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Singapore & South Korea Disney News Tracker
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- Start date
July 11, 2023
Korea JoongAng Daily
Korea's first Disney store
Hyundai Department Store launched Korea's first Disney Store at its Pangyo branch in Gyeonggi on Tuesday. Visitors can buy over 300 types of Disney merchandise, featuring beloved characters including Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, and Toy Story, as well as take pictures at five specially designed photo spots with Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Winnie the Pooh themes.
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September 13, 2023
Korea JoongAng Daily
Korea's second Disney Store opens
Customers explore Korea's second Disney Store branch located in The Hyundai Seoul, Yeouido, central Seoul, which opened its doors on Wednesday. This follows the first store opening in Hyundai Department Store's Pangyo branch in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, in July. The department store has two more stores scheduled to open in October at the Cheonho branch and Hyundai Premium Outlet Gimpo branch, aiming to reach a total of 10 stores by next year.
Korea JoongAng Daily
Korea's first Disney store
Hyundai Department Store launched Korea's first Disney Store at its Pangyo branch in Gyeonggi on Tuesday. Visitors can buy over 300 types of Disney merchandise, featuring beloved characters including Mickey Mouse, Disney Princesses, and Toy Story, as well as take pictures at five specially designed photo spots with Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Winnie the Pooh themes.
***
September 13, 2023
Korea JoongAng Daily
Korea's second Disney Store opens
Customers explore Korea's second Disney Store branch located in The Hyundai Seoul, Yeouido, central Seoul, which opened its doors on Wednesday. This follows the first store opening in Hyundai Department Store's Pangyo branch in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, in July. The department store has two more stores scheduled to open in October at the Cheonho branch and Hyundai Premium Outlet Gimpo branch, aiming to reach a total of 10 stores by next year.
Attachments
Last edited:
March 29, 2023
The Straits Times
New Disney cruise ship to set sail from Singapore from 2025
SINGAPORE - From 2025, a new cruise ship featuring Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes will call Singapore home, as part of a five-year collaboration between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Disney Cruise Line.
The 208,000-gross-tonne vessel is expected to be the largest cruise ship calling here, as well as the largest ship in Disney’s fleet, said Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations S. Iswaran, who announced the collaboration on Wednesday.
Mr Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said: “We are incredibly excited to make Singapore the home port to our seventh-launched ship, which will sail from here year-round starting in 2025.”
The ship, which is yet to be named, is estimated to be able to carry 6,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members.
When launched, it is expected to feature attractions such as themed restaurants and interactive theatre shows.
It has the potential to add “millions of local and foreign cruise passengers” over the five-year period, including fly-cruise passengers arriving in Singapore by air, Disney and STB said in a media release.
As part of sustainability efforts, the vessel will run on green methanol, a low-emission fuel.
More details regarding the vessel’s maiden voyage and itineraries will be released at a later date.
The ship is expected to call at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, which is one of Asia’s largest cruise terminals.
A subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line currently operates fives ships to destinations including the Caribbean, Europe and Australia, with three more ships planned.
Disney Signature Experiences president Thomas Mazloum said the ship was acquired partially completed in 2022 from Dream Cruises, a brand under Genting Hong Kong, which was liquidated in October.
Construction will be completed at the MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, under Meyer Werft, which also built three other Disney cruise ships.
At a news conference at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Mr Iswaran said Disney’s decision to base its first ship in South-east Asia here “speaks volumes of our region’s significant potential for cruise tourism”.
Singapore can serve as a gateway to the rest of South-east Asia, he said, noting that the region has been described as the “Caribbean of the East”.
Singapore’s cruise industry is recovering after Covid-19. In 2022, 1.2 million passengers passed through Singapore’s ports.
That was about two-thirds of the numbers seen in 2019, when there were about 1.8 million cruise passengers, Mr Iswaran noted.
That year, the industry contributed $630 million to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), $350 million of which was spent by cruise lines on repairs, bunkering and other port-related services, said Mr Iswaran, who is also Transport Minister.
In 2022, STB said it expected Singapore’s cruise industry to return to pre-pandemic levels between 2023 and 2024.
While Disney and STB had been in talks for many years on possible collaborations, discussions to bring Disney Cruise Line to Singapore kicked into high gear in 2022, said STB chief executive Keith Tan.
The partnership with Disney Cruise Line is expected to provide a sizeable boost to the cruise sector’s contribution to tourism receipts and the country’s GDP, he said, without providing a figure.
In 2017, STB signed a three-year partnership with The Walt Disney Company South-east Asia to bring themed events and activities here.
Last edited:
October 8, 2023
Variety
Disney’s Korean Original ‘Moving’ Dominates Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards
Big-budget, Korean-language fantasy-crime-action series “Moving” emerged as the big winner on Sunday at the Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards, claiming six prizes, including the ‘best creative’ prize.
The Disney+ original, which debuted in August, also received the best visual effects award and the best writer award, which was presented at the Busan Cinema Centre’s main stage to webtoon artist turned filmmaker Kang Full. Actor Ryu Seung Ryong, who portrayed a father with a superpower attempting to save his family, was awarded the best lead actor prize, while the show’s Lee Jung Ha was named best newcomer and Go Youn Jung was named best actress.
The 20-episode series has received critical acclaim for its narrative structure, dynamic action sequences and breathtaking storytelling. It became the most viewed Korean original series across Disney+ and Hulu and had the most viewed series finale ever on Disney+ across parts of APAC, including Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan.
...
Variety
Disney’s Korean Original ‘Moving’ Dominates Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards
Big-budget, Korean-language fantasy-crime-action series “Moving” emerged as the big winner on Sunday at the Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards, claiming six prizes, including the ‘best creative’ prize.
The Disney+ original, which debuted in August, also received the best visual effects award and the best writer award, which was presented at the Busan Cinema Centre’s main stage to webtoon artist turned filmmaker Kang Full. Actor Ryu Seung Ryong, who portrayed a father with a superpower attempting to save his family, was awarded the best lead actor prize, while the show’s Lee Jung Ha was named best newcomer and Go Youn Jung was named best actress.
The 20-episode series has received critical acclaim for its narrative structure, dynamic action sequences and breathtaking storytelling. It became the most viewed Korean original series across Disney+ and Hulu and had the most viewed series finale ever on Disney+ across parts of APAC, including Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan.
...
Last edited:
October 8, 2023
The Hollywood Reporter
Disney’s ‘Moving’ Sweeps Busan Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards
The hit superhero drama series took home six trophies at Sunday's awards show, including best creative, best writing and three acting honors.
Disney’s Korean fantasy drama Moving was the big winner Sunday at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards, which honors excellence in content creation for TV and streaming services across the region.
Moving, which has become Disney+ and Hulu’s most-watched Korean series both in Asia and globally, took home the first-place best creative award, best writer (for webtoon artist turned screenwriter Kang Full), best lead actor (series star Ryu Seung-ryong), best newcomer actor (co-star Lee Jung-ha), best newcomer actress (Go Yoon Jung) and best visual effects. Moving tells the story of a group of South Korean spies working to protect their superpowered children from harm and exploitation at the hands of malicious government agencies. The series has been praised for its captivating blend of genres and innovative take on the superhero story.
...
Last edited:
September 22, 2023
NME
Disney+ says success of ‘Moving’ is a “critical turning point” for its Korean content
The streamer also denied that it was cutting its investment in K-dramas
Disney+ says it will double down on its investment in Korean content, following the success of its original superhero K-drama, Moving.
The managing director of the Walt Disney Company Korea, Kim So-youn, said in a press conference today (September 22) that the company plans to increase its investment in Korean content after the success of Moving, according to The Korea Times.
Moving, which tells the story of superpowered individuals who are in hiding in order to protect their families from harm and exploitation, premiered on August 9. It featured a star-studded cast of Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung and more.
The show recently became the most-watched programme on Disney+ in the Asia Pacific region, as well as the most-watched Korean original on Hulu (majority-owned by Disney) in the US, per Deadline.
Kim says that the show’s success has “provided Disney+ with a critical turning point in terms of business and content production, paving the way for moving to the next level”, per The Korea Times. The Disney executive also denied that the company was cutting its investment in Korean content.
