new opportunities and unexplored potential by everyone everywhere. “We see great potential in unscripted formats for Indian audiences… at a time when innovation and entrepreneurship are thriving across the country,” Rose Audio Visuals’ COO, Mitesh Patel, said when the deal was announced. The platform partners had not been announced at presstime.

Akhirnya Datang Juga, Fremantle / GTV

The Buy It Now pick-up announcement coincided with the premiere

first Asian version of The Traitors, also from All3Media International. The

of Asia’s first adaptation of NBCUniversal Formats’ Million Dollar Listing.

unscripted series, which involves 20 players competing for a cash prize

The real estate reality series debuted on 25 October on Indian streamer

in a game of trust and deception, will stream on Prime Video India in

Sony LIV. In another sign of the times, the unscripted real estate format

Hindi with English subtitles in 2025. Karan Johar hosts the India version,

is produced by sometimes-rival-often friend, Banijay Asia, which is forg-

currently in production by BBC Studios India Productions led by Sameer

ing new domestic and regionals paths out of its Mumbai HQ for both

Gogate, GM, BBC Studios India Productions.

originals and formats.

The India hat-trick kicked off in the second half of September with the

50

The three high-profile announcements are consistent with the vibrant and ongoing interest in unscripted formats in Asia.

contentasia december 2024

formatsoutlook

Your Honor, Yes Studios/KT Genie TV

Game shows 27%

Drama 23%

Singing 19.5% social experiment, business, dating, Street Woman Fighter Vietnam Vietnam, CJ ENM Korea / HTV7

fashion/beauty, factual, talent, romance, dancing and improvised comedy.

For the first nine months of 2024, unscripted titles outstripped scripted by

Game shows in the first

91 to 27, according to ContentA-

nine months of this year

sia’s Formats Outlook. Of the total

accounted for 27% (32

118 format adaptations recorded

titles) while drama series

to end September, 53 (45%)

made up 23% (27 titles),

were reality shows. Of these, 23

according to Conten-

titles involved singing, cooking,

tAsia’s Formats Outlook for January to September 2024.

Cooking 6%

Social experiment 5%

Variety 3%

SINGING Come January 2025, Singapore joins the ranks of highprofile singing shows with the

Dating 2.5% Talent 2%

Fashion/ beauty 2.5%

Business Reality 2.5%

Factual Reality 2.5%

first version of Korean singing-related game show format, I Can See Your Voice. The mystery music show, produced by Medi-

Music 2%

acorp Studios, premieres in January. The commission, announced in mid-2024, brings to an end Singapore’s dry

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/ seasons either on air or commissioned in January–September 2024 by broadcasters/ platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of October 2024, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 9M 2024

52

Romance 1%

Improvised comedy 1%

Dancing 1%

spell of big-brand international song-formats that persisted for almost two decades. The last singing-related international format aired in Singapore was Singapore Idol, which premiered in 2004 and returned for a

contentasia december 2024

formatsoutlook

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/seasons either on air or commissioned in January–September 2024 by broadcasters/platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of October 2024, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 9M 2024

Other 12%

Vietnam 16%

second season in 2006.

CJ ENM’s I Can See Your favourite across SouthThailand are both on season seven, and the Philippines is on season eight.

Vietnam also retains a strong appetite for multiple seasons of big-brand properties, including

Banijay Rights’ Million Dol-

Cambodia 4%

Voice is a long-running east Asia. Malaysia and

commissioned by VTV8; and lar Minute Vietnam season nine, locally known as Mot tram trieu mot phut,

Sri Lanka 4% Malaysia 5% Indonesia 6%

by VTV3.

Game shows made up 37% of the total 19

Thailand 14%

Formats by country 9M 2024

formats in the country during the first nine months of this year.

Mongolia recorded six game show

versions of ITV Studios’ The Voice.

For the nine months to end September 2024,

titles (on par with real-

Korea 6%

ity formats), out of a

Mongolia 12%

Vietnam also had the most singing formats.

