tvN revamps overseas operation on growing reputation

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean cable network tvN said Thursday it will expand its overseas operations to reflect the increasing demand for its content outside the country.

The channel, which has now been around for 10 years, will change the name of its overseas channel, "Channel M," to "tvN Asia" to emphasize its goal of "becoming the No. 1 channel on the continent."

The network owned by CJ E&M, South Korea's leading entertainment and media company, has been serving 10 Southeast Asian locations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, since 2009.

tvN Asia will broadcast tvN dramas and events organized by CJ E&M, such as the Mnet Asian Music Awards and Style Icon Asia, tvN said. It also plans to create localized content to capture more viewers in the region.

A channel specializing in South Korean movies, "tvN Movies," will be launched in the final quarter of this year in Southeast Asia, and the goal will be to present more than 200 South Korean films within the first year.

Earlier this week, tvN signed a contract with the Endemol Shine Group, which created popular American entertainment shows "Master Chef," "1 vs. 100" and "Big Brother," to jointly create new content in a move indicating its overseas ambitions.

"We are planning our next decade to be different from the previous one," tvN's director Lee Myeong-han said. "We won't let our guard down in our endeavors to become the No. 1 content creator in Asia."

sojungpark@yna.co.kr
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