“Korean original content is not only important in Korea but also in the global market,” Kim added. “We will continue to produce local content and investment will continue. The size of investment will gradually increase.”
Moving is one of four K-drama Disney+ has launched this year so far, following the romance series Call It Love, workplace drama RACE and action-comedy Han River Police.
The streaming service has three more K-dramas set to launch later this year, including The Worst of Evil starring Wi Ha-jun, the Nam Joo-hyuk thriller Vigilante and romance series Soundtrack #2.
NME
Disney+ says success of ‘Moving’ is a “critical turning point” for its Korean content
The streamer also denied that it was cutting its investment in K-dramas
Disney+ says it will double down on its investment in Korean content, following the success of its original superhero K-drama, Moving.
The managing director of the Walt Disney Company Korea, Kim So-youn, said in a press conference today (September 22) that the company plans to increase its investment in Korean content after the success of Moving, according to The Korea Times.
Moving, which tells the story of superpowered individuals who are in hiding in order to protect their families from harm and exploitation, premiered on August 9. It featured a star-studded cast of Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung and more.
The show recently became the most-watched programme on Disney+ in the Asia Pacific region, as well as the most-watched Korean original on Hulu (majority-owned by Disney) in the US, per Deadline.
Kim says that the show’s success has “provided Disney+ with a critical turning point in terms of business and content production, paving the way for moving to the next level”, per The Korea Times. The Disney executive also denied that the company was cutting its investment in Korean content.
“Korean original content is not only important in Korea but also in the global market,” Kim added. “We will continue to produce local content and investment will continue. The size of investment will gradually increase.”
Moving is one of four K-drama Disney+ has launched this year so far, following the romance series Call It Love, workplace drama RACE and action-comedy Han River Police.
The streaming service has three more K-dramas set to launch later this year, including The Worst of Evil starring Wi Ha-jun, the Nam Joo-hyuk thriller Vigilante and romance series Soundtrack #2.
Last edited:
August 7, 2023
The Walt Disney Company
How Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ Kept Its Fire Burning at the Box Office
When Pixar’s Elemental debuted in June it was more spark than fire.
The animated film—which is set in a world of elements and is centered around the love story of the fiery Ember and the wishy-washy Wade—made roughly $30 million at the domestic box office for its opening weekend. However, it didn’t attract the usual masses for a film from Pixar, a studio known for its litany of blockbuster hits.
But Elemental didn’t evaporate at the box office. Audiences kept showing up.
The film directed by Peter Sohn crossed the $400 million mark at the global box office last week. Of that total, it’s made $148 million domestically. That’s about five times its domestic opening weekend haul, which is a rare accomplishment in a theatrical world that sees most moviegoers buy a ticket the opening weekend.
... “We knew we had a clear run throughout the domestic summer play period,” Chambers said. “And its global gross to date has been propelled by top performing international markets including South Korea, Mexico, France, and the UK.”
The film has made a $276 million internationally. That includes a whopping $48 million in South Korea. The film is the most viewed foreign film in Korea this year and the most-viewed Pixar film ever released there. It has reached 6 million admissions, meaning that one out of every eight people in Korea have seen it.
...
The Walt Disney Company
How Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ Kept Its Fire Burning at the Box Office
When Pixar’s Elemental debuted in June it was more spark than fire.
The animated film—which is set in a world of elements and is centered around the love story of the fiery Ember and the wishy-washy Wade—made roughly $30 million at the domestic box office for its opening weekend. However, it didn’t attract the usual masses for a film from Pixar, a studio known for its litany of blockbuster hits.
But Elemental didn’t evaporate at the box office. Audiences kept showing up.
The film directed by Peter Sohn crossed the $400 million mark at the global box office last week. Of that total, it’s made $148 million domestically. That’s about five times its domestic opening weekend haul, which is a rare accomplishment in a theatrical world that sees most moviegoers buy a ticket the opening weekend.
... “We knew we had a clear run throughout the domestic summer play period,” Chambers said. “And its global gross to date has been propelled by top performing international markets including South Korea, Mexico, France, and the UK.”
The film has made a $276 million internationally. That includes a whopping $48 million in South Korea. The film is the most viewed foreign film in Korea this year and the most-viewed Pixar film ever released there. It has reached 6 million admissions, meaning that one out of every eight people in Korea have seen it.
...
Last edited:
October 12, 2023
Korea JoongAng Daily
Disney+ sees 1.25M surge in subscriber numbers in Korea on success of its shows
Disney+’s uptrend is continuing as the streaming service’s new original series “The Worst of Evil” is getting positive reviews, taking the baton from the success of the original series “Moving.”
Subscribers to Disney+ shot up 1.25 million in September with the release of episodes of “Moving,” landing the streaming service at No. 1 on the chart of apps that have seen a rapid rise in users the same month aggregated by Mobile Index.
Disney+’s newest original series “The Worst of Evil” is set to extend the streaming service’s skyrocketing popularity, with the series landing in the top 10 charts in six countries, including Japan, Hong Kong and Turkey in just two weeks after its release, according to data from streaming service aggregator FlixPatrol. “The Worst of Evil” is yet to be released in American and European countries.
“The Worst of Evil” centers on a cop, played by Ji Chang-wook, who goes undercover into a crime ring to crack down on drug trafficking spanning Korea, Japan and China.
Actors Wi Ha-joon, Im Se-mi and Bibi play supporting roles in the series.
The series is directed by Han Dong-wook, who debuted with “Man in Love” (2014) after working as an assistant director in various acclaimed noir films such as “The Unjust” (2010), “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” (2012) and “New World” (2013).
Disney+ is also set to release an adaptation of the popular Naver webtoon “Vigilante,” starring Nam Joo-hyuk, and a sequel to “Soundtrack #1” within this year.
Korea JoongAng Daily
Disney+ sees 1.25M surge in subscriber numbers in Korea on success of its shows
Disney+’s uptrend is continuing as the streaming service’s new original series “The Worst of Evil” is getting positive reviews, taking the baton from the success of the original series “Moving.”
Subscribers to Disney+ shot up 1.25 million in September with the release of episodes of “Moving,” landing the streaming service at No. 1 on the chart of apps that have seen a rapid rise in users the same month aggregated by Mobile Index.
Disney+’s newest original series “The Worst of Evil” is set to extend the streaming service’s skyrocketing popularity, with the series landing in the top 10 charts in six countries, including Japan, Hong Kong and Turkey in just two weeks after its release, according to data from streaming service aggregator FlixPatrol. “The Worst of Evil” is yet to be released in American and European countries.
“The Worst of Evil” centers on a cop, played by Ji Chang-wook, who goes undercover into a crime ring to crack down on drug trafficking spanning Korea, Japan and China.
Actors Wi Ha-joon, Im Se-mi and Bibi play supporting roles in the series.
The series is directed by Han Dong-wook, who debuted with “Man in Love” (2014) after working as an assistant director in various acclaimed noir films such as “The Unjust” (2010), “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” (2012) and “New World” (2013).
Disney+ is also set to release an adaptation of the popular Naver webtoon “Vigilante,” starring Nam Joo-hyuk, and a sequel to “Soundtrack #1” within this year.
Last edited:
September 22, 2023
The Korea Times
Disney+ aims to expand investment in original Korean content
Streaming platform Disney+ aims to capitalize on the breakout hit of the Korean original series "Moving" and expand investment in production of local content to reach a wider audience, the chief of its Korean branch said Friday.
Based on Kang Full's eponymous webtoon, "Moving" tells the story of a group of individuals with superpowers who hide their true abilities from the world in order to protect their families from danger. Premiered on Aug. 9, the star-studded series wrapped up the last three episodes Wednesday.
Disney+ said "Moving" has become the most-watched show on its platform in the Asia-Pacific region, also topping Disney+'s global chart and Hulu in the United States in the first week of its release.
"'Moving' is the most successful Korean original content since Disney+ launched its Korean service," Kim So-youn, managing director of the Walt Disney Company Korea, said in a press conference.