Four titles were commissioned/underway/on-air of a total of nine reality formats reported. These

Philippines 9%

included The Voice Kids Vietnam season

the first nine months of this year.

Titles included All3Media International’s Cash At Your Door

India 11%

eight; Beautiful Sisters Riding Waves from China’s Mango TV; and two seasons of Singer Auction Vietnam

total 14 formats during

Mongolia season four for Edutainment TV and Cash Cab Mongolia for NTV; Spelling Star season three from Banijay Rights, commissioned by Edutainment TV; and Fremantle’s Family Feud Mongolia for Star TV and Total

Vietnam

19

Thailand

16

Mongolia

14

India

14

Sri Lanka recorded three singing formats each during the

Philippines

11

mantle’s Family Feud Thailand for The One Enterprise

same period.

Korea

7

(One31); and NBCUniversal Formats’ Hollywood Game

Indonesia

7

Night Thailand season seven, commissioned by BEC World (Channel 3).

(seasons five and six) from NBCUniversal Formats. All four were commissioned by state-owned free-TV broadcast network, Vietnam Television (VTV3).

Elsewhere in the region, Mongolia, the Philippines and

Mongolia’s pick-ups included Banijay Rights’ Killer Karaoke Mongolia season one, commissioned by free-TV

Malaysia

6

channel Central TV, and Your Face Sounds Familiar Mon-

Sri Lanka

5

golia season seven greedlit by Edutainment TV; and ITV

Source: ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook

Studios’ The Voice Kids Mongolia season one for free-TV service, Mongol TV. In the Philippines, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook

Black Out Mongolia season three for Edutainment TV. Thailand was third, with four titles – First and Last Thailand seasons seven and eight from Banijay Rights for Bangkok Broadcasting & TV (BBTV Channel 7); Fre-

SCRIPTED Thailand ended September in the scripted lead, with seven titles commissioned/on-air by platforms operating locally, followed by India with five and Korea with four titles.

counted three singing formats, all from ITV Studios – The Voice Kids Phil-

In Thailand, drama adaptations included TV Tokyo’s Cherry Magic,

ippines seasons six/seven and The Voice Teens Philippines season three.

itself a remake of the Japanese drama Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Vir-

Similarly in Sri Lanka, all three singing formats were from ITV Studios –

ginity Can Make You a Wizard?!, about Kiyoshi Adachi, a 30-year-old vir-

The Voice Generations Sri Lanka season two, The Voice Kids Sri Lanka

gin who gains a magical power that allows him to read people’s minds

season one, The Voice of Sri Lanka season three. All were commissioned

by touching them; CJ ENM Korea’s medical drama Emergency Couple;

by the Capital Maharaja Group’s MTV Channels.

romcom Familiar Wife Thailand; thriller Law-less; and Good Doctor Thailand from Korea’s KBS Media for TrueVisions (TrueID), which premiered in

GAME SHOWS

October and runs to December. Emergency Couple, Familiar Wife Thai-

Game show adaptations reigned in Vietnam, Mongolia and Thailand.

land and Law-less are also part of the True offering.

Vietnam recorded seven adaptations, including local remakes of CJ

India was second to Thailand with five drama titles, including season

ENM Korea’s My Boyfriend is Better, commissioned by FPT Play; All3Media

four of Criminal Justice from BBC Studios for Disney+ Hotstar; Aarya sea-

International’s Beat the Internet Vietnam and Cash Cab Vietnam, both

son three from Banijay Rights for Disney+ Hotstar; and All3Media Interna-

54

contentasia december 2024

tional’s The Tourist, which was announced in July 2024 in a Reality Dating 6%

deal with Banijay Asia.

Banijay Asia, which has been behind local adapta-

Reality Singing 6% Game Show 25%

Variety 29%

tions of The Night Manager, The Trial (The Good Wife) and Call My Agent Bollywood, says it chose The Tourist because of its “unique blend of mystery and

Reality Cooking 19%

Formats by genre Korea 9M 2024

suspense”.