"It provided Disney+ with a critical turning point in terms of business and content production, paving the way for moving to the next level. It is a meaningful work," she added.
Kim denied rumors about Disney's pulling back from local production, highlighting the growth potential in the Korean market.
"Korean original content is not only important in Korea but also in the global market," Kim said. "We will continue to produce local content and investment will continue. The size of investment will gradually increase."
To retain new subscribers, Disney+ is set to roll out new Korean titles later this year, including crime action series "The Worst of Evil," dark hero series "Vigilante," romance drama "Soundtrack #2," and a documentary series about K-pop sensation, "BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star." (Yonhap)
The Korea Times
Disney+ aims to expand investment in original Korean content
Streaming platform Disney+ aims to capitalize on the breakout hit of the Korean original series "Moving" and expand investment in production of local content to reach a wider audience, the chief of its Korean branch said Friday.
Based on Kang Full's eponymous webtoon, "Moving" tells the story of a group of individuals with superpowers who hide their true abilities from the world in order to protect their families from danger. Premiered on Aug. 9, the star-studded series wrapped up the last three episodes Wednesday.
Disney+ said "Moving" has become the most-watched show on its platform in the Asia-Pacific region, also topping Disney+'s global chart and Hulu in the United States in the first week of its release.
"'Moving' is the most successful Korean original content since Disney+ launched its Korean service," Kim So-youn, managing director of the Walt Disney Company Korea, said in a press conference.
"It provided Disney+ with a critical turning point in terms of business and content production, paving the way for moving to the next level. It is a meaningful work," she added.
Kim denied rumors about Disney's pulling back from local production, highlighting the growth potential in the Korean market.
"Korean original content is not only important in Korea but also in the global market," Kim said. "We will continue to produce local content and investment will continue. The size of investment will gradually increase."
To retain new subscribers, Disney+ is set to roll out new Korean titles later this year, including crime action series "The Worst of Evil," dark hero series "Vigilante," romance drama "Soundtrack #2," and a documentary series about K-pop sensation, "BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star." (Yonhap)
Last edited:
October 18, 2023
Autoblog
Disney-themed Hyundai Ioniq 5 is limited to 1,000 units
Previewed by a concept earlier in 2023, here's the car Disney fans can buy soon
Hyundai is helping Disney celebrate its 100th birthday by launching a limited-edition version of the Ioniq 5. Previewed by a concept shown at the 2023 New York Auto Show, the Disney100 Platinum Edition receives a number of Disney-themed design features inside and out.
It takes a well-trained eye to tell the Disney100 Platinum Edition apart from the standard Ioniq 5. The paint color stands out as one of the biggest differentiators: The commemorative electric hatchback is finished in Gravity Gold Matte. It rides on what Hyundai refers to as "Disney-inspired wheels" and it receives specific Disney100 Platinum emblems on the fenders. It's far more subtle than the Disney-inspired Vespa.
Step inside and you'll spot the Disney100 logo embossed on the front headrests and the center console, the same logo on the floor mats, and a motif with the outline of Mickey Mouse's head on the front and rear door panels. Hyundai also added a Disney-themed introduction to the infotainment system's touchscreen that plays Disney music while displaying the Disney100 logo and pixie dust when the car is turned on.
Hyundai hasn't released technical details, and it hasn't clarified which version of the Ioniq 5 the Disney100 edition is based on. Buyers can configure the regular-production car in a number of ways: It's available with rear- or all-wheel-drive and with one of two battery packs. In its most basic configuration, it offers 168 horsepower and 228 miles of range. Moving up in the trim hierarchy unlocks 225 horsepower and up to 303 miles of range for the rear-wheel-drive model, while the all-wheel-drive variant posts figures of 320 and 266, respectively.
The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Disney100 Platinum Edition will go on sale in early 2024. Production is limited to 1,000 units, and pricing hasn't been announced yet. For context, the regular-production Ioniq 5 carries a base price of $42,785 including a $1,335 destination charge.
Autoblog
Disney-themed Hyundai Ioniq 5 is limited to 1,000 units
Previewed by a concept earlier in 2023, here's the car Disney fans can buy soon
Hyundai is helping Disney celebrate its 100th birthday by launching a limited-edition version of the Ioniq 5. Previewed by a concept shown at the 2023 New York Auto Show, the Disney100 Platinum Edition receives a number of Disney-themed design features inside and out.
It takes a well-trained eye to tell the Disney100 Platinum Edition apart from the standard Ioniq 5. The paint color stands out as one of the biggest differentiators: The commemorative electric hatchback is finished in Gravity Gold Matte. It rides on what Hyundai refers to as "Disney-inspired wheels" and it receives specific Disney100 Platinum emblems on the fenders. It's far more subtle than the Disney-inspired Vespa.
Step inside and you'll spot the Disney100 logo embossed on the front headrests and the center console, the same logo on the floor mats, and a motif with the outline of Mickey Mouse's head on the front and rear door panels. Hyundai also added a Disney-themed introduction to the infotainment system's touchscreen that plays Disney music while displaying the Disney100 logo and pixie dust when the car is turned on.
Hyundai hasn't released technical details, and it hasn't clarified which version of the Ioniq 5 the Disney100 edition is based on. Buyers can configure the regular-production car in a number of ways: It's available with rear- or all-wheel-drive and with one of two battery packs. In its most basic configuration, it offers 168 horsepower and 228 miles of range. Moving up in the trim hierarchy unlocks 225 horsepower and up to 303 miles of range for the rear-wheel-drive model, while the all-wheel-drive variant posts figures of 320 and 266, respectively.
The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Disney100 Platinum Edition will go on sale in early 2024. Production is limited to 1,000 units, and pricing hasn't been announced yet. For context, the regular-production Ioniq 5 carries a base price of $42,785 including a $1,335 destination charge.
Last edited:
October 19, 2023
The Korea Economic Daily: Global Edition
MZers [Millennials and Gen-Z] fuel Disney Store's boom in S.Korea's offline market
The Disney Store has become one of the hottest spots within Hyundai Department Store branches since the department store operator has opened three official Disney stores over the past few months, with plans to open six more by next year.
More than 100,000 people have visited Disney’s first official store in South Korea located in Hyundai Department Store Pangyo since it opened 100 days ago.
Contrary to expectations, those in their 20s and 30s made up 71.0% of its customers, rather than families with young children.
“We believe that Disney enthusiasts, unable to purchase bulky Disney products at overseas Disney stores, are flocking to the store in Korea,” said a Hyundai Department Store official.
The first Disney Store in the country is located about 20 kilometers south of Seoul. It has raked in per-day sales of 600 million won ($442,000) on average, according to retail industry officials on Thursday.
It sells toys, lifestyle products and collectables themed on characters of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars, as well as those of the other brands under the Walt Disney Company.
The sales figure is remarkable for a brand store using character intellectual property (IP) rights, considering their average per-customer price of around 50,000 won, higher than that of other character goods.
It is also more than twice the average sales of other character brand stores in the branches of the Hyundai Department Store.
Disney stores also played a role as anchor tenant, or a core store that attracted customers to the department store.
The first Disney Store in South Korea has brought in an average of 500 people on weekdays; an average of 2,000 people on weekends; and an average of 30,000 people per month since its launch.
Buoyed by the robust sales, Hyundai Department Store opened the second Disney shop in Yeouido, central Seoul, in September, followed by the third outlet launched this week.
The third, 553 square-meter store, located within the Hyundai Premium Outlet Gimpo near Seoul, is more than twice the size of the first and second stores measuring 264 square meters and 222 square meters, respectively.
Next week, its fourth store is scheduled to open within Hyundai Department Store Cheonho in eastern Seoul.
It plans to open six more Disney stores in the country by next year.
CONTRAST WITH GLOBAL STRATEGY
Disney’s strong performance in South Korea’s offline retail market is in contrast to its online-focused strategies in many other countries. It has reduced the number of offline stores globally and shifted toward online sales following the onset of COVID-19.
It had once run a total of 1,440 stores in some 50 countries, but the number has shrunk to around 300.
Notwithstanding Disney Store’s shift to the online market, Hyundai had convinced the US entertainment titan that it could grow its character brand store into an IP business in Korea.
Disney is said to have even created a separate manual in order to open an official store in Korea.
The Korea Economic Daily: Global Edition
MZers [Millennials and Gen-Z] fuel Disney Store's boom in S.Korea's offline market
The Disney Store has become one of the hottest spots within Hyundai Department Store branches since the department store operator has opened three official Disney stores over the past few months, with plans to open six more by next year.
More than 100,000 people have visited Disney’s first official store in South Korea located in Hyundai Department Store Pangyo since it opened 100 days ago.
Contrary to expectations, those in their 20s and 30s made up 71.0% of its customers, rather than families with young children.
“We believe that Disney enthusiasts, unable to purchase bulky Disney products at overseas Disney stores, are flocking to the store in Korea,” said a Hyundai Department Store official.
It sells toys, lifestyle products and collectables themed on characters of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars, as well as those of the other brands under the Walt Disney Company.
The sales figure is remarkable for a brand store using character intellectual property (IP) rights, considering their average per-customer price of around 50,000 won, higher than that of other character goods.
It is also more than twice the average sales of other character brand stores in the branches of the Hyundai Department Store.
Disney stores also played a role as anchor tenant, or a core store that attracted customers to the department store.
The first Disney Store in South Korea has brought in an average of 500 people on weekdays; an average of 2,000 people on weekends; and an average of 30,000 people per month since its launch.
Buoyed by the robust sales, Hyundai Department Store opened the second Disney shop in Yeouido, central Seoul, in September, followed by the third outlet launched this week.
The third, 553 square-meter store, located within the Hyundai Premium Outlet Gimpo near Seoul, is more than twice the size of the first and second stores measuring 264 square meters and 222 square meters, respectively.
Next week, its fourth store is scheduled to open within Hyundai Department Store Cheonho in eastern Seoul.
It plans to open six more Disney stores in the country by next year.
CONTRAST WITH GLOBAL STRATEGY
Disney’s strong performance in South Korea’s offline retail market is in contrast to its online-focused strategies in many other countries. It has reduced the number of offline stores globally and shifted toward online sales following the onset of COVID-19.
It had once run a total of 1,440 stores in some 50 countries, but the number has shrunk to around 300.
Notwithstanding Disney Store’s shift to the online market, Hyundai had convinced the US entertainment titan that it could grow its character brand store into an IP business in Korea.
Disney is said to have even created a separate manual in order to open an official store in Korea.
Last edited:
September 6, 2023
The Korea Economic Daily: Global Edition
Korea's National Geographic Apparel steps up push into China
The outdoor clothing brand will open seven official stores in China by end-December, based on a premium brand strategy
National Geographic's second store in Taipei
South Korean fashion company The Nature Holdings Co. is set to expand the presence of its outdoor clothing brand National Geographic Apparel in China with seven stores to open within this year.
The Nature Holdings bought a license from the US TV channel National Geographic and launched the brand in Korea in 2016. It has gained huge popularity among young consumers in Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong and is stepping up its marketing strategy in China as a premium outdoor fashion brand.
National Geographic Apparel will open a store in Nanjing, its first official store in China, on Sept. 9. Its Beijing-based pop-up store will finish a pre-opening business in October and begin official operations in October.
The brand will open three additional stores in Beijing and two in Shanghai by the end of this year, The Nature Holdings said.
The company and Danish fashion firm Bestseller established a joint venture in May for Chinese business. Through the JV, The Nature Holdings aims to open 600 stores across China in the long term.
PREMIUM BRAND STRATEGY
MLB, an apparel brand that Korea’s F&F Co. has launched via brand licensing with the US’ Major League Baseball, entered China in 2019. MLB has employed a premium brand strategy, with higher prices in China than in Korea. The branding was successful, and MLB achieved 1 trillion won ($750.2 million) in revenue in China last year.
National Geographic Apparel eyes a similar path. The first store in Nanjing will be located in Deji Plaza, an upscale shopping mall. The Nature Holdings said it strives to create spaces that fully embrace the brand's story to establish it as a premium fashion brand.
The outdoor fashion brand will attract a great number of Chinese consumers as the country in August lifted its ban on group tours to Korea after a six-year hiatus, an official of the brand said. With the increased brand awareness in China, more Chinese visitors in Korea will buy its fashion products, the official added.
The brand is expanding its presence across Asia. It opened the first store in Taiwan in April, launched the second in July and the third in August. The second, a flagship store, posted 120 million won in revenue within 10 days of its opening. Backed by huge success in Hong Kong, it will launch its ninth store in the city this month.
The Nature Holdings will focus on operations in China and Taiwan this year. It will accelerate its business in Singapore and Japan and expand in North America and Europe in the long term.
A Hong Kong opening
The Korea Economic Daily: Global Edition
Korea's National Geographic Apparel steps up push into China
The outdoor clothing brand will open seven official stores in China by end-December, based on a premium brand strategy
National Geographic's second store in Taipei
South Korean fashion company The Nature Holdings Co. is set to expand the presence of its outdoor clothing brand National Geographic Apparel in China with seven stores to open within this year.
The Nature Holdings bought a license from the US TV channel National Geographic and launched the brand in Korea in 2016. It has gained huge popularity among young consumers in Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong and is stepping up its marketing strategy in China as a premium outdoor fashion brand.
National Geographic Apparel will open a store in Nanjing, its first official store in China, on Sept. 9. Its Beijing-based pop-up store will finish a pre-opening business in October and begin official operations in October.
The brand will open three additional stores in Beijing and two in Shanghai by the end of this year, The Nature Holdings said.
The company and Danish fashion firm Bestseller established a joint venture in May for Chinese business. Through the JV, The Nature Holdings aims to open 600 stores across China in the long term.
PREMIUM BRAND STRATEGY
MLB, an apparel brand that Korea’s F&F Co. has launched via brand licensing with the US’ Major League Baseball, entered China in 2019. MLB has employed a premium brand strategy, with higher prices in China than in Korea. The branding was successful, and MLB achieved 1 trillion won ($750.2 million) in revenue in China last year.
National Geographic Apparel eyes a similar path. The first store in Nanjing will be located in Deji Plaza, an upscale shopping mall. The Nature Holdings said it strives to create spaces that fully embrace the brand's story to establish it as a premium fashion brand.
The outdoor fashion brand will attract a great number of Chinese consumers as the country in August lifted its ban on group tours to Korea after a six-year hiatus, an official of the brand said. With the increased brand awareness in China, more Chinese visitors in Korea will buy its fashion products, the official added.
The brand is expanding its presence across Asia. It opened the first store in Taiwan in April, launched the second in July and the third in August. The second, a flagship store, posted 120 million won in revenue within 10 days of its opening. Backed by huge success in Hong Kong, it will launch its ninth store in the city this month.
The Nature Holdings will focus on operations in China and Taiwan this year. It will accelerate its business in Singapore and Japan and expand in North America and Europe in the long term.
A Hong Kong opening
Last edited:
September 12, 2023
Dao Insights
National Geographic unveils outdoor clothing store in Nanjing
National Geographic Apparel, a South Korean-owned offshoot of the original American TV channel, just opened its first flagship store in China.
Based in Nanjing’s upscale shopping mall Deji Plaza, the new outlet showcases National Geographic’s new Autumn/Winter collection, which has been marketed as a simple and eco-friendly answer to the “urbancore” fashion trend that has been all the rage in China’s major cities this year.
Large-scale nature photography from the National Geographic magazine archive lines the walls, imbuing the shopping experience with a sense of grandeur. Nanjing coffee brand BASE Outdoors & Café also set up a station inside the store, where visitors can check out how to make high-quality coffee using camping equipment.
To celebrate the opening, National Geographic Apparel is offering a selection of exclusive gifts until September 17. The minimum spend to receive a gift is 799 RMB, which bags shoppers a free wild animal plushie, while customers that spend above 7999 RMB can choose from a hoodie worth 1099 RMB or a camping chair worth 599 RMB.