Formats by genre Thailand 9M 2024

The latest deal brings The Tourist, about an Irishman who wakes up in an Australian hospital with am-

Drama 57%

Music 14%

nesia after a car crash, to Asia for the first time, and, although second to Thailand in volume in 2024, is likely to be in the lead in budget and scale.

Drama 44%

From 2017 to the end of 2023, India had adapted upwards of 220 international formats, including 66 drama adapReality Reality - Talent Romance 5.3% 5.3% Reality Dancing 5.3%

tations, giving the genre an average 30% share of India’s formats market. Thirteen of the 29 titles adapted in 2023 were drama series, including Kafas (The Forge’s Dark Money), Good Doctor India, Rana Naidu (Ray Donovan) season two, and Tanaav (Fauda) season two, according to ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook.

Korea ranked third behind Thailand and India for scripted formats, accounting for four titles: Tell Me That You Love Me, based on 1995 Japanese TV series Aishiteiru to Itte Kure from TBS Japan, commissioned

by Studio Genie/ENA; Family by Choice, a remake of the Chinese title Go Ahead from Huace Film & TV, for JTBC Studios/SLL; romcom Love Undercover, adapted

Reality Cooking 5.3% Reality Business 5.3%

Reality Singing 21%

Game Show 36.8%

Formats by genre Vietnam 9M 2024

Music 5.3%

Formats by genre Mongolia 9M 2024

Game Show 43%

Reality Factual 21%

Drama 5.3% Variety 5.3% Reality - Singing 21.1%

Drama 14%

Source: ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook

55

formatsoutlook

Good Doctor Thailand, KBS Media/TrueID

Drama 27.30%

Reality Singing 27.27%

Reality Singing 17% Drama 33%

Reality Singing 28.57%

Philippines 9M 2024

Indonesia 9M 2024

Game Show 9.10% Reality - Social Experiment 18.18%

Game Show 42.90%

Malaysia 9M 2024

Reality Improvised comedy 14.29%

Reality - Fashion/Beauty 18.18%

Game Show 50%

Reality - Dating 14.29%

from Turkish series Ruhun Duymaz from Inter Medya; and Your Honor, a

version – Na me les mama (Call me Mom) – giving the series its 11th in-

remake of Israel’s Kovodo from Yes Studios for KT Genie TV.

ternational adaptation and cementing the Japanese drama series as

The four drama adaptations in Korea accounted for the majority of

Asia’s #1 scripted export.

the country’s total format count for the first nine months of this year.

The others are two seasons of variety show Saturday Night Live Korea

BY COUNTRY

(seasons four and five) from NBCUniversal Formats; and one music show,

At least 118 adaptations were commissioned, underway or on air in Asia

Tiny Desk Korea, a remake of Tiny Desk Concert from NPR, brokered by

in the first nine months of this year. Vietnam led with 19 titles (16%), fol-

Korea’s Something Special.

lowed by Thailand with 16 titles (14%) and Mongolia with 14 titles (12%).

In Japan, Mother, about a teacher who impulsively abducts a young student she knows is being abused by her own mother, is the gift that keeps on giving for Japanese free-TV broadcaster, Nippon TV. A Philippines’ version – Saving Grace – is on its way in 2025 in an adaptation by ABS-CBN/Dreamscape. Julia Montes stars in the local version, which is Dreamscape’s first adaptation of a Nippon TV show. In Asia, Mother has also been adapted in Korea, Thailand, China and Mongolia. In October this year, Nippon TV said Greece’s Alpha TV had commissioned a Greek

56

Of Vietnam’s 19 adaptations, nine were reality and seven were game shows, with one each for variety, drama and music.

Thailand’s16 adaptations involved seven dramas, five reality shows, and four game shows.

India recorded 14 titles (seven reality, five drama, and two game shows) from January to September 2024.

Mongolia reported a total of 14 adaptations (6 reality, 6 game shows, 2 drama) for the first nine months of this year.

contentasia december 2024

@caracolTvIntl caracolinternacional.com

The Philippines reported 11 adaptations (seven reality,

company’s acquisition of high-end drama companies over

three drama and one game show), while Sri Lanka had

the past seven years. This has run alongside higher market demand. “In Asia, where obviously local content

five (three reality shows and two game shows) for the first nine months of this year.

AND NOW WHAT...

Reality Social Experiment 29%

In the current environment and with all the

Drama 36%

and therefore, I think the mix of both made it the perfect timing for us to grow that business

India 9M 2024

uncertainty media companies are facing, pro-

is key, demand for scripted series has increased,

here,” she says.

Speaking during the ContentAsia Summit in

ducers and platforms are hyper-focused on

Taiwan in September 2024, Duguet said All3Me-

reducing risk.

dia had sold 17 scripted formats in six or seven

“Formats is one of the answers. Not the only one, but one of the ways to reduce risk. That’s what we have been working on with our clients,” says All3Media International’s Asia Pacific EVP, Sabrina

Reality Singing 14%

territories across Asia in the past few years, with another 10 or so in development with various partReality Business 7%

Duguet.

Game Show 14%

ners. About 80% of these are crime/detective/thriller.

“It is something that we do a lot more of, but it also shows the demand of the market,” she said.

What’s not working is creating a show – or trying to – specifically for

Mrinalini Jain, group chief development officer for Banijay Asia &

an international market. “This sounds so obvious, but a show needs to

Endemol Shine India, points out an expected decline of about 20% in

have worked really well in one country,” Duguet says.

overall commissioning of content in India in 2024, from a total of 206

“I’m saying that because more and more we see people wanting to do formats to export. And yes, of course, we all want our formats to sell worldwide, but at the end of the day, when you create a show, it needs to work for your country,” she adds.

titles in 2023. As of June 2024, about 75 titles had been greenlit, with year-end numbers expected to end at 150.

Platform consolidation in India, with the number of buyers shrinking from 11 in the past year to about five, is the primary reason, Jain says.

Duguet says the formats industry is currently walking two distinct

“The consolidation of buyers and platforms has greatly impacted the

paths. One focuses on mega shows, the must-have already-proven

kind of decisions platforms will make towards the kind of content they

success. The other is what she calls the “comfort zone” – “sometimes

want to offer,” she says.

lower budget but a brand we know has worked, where we can do a bit more volume and recoup the investment across a lot of episodes”.

She adds that the rise in All3Media’s scripted profile has followed the

“It’s definitely a challenging time... I wouldn’t view it just from a formats perspective,” she adds.

In India, Banijay makes Big Brother in seven languages, Fear Fac-

57

formatsoutlook

Sabrina Duguet, All3Media International

tor, which has been ongoing for about 16 years, and MasterChef in three languages. “The ones that were there have stayed,” she says.

Big-brand, longrunning formats are perhaps faring better than new titles, with India’s free-toair channels favouring unscripted and SVOD services aligning with scripted.

The thinking is that high-profile shows, with big-name stars, writers and directors, are great for customer acquisition. In a slower market,

It has definitely been a challenging time... I wouldn’t view it from just a formats perspective... But I also think that this entire piece is evolving. The market is slowly shifting towards being okay with risk, at least in India.”

Mrinalini Jain, Group Chief Development Officer, Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India

this means fewer but bigger titles. “But what happens on retention?

What happens when the show is over? What do you entertain consumers with?” Jain asks.

Diversity remains key, she says. “Today, every viewer wants a unique experience... consumers are very hard to please.”

“But I do think that this entire piece is short lived and ever-evolving.

Jin Woo Hwang, founder and president of Something Special, Korea’s first independent agency specialising in formats, says the de-

I feel the market is slowly shifting towards being okay with the risk, at

crease in the overall number of format adaptations in Asia has been

least in India, saying that ‘okay, if nothing is working, what is the best

followed by spikes in countries like Japan, which is much more open to

we can do now?’ We just have to reinvent. We have to take the risk,”

format acquisitions now than it has been in the past. Hwang attributes

Jain says.

this to demand from streaming platforms.