Nature Holdings Co., a South Korean manufacturer of camping supplies and outdoor clothing, bought the rights to the brand name from American TV channel National Geographic in 2016. Positioned as a premium outdoor fashion brand, National Geographic Apparel was launched in Hong Kong and Taiwan after being well-received by local consumers in South Korea.
Now setting its sights on eventually opening 300 stores in China, Nature Holdings Ltd. said the brand will open three additional stores in Beijing and two in Shanghai by the end of this year. After solidifying its presence in Asia, expansions in North America and Europe are next on the long-term agenda.
Dao Insights
National Geographic unveils outdoor clothing store in Nanjing
National Geographic Apparel, a South Korean-owned offshoot of the original American TV channel, just opened its first flagship store in China.
Based in Nanjing’s upscale shopping mall Deji Plaza, the new outlet showcases National Geographic’s new Autumn/Winter collection, which has been marketed as a simple and eco-friendly answer to the “urbancore” fashion trend that has been all the rage in China’s major cities this year.
Large-scale nature photography from the National Geographic magazine archive lines the walls, imbuing the shopping experience with a sense of grandeur. Nanjing coffee brand BASE Outdoors & Café also set up a station inside the store, where visitors can check out how to make high-quality coffee using camping equipment.
To celebrate the opening, National Geographic Apparel is offering a selection of exclusive gifts until September 17. The minimum spend to receive a gift is 799 RMB, which bags shoppers a free wild animal plushie, while customers that spend above 7999 RMB can choose from a hoodie worth 1099 RMB or a camping chair worth 599 RMB.
Nature Holdings Co., a South Korean manufacturer of camping supplies and outdoor clothing, bought the rights to the brand name from American TV channel National Geographic in 2016. Positioned as a premium outdoor fashion brand, National Geographic Apparel was launched in Hong Kong and Taiwan after being well-received by local consumers in South Korea.
Now setting its sights on eventually opening 300 stores in China, Nature Holdings Ltd. said the brand will open three additional stores in Beijing and two in Shanghai by the end of this year. After solidifying its presence in Asia, expansions in North America and Europe are next on the long-term agenda.
Last edited:
November 6, 2023
Yonhap News Agency
Disney+'s 'Vigilante' targets global audience as Korean dark hero action series
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- "Vigilante," the latest original Korean series by Disney+, raises a question that is frequently asked but hard to answer: Is the law fair?
Certainly, Kim Ji-yong, the protagonist of the dark hero series played by Nam Joo-hyuk, does not believe it is. So he assumes the role of a vigilante, making sure justice is done.
One of the top students at the National Police University, Ji-yong is a gentle, well-behaved and compassionate young man who can't just pass by an old lady without helping her collect discarded boxes on the street.
By night, however, he wears a big black hood to disguise his identity and goes on a vigilante spree to dole out justice. His targets are evil, unrepentant offenders who evade the law and go unpunished or get a slap on the wrist, if they are punished at all.
"I hope the series raises various questions, like whether the law is fair and functioning well, if a vigilante is a hero or a villain and what we need to do to have a more solid legal framework," director Choi Jeong-yeol said at a press conference in Seoul on Monday.
The dark hero action series on the Disney streaming platform is based on the Korean webtoon of the same name. The digital comic series has been viewed more than 370 million times on the Naver Webtoon platform since it started being published in April 2018.
"As the original webtoon is quite lengthy and covers a vast amount of stories, I picked impressive episodes from the webtoon to keep the tension high and try to make the series fast-paced," Choi said.
The main actor Nam, who starred in "Twenty-Five, Twenty-One" (2022) and "The Light in Your Eyes" (2019), did not attend the media promotion event as he is currently serving in the military.
In a video message, the 29-year-old said he poured a lot of effort into the series for a long time.
"Old Boy" actor Yoo Ji-tae plays Jo Heon, the leader of the police investigation team who goes after the vigilante, with the belief that the man's actions are not righteous if he enjoys violence regardless of his true intentions.
Yoo put on a substantial amount of weight, about 20 kilograms, to play the huge, muscular Monster Cop, who effortlessly lifts up a car with his bare hands.
Calling himself a big fan of the "Batman" franchise, Yoo hopes "Vigilante" will reach a global audience and become the "Batman" of Korea.
"I watched the series and was heavily influenced by it as an actor," Yoo said, adding, "Now is the time to have a (well-made) Korean action hero series, and 'Vigilante' could be the one."
The first two episodes of the eight-part show are set to premiere on the streaming site Wednesday.
Yonhap News Agency
Disney+'s 'Vigilante' targets global audience as Korean dark hero action series
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- "Vigilante," the latest original Korean series by Disney+, raises a question that is frequently asked but hard to answer: Is the law fair?
Certainly, Kim Ji-yong, the protagonist of the dark hero series played by Nam Joo-hyuk, does not believe it is. So he assumes the role of a vigilante, making sure justice is done.
One of the top students at the National Police University, Ji-yong is a gentle, well-behaved and compassionate young man who can't just pass by an old lady without helping her collect discarded boxes on the street.
By night, however, he wears a big black hood to disguise his identity and goes on a vigilante spree to dole out justice. His targets are evil, unrepentant offenders who evade the law and go unpunished or get a slap on the wrist, if they are punished at all.
"I hope the series raises various questions, like whether the law is fair and functioning well, if a vigilante is a hero or a villain and what we need to do to have a more solid legal framework," director Choi Jeong-yeol said at a press conference in Seoul on Monday.
The dark hero action series on the Disney streaming platform is based on the Korean webtoon of the same name. The digital comic series has been viewed more than 370 million times on the Naver Webtoon platform since it started being published in April 2018.
"As the original webtoon is quite lengthy and covers a vast amount of stories, I picked impressive episodes from the webtoon to keep the tension high and try to make the series fast-paced," Choi said.
The main actor Nam, who starred in "Twenty-Five, Twenty-One" (2022) and "The Light in Your Eyes" (2019), did not attend the media promotion event as he is currently serving in the military.
In a video message, the 29-year-old said he poured a lot of effort into the series for a long time.
"Old Boy" actor Yoo Ji-tae plays Jo Heon, the leader of the police investigation team who goes after the vigilante, with the belief that the man's actions are not righteous if he enjoys violence regardless of his true intentions.
Yoo put on a substantial amount of weight, about 20 kilograms, to play the huge, muscular Monster Cop, who effortlessly lifts up a car with his bare hands.
Calling himself a big fan of the "Batman" franchise, Yoo hopes "Vigilante" will reach a global audience and become the "Batman" of Korea.
"I watched the series and was heavily influenced by it as an actor," Yoo said, adding, "Now is the time to have a (well-made) Korean action hero series, and 'Vigilante' could be the one."
The first two episodes of the eight-part show are set to premiere on the streaming site Wednesday.
Last edited:
October 29, 2023
The Straits Times
Disney and Singapore, a love story
Will Disneyland ever find a place in Singapore? Perhaps there’s no need to.
John Lui
Film Correspondent
As The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, it seems right to think about why Singaporeans love Disney so much – because in Singapore, we have been Disneyphiles for a long time.
In 1995, it was reported that Singaporeans were per capita the biggest consumer of Disney products in the world. This is not surprising – the 1990s were peak Disney animation years. The Little Mermaid (1989) led the charge, then came Beauty And The Beast (1991), followed by Aladdin (1992) and The Lion King (1994). Could you even call yourself a ’90s parent then if you didn’t have these movies on videotape?
By the 1990s, we spoke English and had a middle class that could afford the logo’ed backpacks, toys, pencil cases and posters. Importantly, there was a cultural fit: Disney produced wholesome content, so everything it made passed cleanly through our censors.
Move ahead a few years and a new generation would grow up with Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For these Singaporeans, Disney is not about Donald or Mickey or princesses like Belle or Ariel. For them, Disney is Tony Stark and Thanos. The top five highest-grossing movies of all time in Singapore come from the MCU.
But Singaporeans don’t love everything Disney makes. Movies from the Star Wars franchise are nowhere in the top 10 highest-grossing list for Singapore.
This is where we differ culturally from the United States, where the highest-grossing movie of all time is Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which, in US currency, grossed close to a billion dollars domestically.