58

contentasia december 2024

He also notes greater diversification in size, genre and subject of formats. This is the driver behind the Something Special slate, which ranges from Unforgettable Duet to Penthouse Game to comedy, dating shows, and scripted.

Unforgettable Duet is an original unscripted series that follows a dementia patient whose families gather mementos and a favourite song to help them recall the past. The show was created and produced

by Something Special and Eun-seol Mo (creator of Netflix’s Culinary Class War), and co-produced with Studio Rudolph. Penthouse Game, which aired on Channel A with a streaming window on Korean platform Wavve, is a reality game show featuring individuals going through financial difficulties. Chonjang Entertainment’s I am Single, which airs on ENA and SBS Plus, is a hyper-realistic dating show where 12 singles who desperately want to marry come to stay for six days.

Something Special also has international rights to Nmedia’s celebrity game show, Battle in the Box, which features two celebrity teams who, armed only with their toothbrushes, enter an empty box divided by a movable wall. Interstellar has an option for the U.S., following the successful production of the U.K. version this year on UK TV’s U&Dave TV.

There’s all this new, interesting YouTube content that’s exploding, and that makes regular TV formats challenging on many levels. These digital shows are short, they’re fun, they’re very easy to entertain and engage audiences.”

Linfield Ng, VP Formats Distribution and Production, NBCUniversal Formats

Even though Korea’s The Masked Singer was toppled from its spot as the world’s top format this year by The Traitors, Hwang says Korean formats “are still selling pretty well”. The market challenge, he

Duguet says the most difficult version of this is the co-creation of

adds, is coming up with a steady stream of new ideas, regardless of

a show. “You have two creative teams

local funding and budget issues.

from two different countries with two dif-

There’s no shortage of new ideas on digital/social media, says

ferent backgrounds trying to agree on

Linfield Ng, NBCUniversal Formats’ vice president, format distribution

creative... we can all agree this is a

and production, Asia.

nightmare”. She says what works better

He mentions YouTube shows like XYOB and Hong Seok Cheon’s Jewelry Box... “There’s all this new, interesting YouTube content that’s

creatively is for one of the partners to take the lead “a little more”.

exploding and that makes regular TV formats challenging on many

“All of us are thinking the same thing,”

levels. These digital shows are short, they’re fun, they’re very easy

Ng says. The new environment “forces us

to entertain and engage audiences, an audience these days with

to be so much more creative and flexible,

a very, very short attention span. If you’re not fun or interesting, you

creatively and commercially, on many

are just switched off.”

levels”.

At the same time, big brands still sell and major sponsors still gravitate towards these. For example, Top Chef and The Real Housewives... Beyond those, Ng does his best to find NBCU titles with particular resonance in specific markets and with particular partners in Asia. This led him to Singer Auction in Vietnam and photography competition, Master of Photography, in Mongolia.

Duguet agrees. “It’s not enough that a show is good for it to travel,” she says. “Every single decision along the way will have an impact.

Who are you going to collaborate with. Who is the best partner? One might be the best for one show, but the competitor will be the best for another show... it’s when knowing your client becomes everything.”

As difficult as these sometimes are, co-production and co-development are crucial, Hwang says.

Jin Woo Hwang, Something Special

59

Hsueh Shih-ling and Vic Chou in The World Between Us II

Worlds apart The second season of Taiwanese drama, The World Between Us, pushes the envelope on story and production scale as well as special effects, demonstrating what the local content industry is striving for. The production team behind the new series talks about resurfacing a blockbuster after a five-year break.

The teaser for The World Between Us season two, Taiwan’s scripted show

20 years within the story, exploring these characters’ current predica-

of the moment, throws down a challenge: “How many people are

ments and tracing back 20 years to understand the cause of the

going to be sacrificed before you change anything?... It’s up to you to

present tragedy. Ten years later, when the perpetrator was still young

decide”. The question is as big as the ambitions behind the return of the

and might have been able to be saved, was there an opportunity for

Taiwanese series five years after season one in 2019. A co-production

him to be supported? Why was that chance missed? This structure – a

between Taiwan’s Public Television Service Foundation (PTS), the Taiwan

reverse chronology – shows the result of an event and goes back to

Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), AsiaPlay Taiwan Digital Entertain-

explore why this tragedy happened. So, the two main challenges for

ment and KOKO Entertainment, season two spans two decades and

us were the cast size and the time span, which required a massive

involves two families with six main story lines. Season one dealt primar-

amount of props, scenes and special effects.”

ily with media issues. The story in season two delves more into politics, “which is an everyday topic of interest in Taiwan, but harder to ad-

You also made what you describe as a bold decision...

dress,” says Lu Shih-Yuan, who wrote both seasons. Ahead of its intend-

Lin Chun-Yang: “...to have the actors portray their younger selves

ed 2025 premiere, Jayde Lin, CEO of production house DaMou Enter-

from 20 years prior. We felt the audience would find it hard to con-

tainment, scriptwriter Lu Shih-Yuan and director Lin Chun-Yang spoke

nect if a new cast played the characters’ younger versions. So we

to ContentAsia about five years of development, the thinking behind

asked these incredibly talented actors to portray their younger

the dramatic upsize, and the challenges the production team faced as

selves, making use of special effects and the actors’ abilities to

they brought the series to life.

overcome this challenge.”

What was the most challenging aspect of such a huge production?

As the producer, what was your challenge?

Lin Chun-Yang: “We didn’t specifically define our approach as break-

Jayde Lin: “So many come to mind. I think from the moment we

ing new ground. I would say that because the first season created

received the script, we knew this production would require every

such a strong response, Shih-Yuan had already started thinking about

ounce of our past experience, and more. The difficulty lay in the

the story direction for a second season. We had several challenges.

story’s structure, covering five stages, spanning 20 years, with a reverse

One was the large cast, and then the six family storylines. We span

chronological order and a tightly woven narrative featuring six families,

60

contentasia december 2024

Entries open: 15 January 2025 Entry deadline: 18 April 2025 Winners will be announced in September 2025 www.contentasiaawards.com Contact: awards@contentasia.tv

productiondrama

Lin Chun-Yang: “In season two, we brought back some actors from season one for guest roles, connecting their characters from the first season. This expanded the entire universe we created.

“Regarding casting, since this is a very realistic story, we had to fill in many details to make it a believable, complete world. But we also wanted it to feel slightly separated from the real world, even though it takes place in Taiwan. If we used real-world names – of TV stations or political parties – it would be difficult for viewers to separate the show from reality, which could cause tension. So we created fictional TV stations, political parties, and even locations, making the story feel very close to Taiwan but still maintaining enough distance to let the audience observe calmly.”

“This approach lets viewers feel the events are very realistic, like something that could happen in their lives, but with enough separation to enjoy the storytelling. When certain dramatic coincidences happen, they’re seen as part of the drama rather From left: Producers Leo Chiang and Jayde Lin, Lin Chun-yang (director), Lu Shih-yuan (writer)

each going through five different stages. And then there’s the setting of Qingyun County, a place Shih-Yuan created in the story. To bring this imagined county to life, we filmed across six cities around Taiwan. The

From the moment we received the script, we knew this production would require every ounce of our past experience, and more.”

cast size was another huge challenge.”

Jayde Lin, CEO, DaMou Entertainment Shih-Yuan, what inspired you to write season two?

Lu Shih-Yuan: “The origin was unintentionally signing the contract. Once

than a commentary on real-world events. Of course, we hope this story

I’d signed it, I couldn’t go back...”

resonates deeply and creates echoes within society. But first and foremost, our priority was to create an engaging, well-made drama.”

Is there more?

Lu Shih-Yuan: “No, it ends here. There won’t be another accidental

Were there any specific scenes that took extra effort to craft?

contract signing.”