Disney’s space opera franchise failed to make an impact here because the story is about scraggly, scrappy rebels fighting an imperial force that threatens to – oh, the horror! – bring order to the galaxy.
As a people, we don’t consider law and order or massive government infrastructure projects like the Death Star as things to get upset about. We like strong central government, and would not give a hoot about their scary black helmets and cloaks if they gave us good schools and hospitals. Could the squid-looking guy from the rebel side be trusted to run a proper finance committee or create a sewage system?
Just like in any emotional entanglement, the relationship between Singapore and the American corporation had its ups and downs.
In 2005, it was revealed in Parliament that the Government tried to get a Disneyland built here in the 1990s, but the deal fell through because the American company was asking for too much land (300ha) while also refusing to sink a substantial amount of its own money into the project. In Singapore, we like private-sector partners to have more skin in the game, so the idea was shelved.
This year in August, Disney announced that it would wind down its Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) facility in Singapore after two decades in operation, affecting an undisclosed number of employees involved in its visual effects and animation work. Economic factors in the industry were given as the reason.
Despite this, we Singaporeans still really love the company, even if it is just a wee bit hyper-focused on the bottom line.
Look, there is even a whole Wikipedia page about the time Singapore got scolded because we look too much like a Disney project.
The page is titled “Disneyland with the Death Penalty”. American-Canadian science fiction author William Gibson called Singapore that in 1993 in a travel piece he wrote for Wired magazine.
That phrase is meant as an insult to both Disney and Singapore as two places that look too much like the Imperial part of the galaxy.
The island is too sterile, has too many shiny buildings and while we don’t march like Stormtroopers, we move quickly and probably have some sinister purpose in mind. Off to crush some pesky rebels, probably.
In 2023, we see Gibson’s piece for what it is, because now we have the language for it: An “Okay, boomer” rant. So it seems that when some boomers come to Asia, there is a certain level of dirt that makes them happy. I’m confident there is a dirt-optimisation committee looking into the problem.
So The Walt Disney Company, on the occasion of your 100th anniversary, congratulations. Please remember the time an award-winning sci-fi writer tried to shame both of us, like two kids brought to the front of the classroom for a joint caning. I think that makes us brothers.
We forgive you for the times you behaved like a typical profit-driven corporation if you can overlook the time we gave your Disney-Pixar animated movie Lightyear (2022) a high NC16 classification because of a same-sex kiss.
You didn’t build a Disneyland here, but in the eyes of one critic, we turned our entire country into an image of one. Flattery by imitation – that counts for something, doesn’t it?
The Straits Times
Disney and Singapore, a love story
Will Disneyland ever find a place in Singapore? Perhaps there’s no need to.
John Lui
Film Correspondent
As The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, it seems right to think about why Singaporeans love Disney so much – because in Singapore, we have been Disneyphiles for a long time.
In 1995, it was reported that Singaporeans were per capita the biggest consumer of Disney products in the world. This is not surprising – the 1990s were peak Disney animation years. The Little Mermaid (1989) led the charge, then came Beauty And The Beast (1991), followed by Aladdin (1992) and The Lion King (1994). Could you even call yourself a ’90s parent then if you didn’t have these movies on videotape?
By the 1990s, we spoke English and had a middle class that could afford the logo’ed backpacks, toys, pencil cases and posters. Importantly, there was a cultural fit: Disney produced wholesome content, so everything it made passed cleanly through our censors.
Move ahead a few years and a new generation would grow up with Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For these Singaporeans, Disney is not about Donald or Mickey or princesses like Belle or Ariel. For them, Disney is Tony Stark and Thanos. The top five highest-grossing movies of all time in Singapore come from the MCU.
But Singaporeans don’t love everything Disney makes. Movies from the Star Wars franchise are nowhere in the top 10 highest-grossing list for Singapore.
This is where we differ culturally from the United States, where the highest-grossing movie of all time is Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which, in US currency, grossed close to a billion dollars domestically.
Disney’s space opera franchise failed to make an impact here because the story is about scraggly, scrappy rebels fighting an imperial force that threatens to – oh, the horror! – bring order to the galaxy.
As a people, we don’t consider law and order or massive government infrastructure projects like the Death Star as things to get upset about. We like strong central government, and would not give a hoot about their scary black helmets and cloaks if they gave us good schools and hospitals. Could the squid-looking guy from the rebel side be trusted to run a proper finance committee or create a sewage system?
Just like in any emotional entanglement, the relationship between Singapore and the American corporation had its ups and downs.
In 2005, it was revealed in Parliament that the Government tried to get a Disneyland built here in the 1990s, but the deal fell through because the American company was asking for too much land (300ha) while also refusing to sink a substantial amount of its own money into the project. In Singapore, we like private-sector partners to have more skin in the game, so the idea was shelved.
This year in August, Disney announced that it would wind down its Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) facility in Singapore after two decades in operation, affecting an undisclosed number of employees involved in its visual effects and animation work. Economic factors in the industry were given as the reason.
Despite this, we Singaporeans still really love the company, even if it is just a wee bit hyper-focused on the bottom line.
Look, there is even a whole Wikipedia page about the time Singapore got scolded because we look too much like a Disney project.
The page is titled “Disneyland with the Death Penalty”. American-Canadian science fiction author William Gibson called Singapore that in 1993 in a travel piece he wrote for Wired magazine.
That phrase is meant as an insult to both Disney and Singapore as two places that look too much like the Imperial part of the galaxy.
The island is too sterile, has too many shiny buildings and while we don’t march like Stormtroopers, we move quickly and probably have some sinister purpose in mind. Off to crush some pesky rebels, probably.
In 2023, we see Gibson’s piece for what it is, because now we have the language for it: An “Okay, boomer” rant. So it seems that when some boomers come to Asia, there is a certain level of dirt that makes them happy. I’m confident there is a dirt-optimisation committee looking into the problem.
So The Walt Disney Company, on the occasion of your 100th anniversary, congratulations. Please remember the time an award-winning sci-fi writer tried to shame both of us, like two kids brought to the front of the classroom for a joint caning. I think that makes us brothers.
We forgive you for the times you behaved like a typical profit-driven corporation if you can overlook the time we gave your Disney-Pixar animated movie Lightyear (2022) a high NC16 classification because of a same-sex kiss.
You didn’t build a Disneyland here, but in the eyes of one critic, we turned our entire country into an image of one. Flattery by imitation – that counts for something, doesn’t it?
Last edited:
June 22, 2022
Kopi
Yishun's Own Disneyland: How Singapore’s Disneyland Went to Hong Kong Instead
On 12 April 1992, the Walt Disney Company opened Euro Disney Resort – a state of the art theme park located on the outskirts of Paris. Expectations were high, with a Disney executive saying during construction that his “biggest fear (was) that (Disney) will be too successful”. Opening day dashed all these hopes. Early estimates and surveys stated that over 500,000 people would rush to the park on day one.
Instead, an abysmal 25,000 people trickled through the park’s gates in a sign of things to come. For years after its opening, the park and its parent company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Partially, this was due to the French feeling that the cultural imperialism of Euro Disney would encourage an unhealthy American type of consumerism in France. One journalist writing for a center-right newspaper even wrote, “I wish with all my heart that the rebels would set fire to [Euro] Disneyland”.
The company and its chief executive officer, Michael Eisner, were determined not to repeat the mistakes of EuroDisney – overinvesting in properties that weren’t financially performing.
Singapore’s Tourism Drive
Just as EuroDisney was being conceptualized, Singapore was looking for ways to boost its tourism industry. In 1985, Singapore Airlines enlisted the help of an American economics consulting firm to come up with a concept for a tourist attraction that would not only draw more tourists to Singapore but also lengthen their stay and spending. The study argued that Singapore should build a complex “consisting of a theme park, hotels, yachting berths, fast food and merchandising outlets”.
In the coming years, the Singapore government warmed up to the idea too, and in 1987, put out a tender to build an entertainment complex on a 21-hectare plot in Marina South. Called the Singapore Entertainment Centre (SEC), the project attracted multiple bids from countries such as Japan, Australia, and the United States. One bid for the SEC, for example, was called the Aquaticus sea-world, and included ideas such as “walking through a transparent shark tank, snorkeling and scuba diving among a large variety of fish which can be hand fed”. Another proposal was the “ASEAN Cultural Park” which aimed to depict the city as a “cultural crossroads in a 1,200-seat state-of-the-art theatre using special effects such as those found in Disneyworld’s Epcot Center”. Unfortunately, the project languished in developmental hell for years, before being shelved in 1994 because the bid submissions did not meet authorities’ expectations.
Disneyland Singapore
Singaporeans were extremely fond of Disney’s products and productions in the early 1990s. In fact, during this period, Singapore was, on a per capita basis, the world’s topmost consumer of Disney products. The company also deepened its investments in the city-state in this period, incorporating the Southeast Asian division of Walt Disney Company on the island in 1994 and opening a satellite facility for its television channel in 1995.
Singapore was thus a perfect site for Disney expansion. Probably noting this and the failure of the SEC theme park tender, the Singapore government engaged in negotiations with the Walt Disney Company to bring a Disneyland to the island. Disney asked that the Singaporean government provide them with 300 hectares of land (Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares). 70 hectares would be used to build the first phase of attractions. Then in the future, Disney promised to expand, building Phase II and Phase III of the park.
Considering the huge amount of land needed, the Singapore government earmarked a piece of land in Seletar Reservoir for Disney to look at. In addition to this, Singapore offered to build Disney a MRT station for the park between the current Yio Chu Kang Station and Khatib Station. In other words, the scenic stretch between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib MRT stations is where Disneyland Singapore was supposed to be.
Singaporeans were extremely fond of Disney’s products and productions in the early 1990s. In fact, during this period, Singapore was, on a per capita basis, the world’s topmost consumer of Disney products. The company also deepened its investments in the city-state in this period, incorporating the Southeast Asian division of Walt Disney Company on the island in 1994 and opening a satellite facility for its television channel in 1995.
Singapore was thus a perfect site for Disney expansion. Probably noting this and the failure of the SEC theme park tender, the Singapore government engaged in negotiations with the Walt Disney Company to bring a Disneyland to the island. Disney asked that the Singaporean government provide them with 300 hectares of land (Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares). 70 hectares would be used to build the first phase of attractions. Then in the future, Disney promised to expand, building Phase II and Phase III of the park.
Considering the huge amount of land needed, the Singapore government earmarked a piece of land in Seletar Reservoir for Disney to look at. In addition to this, Singapore offered to build Disney a MRT station for the park between the current Yio Chu Kang Station and Khatib Station. In other words, the scenic stretch between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib MRT stations is where Disneyland Singapore was supposed to be.
Disneyland Hong Kong
Following the failure of the Disneyland Singapore project, Disney started negotiations with the Hong Kong government in 1998. Unlike their Singaporean counterparts, Hong Kong’s authorities were willing to take up a significant stake in the park. In fact, the Hong Kong government paid for three quarters of the initial US$3 billion price-tag, ending up with a 52% stake.
When it opened in 2004, the park did not live up to its initial expectations. Since Disney was more occupied with reviving EuroDisney and upgrading its other parks, critics noted that the Disneyland in Hong Kong was an uninspired copy and paste of the original in Anaheim.
Perhaps owing to this, the park struggled financially for its first seven years, only making its first profit in 2012. In other words, Disney’s lack of stake in the park meant that it could afford to provide a sub-par product. Thus, to some extent, the Singapore government’s argument – that theme parks should be run by the private sector – makes sense.
All of this doesn’t mean that Singapore will never see a Disney Park. Even after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, there have been multiple rumours of Disney coming to Singapore.
In 2006, Lianhe Zaobao reported for example that Disney was looking to build a park in Marina East in collaboration with Capitaland. Likewise, a theme park publication reported “that Disney looked at the site on Sentosa Island where Universal ultimately developed Universal Studios Singapore, but Disney dismissed the site as too small”.
In all likelihood, given the company’s sustained interest in the island, Disney attractions might be coming to our shores in one form or another at some point.
Kopi
Yishun's Own Disneyland: How Singapore’s Disneyland Went to Hong Kong Instead
On 12 April 1992, the Walt Disney Company opened Euro Disney Resort – a state of the art theme park located on the outskirts of Paris. Expectations were high, with a Disney executive saying during construction that his “biggest fear (was) that (Disney) will be too successful”. Opening day dashed all these hopes. Early estimates and surveys stated that over 500,000 people would rush to the park on day one.
Instead, an abysmal 25,000 people trickled through the park’s gates in a sign of things to come. For years after its opening, the park and its parent company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Partially, this was due to the French feeling that the cultural imperialism of Euro Disney would encourage an unhealthy American type of consumerism in France. One journalist writing for a center-right newspaper even wrote, “I wish with all my heart that the rebels would set fire to [Euro] Disneyland”.
The company and its chief executive officer, Michael Eisner, were determined not to repeat the mistakes of EuroDisney – overinvesting in properties that weren’t financially performing.
Singapore’s Tourism Drive
Just as EuroDisney was being conceptualized, Singapore was looking for ways to boost its tourism industry. In 1985, Singapore Airlines enlisted the help of an American economics consulting firm to come up with a concept for a tourist attraction that would not only draw more tourists to Singapore but also lengthen their stay and spending. The study argued that Singapore should build a complex “consisting of a theme park, hotels, yachting berths, fast food and merchandising outlets”.
In the coming years, the Singapore government warmed up to the idea too, and in 1987, put out a tender to build an entertainment complex on a 21-hectare plot in Marina South. Called the Singapore Entertainment Centre (SEC), the project attracted multiple bids from countries such as Japan, Australia, and the United States. One bid for the SEC, for example, was called the Aquaticus sea-world, and included ideas such as “walking through a transparent shark tank, snorkeling and scuba diving among a large variety of fish which can be hand fed”. Another proposal was the “ASEAN Cultural Park” which aimed to depict the city as a “cultural crossroads in a 1,200-seat state-of-the-art theatre using special effects such as those found in Disneyworld’s Epcot Center”. Unfortunately, the project languished in developmental hell for years, before being shelved in 1994 because the bid submissions did not meet authorities’ expectations.
Disneyland Singapore
Singaporeans were extremely fond of Disney’s products and productions in the early 1990s. In fact, during this period, Singapore was, on a per capita basis, the world’s topmost consumer of Disney products. The company also deepened its investments in the city-state in this period, incorporating the Southeast Asian division of Walt Disney Company on the island in 1994 and opening a satellite facility for its television channel in 1995.
Singapore was thus a perfect site for Disney expansion. Probably noting this and the failure of the SEC theme park tender, the Singapore government engaged in negotiations with the Walt Disney Company to bring a Disneyland to the island. Disney asked that the Singaporean government provide them with 300 hectares of land (Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares). 70 hectares would be used to build the first phase of attractions. Then in the future, Disney promised to expand, building Phase II and Phase III of the park.
Considering the huge amount of land needed, the Singapore government earmarked a piece of land in Seletar Reservoir for Disney to look at. In addition to this, Singapore offered to build Disney a MRT station for the park between the current Yio Chu Kang Station and Khatib Station. In other words, the scenic stretch between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib MRT stations is where Disneyland Singapore was supposed to be.
Singaporeans were extremely fond of Disney’s products and productions in the early 1990s. In fact, during this period, Singapore was, on a per capita basis, the world’s topmost consumer of Disney products. The company also deepened its investments in the city-state in this period, incorporating the Southeast Asian division of Walt Disney Company on the island in 1994 and opening a satellite facility for its television channel in 1995.
Singapore was thus a perfect site for Disney expansion. Probably noting this and the failure of the SEC theme park tender, the Singapore government engaged in negotiations with the Walt Disney Company to bring a Disneyland to the island. Disney asked that the Singaporean government provide them with 300 hectares of land (Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares). 70 hectares would be used to build the first phase of attractions. Then in the future, Disney promised to expand, building Phase II and Phase III of the park.