Lin Chun-Yang: “One notable element is our first filming inside Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, in the main hall. In the past, many productions in Taiwan,

It feels like this series portrays issues often overlooked in traditional dra-

where there’s creative freedom, have filmed scenes involving the Legisla-

ma, but seen in news reports. In Taiwan, this perspective is also rare – to

tive Yuan. But no one has actually filmed inside their debating chamber.

explore issues in a holistic way rather than focusing on a single theme...

For one scene, we managed to stage a chaotic debate in a setting similar

It’s a blend of multiple topics that explores complex social dynamics...

to the real ones we see, capturing a key moment in the series...

Lu Shih-Yuan: “There has been a gradual shift among Taiwanese creators toward this kind of narrative, which I think is positive.”

“The first season explored societal reactions to a random killer, bringing in the role of the media. In season two, we wanted to tackle more themes, so we introduced politics as one of the main threads. I don’t

What’s the connection between the first and second seasons?

want to reveal too much about the content at this point, but I can

Lu Shih-Yuan: “They’re in the same universe. The World Between Us parts

say the storyline will be more complex and layered, triggering many

one and two and Wave Makers (人選之人－造浪者, 2023) all occur in the

associations when you watch it. Politics, the media, and the perpetra-

same universe, with the same two political parties and Taste News. In

tors and victims of crime are all intertwined here, creating that unique

part two, Wang She (played by Wu Kang-ren) also returns as a defence

‘flavour’ of the show.”

lawyer, maintaining the connections within this universe.”

Jayde Lin: “After season one aired, many people might have won-

62

contentasia december 2024

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The World Between Us S2 cast members (from left): Vic Chou, Ryan Pai, Liu Tzu-chuan and Hsueh Shih-ling

dered, ‘What happens next?’ or ‘After all these years, what now?’ In season two, Shih-Yuan has posed a lot of new questions, encouraging us to keep exploring these dialogues. I think this aspect is intriguing for us, and we hope that when it’s released, the audience can engage more deeply in discussions of good and evil. But before that, we’ve first and foremost created a strong story. For me, that’s what’s most touching – journeying with these characters through 20 years of their lives.

These reflections on morality emerge as we follow them into their lives, and it all starts with a compelling story.”

Are there production techniques or aspects that differ from what we’ve seen before in Taiwan? Or is this just an increase in scale?

Lu Shih-Yuan: “We debated for a while whether to recast the roles from 20 years ago or keep the original actors. I found it exciting to have the same actors portray their younger selves from two decades earlier. Seeing Vic Chou in a way I didn’t expect was actually moving – showing his character at his lowest initially, then later as a vibrant, young medical intern. This gave a more complete picture of the character, which was a huge challenge for the actors, the director, and the entire team.”

Lin Chun-Yang: “I’d like to add to that. In dramas, whether in Taiwan or elsewhere, it’s common to explore a character’s past by jumping across different periods – like their childhood or teenage years. But it’s rare, if ever, to use such a distinct structure where we clearly break the timeline into episodes. You follow the characters in the present, feeling empathy for them, and then suddenly shift to 20 years earlier in the next episode, meeting these characters in a completely different phase of life. This isn’t just a flashback; it’s a fully realised time jump where we experience what they went through at that point in time.”

Lu Shih-Yuan: “Everyone returns to 20 years ago, which brings a unique difficulty, largely due to the structure.”

Lin Chun-Yang: “Yes, the difficulty is one aspect. But another is the layered experience this story offers for viewers; I think this approach hasn’t really been used recently.”

This interview was adapted from a live session at the ContentAsia Summit in Taiwan in September 2024.

An extended version is available at www.contentasia.tv

64

contentasia december 2024

Find out more

streaming

Max headroom

Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) launched Max in five Southeast Asia markets, plus Hong Kong and Taiwan on 19 Nov with 12 platform partners and a direct subscription offering. The streamer carries all WBD’s brands. Local titles have not been prioritised, and hopes for a positive impact on the local content industry are so far lo-to-none. Max arrives in the seven markets around nine years after Netflix and Viu, about three years after Disney+, and about two and a half years after Prime Video rolled out localised video services.

Hong Kong

Indonesia

Malaysia

HK$78

US$10

Standard monthly

HK$780

US$100

Standard annual

HK$98

US$12.59

Ultimate monthly

HK$980

US$126

Ultimate annual

Warner Bros Discovery’s Max streaming platform Now TV, HKBN

went live on 19 November with 12 platform partners across five markets in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as direct-to-consumer.

The seven-market launch includes Max’s first mobile-only plans in the world. These will be avail-

Rp49,000

US$3.10

Mobile monthly

Rp349,000

US$22

Mobile annual

Rp79,000

US$4.98

Standard monthly

Rp549,000

US$34.60

Standard annual

Rp119,000

US$7.50

Ultimate monthly

Rp829,000

US$52.30

Ultimate annual

RM34.90

US$7.79

Standard monthly

RM279.90

US$62.50

Standard annual

RM52.90

US$11.80

Ultimate monthly

RM424.90

US$95

Ultimate annual

Php149

US$2.57

Mobile monthly

Php1,040

US$17.70

Mobile annual

Php269

US$4.57

Standard monthly

Php399

US$6.78

Ultimate monthly

Php1,890

US$32

Standard annual

ber. HBO GO contracts on other platforms, such as

Php2,790

US$48.20

Ultimate annual

meWatch in Singapore, expired recently and were

able in the Philippines and Indonesia, as part of the Telkomsel,

retail/direct-to-consumer Max product. In Thailand,

First Media

the mobile plan is available only via telco AIS. As expected, the rollout leverages WBD’s partnership network built up over more than two decades.

Also as expected, the launch line up promotes no local content.

Two of the launch partners – HKBN and Smart –

Astro, Unifi TV

announced on 19 November are new to WBD’s streaming network and never offered Max precursor, HBO GO. Most of the launch partners already offered the

Philippines

HBO GO streaming service, which has now been laid PLDT Home, Cignal TV, Smart

to rest. Other redundant services, such as HBO On Demand on Singapore’s Singtel, have been slowly retired and will disappear entirely by mid Decem-

not renewed.

Singapore

S$14.48

US$10.97

Standard Monthly

S$129.98

US$97

Standard Annual

S$18.98

US$14

Ultimate monthly

S$169.98

US$128.78

Ultimate annual

Singtel (standard plan only), StarHub

The direct-to-consumer platform does not offer free trials for any of the plans, although trials may be part of telco/platform bundles.

Max has already launched in Japan with U-Next and in New Zealand with Sky.

Taiwan

NT$220

US$6.85

Standard Monthly

WBD APAC president, James Gibbons, said in the launch announcement that existing partnerships had

NT$2190

US$67.30

Standard Annual

NT$299

US$9.18

Ultimate monthly

been “reimagined” and that the company was “work-

NT$2,990

US$93.2

Ultimate annual

ing with new partners across pay-TV and telco opera-

Taiwan Mobile

tors to support distribution”. Gibbons said this included Thailand

THB99

US$2.84

Mobile monthly

THB890

US$25.55

Mobile annual

THB199

US$5.70

Standard Monthly

THB299

US$8.60

Ultimate monthly

THB1,390

US$39.90

Standard annual

THB2,090

US$60

Ultimate annual

various models, such as app integration and having Telco AIS

the Max service within the partner’s environment.

swapped HBO

WBD brands on Max are HBO, Harry Potter, the

GO subs for the

DC Universe, Cartoon Network, Discovery, TLC, AFN,

Max standard

Food Network, ID and HGTV, as well as Max Originals.

plan at launch

No local titles are included in launch publicity.

Source: Max.com direct-to-consumer plans in each country. No free trial. Warner Bros Discovery launched Max on 19 November in Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines), Hong Kong and Taiwan). Partner/pricing/bundles vary by country. Max subscribers will be able to access the local service from wherever they are in the world.

66

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contentasia december 2024

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