Considering the huge amount of land needed, the Singapore government earmarked a piece of land in Seletar Reservoir for Disney to look at. In addition to this, Singapore offered to build Disney a MRT station for the park between the current Yio Chu Kang Station and Khatib Station. In other words, the scenic stretch between Yio Chu Kang and Khatib MRT stations is where Disneyland Singapore was supposed to be.
Disneyland Hong Kong
Following the failure of the Disneyland Singapore project, Disney started negotiations with the Hong Kong government in 1998. Unlike their Singaporean counterparts, Hong Kong’s authorities were willing to take up a significant stake in the park. In fact, the Hong Kong government paid for three quarters of the initial US$3 billion price-tag, ending up with a 52% stake.
When it opened in 2004, the park did not live up to its initial expectations. Since Disney was more occupied with reviving EuroDisney and upgrading its other parks, critics noted that the Disneyland in Hong Kong was an uninspired copy and paste of the original in Anaheim.
Perhaps owing to this, the park struggled financially for its first seven years, only making its first profit in 2012. In other words, Disney’s lack of stake in the park meant that it could afford to provide a sub-par product. Thus, to some extent, the Singapore government’s argument – that theme parks should be run by the private sector – makes sense.
All of this doesn’t mean that Singapore will never see a Disney Park. Even after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, there have been multiple rumours of Disney coming to Singapore.
In 2006, Lianhe Zaobao reported for example that Disney was looking to build a park in Marina East in collaboration with Capitaland. Likewise, a theme park publication reported “that Disney looked at the site on Sentosa Island where Universal ultimately developed Universal Studios Singapore, but Disney dismissed the site as too small”.
In all likelihood, given the company’s sustained interest in the island, Disney attractions might be coming to our shores in one form or another at some point.
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September 13, 2023
Forbes
On Disney Plus, K-Pop Content Finds A Home
Solidifying its programming slate in K-pop-related content, Disney+ will premiere BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star later this year and offer “unprecedented access” to the boyband’s extraordinary 10-year journey. On the streaming platform, audiences can find a wide range of docu-series and concert films featuring top-tier K-pop acts like BTS, Tomorrow X Together (TXT), Super Junior, Psy and NCT 127.
“We’re continuing to learn about the balance between performance and archival footage. Is it the journey that people want to see, or them hanging out, or the performance?” said Carol Choi, executive vice-president of Disney’s original content strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. “We’re still looking at various ways to entertain and we’ve not come to any conclusion.”
Historic partnership with HYBE, the record label behind BTS
Last year, Disney announced a partnership with Korea’s HYBE, the record label behind BTS. “It did take a while,” said Choi, about the deal. “At that time, we were starting out and we knew that they have their own platform, Weverse, so how do we figure that out and get the windowing?”
“But ultimately, we both had a strong desire. They are big Disney fans,” Choi added. “Honestly, if we had more time, we would love to be able to do more. We would love to explore ideas to connect them to do things at the Parks.”
With this approach, Disney is able to strategically anchor its new K-pop-related content in well-established K-pop fanbases and communities, guaranteeing a wide audience for its shows. The streamer’s K-pop content slate includes concert films, docu-series, reality shows and more intimate, behind-the-scenes stories following individual acts.
It comes with no surprise that some of Disney+’s top-performing K-pop related shows involve BTS members. Concert film BTS: Permission to Dance – LA became one of Disney+’s top 10 most-watched films for the majority of APAC markets in its first month of launch, based on hours watched. Outside of Asia, the film also emerged among the top 10 most-watched titles across the LATAM region.
In the Soop: Friendcation was among the streamer’s top three most-watched titles across Asia in its premiere week. The four-episode series featured BTS’ V, Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, Park Hyung-sik and Peakboy going on a four-day “friendship trip.”
Shows following individual acts within BTS — like j-hope In The Box — have also proved popular on Disney+, especially with the group currently on hiatus. Suga: Road to D-Day performed exceptionally well in Japan and the Philippines, claiming the most-watched movie spot the week it premiered on service. “Individual artists like J-Hope and Suga were delivering their first solo album and there are stories there as well,” Choi said.
Developing new shows with other K-pop acts
While Choi pointed out that the HYBE agreement was a “big deal” and forms a major part of the studio’s content strategy, Disney is still interested in other content from K-pop acts like Super Junior and NCT 127.
In late August 2023, NCT 127: The Lost Boys premiered on Disney+, while the platform also released Psy Summer Swag 2022 in May 2023, which followed the “Gangnam Style” singer on his summer concerts across seven Korean cities. In July 2023, Disney+ released TXT: Our Lost Summer, a documentary following TXT, a five-member boyband also managed by HYBE. This year, TXT became the first Korean act to perform and headline Lollapalooza, a four-day music festival in Chicago. Disney+ also rolled out Super Junior: The Last Man Standing in January.
The relationship between Disney and K-pop pre-dates the groundbreaking deal with HYBE. For Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary show in November 2018, which was telecast on ABC, Korean boyband subunit NCT127 performed “Regular” from their album alongside the iconic Disney character.
Choi added that the development process of each show is different for every K-pop artist. “A lot of it comes from the management because they know their artist best,” Choi said. “We work together in terms of what is important for that artist at that time.”
“They understand that their fans want a sneak peek behind the scenes of what is going on, and their motivation,” Choi said. “That’s how we continue to package this portfolio of content.”
Currently, Disney is focused on the K-pop industry and is not looking to expand the slate to include collaborations with popular singers from other markets. This includes artists from established music industries like Hong Kong or Taiwan. “There are pockets of tremendous artists and idols in each market but currently, the one with the highest travelability is K-pop,” Choi said. “Certain markets may look for content on their own platform, like they may license certain content.”
For example, in February 2023, Disney+ streamed live two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu’s figure skating show, Gift, only for Japan’s subscribers. Held in the Tokyo Dome, the figure skating show — which is produced by Hanyu, also a well-known Winne the Pooh fan — was streamed via non-Disney platforms for other territories. It has since been packaged into a two-hour show released worldwide on Disney+.
“One of the challenges is to find that voice because we do carry the Disney+ name on our service. It could mean different things to different people,” Choi added. “It is a very competitive market out there, so how do we find a balance between trying new things to showcase the best talents, work closely with our creators and bring those content to life?”
Forbes
On Disney Plus, K-Pop Content Finds A Home
“We’re continuing to learn about the balance between performance and archival footage. Is it the journey that people want to see, or them hanging out, or the performance?” said Carol Choi, executive vice-president of Disney’s original content strategy across the Asia-Pacific region. “We’re still looking at various ways to entertain and we’ve not come to any conclusion.”
Historic partnership with HYBE, the record label behind BTS
Last year, Disney announced a partnership with Korea’s HYBE, the record label behind BTS. “It did take a while,” said Choi, about the deal. “At that time, we were starting out and we knew that they have their own platform, Weverse, so how do we figure that out and get the windowing?”
“But ultimately, we both had a strong desire. They are big Disney fans,” Choi added. “Honestly, if we had more time, we would love to be able to do more. We would love to explore ideas to connect them to do things at the Parks.”
It comes with no surprise that some of Disney+’s top-performing K-pop related shows involve BTS members. Concert film BTS: Permission to Dance – LA became one of Disney+’s top 10 most-watched films for the majority of APAC markets in its first month of launch, based on hours watched. Outside of Asia, the film also emerged among the top 10 most-watched titles across the LATAM region.
In the Soop: Friendcation was among the streamer’s top three most-watched titles across Asia in its premiere week. The four-episode series featured BTS’ V, Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, Park Hyung-sik and Peakboy going on a four-day “friendship trip.”
Shows following individual acts within BTS — like j-hope In The Box — have also proved popular on Disney+, especially with the group currently on hiatus. Suga: Road to D-Day performed exceptionally well in Japan and the Philippines, claiming the most-watched movie spot the week it premiered on service. “Individual artists like J-Hope and Suga were delivering their first solo album and there are stories there as well,” Choi said.
Developing new shows with other K-pop acts
While Choi pointed out that the HYBE agreement was a “big deal” and forms a major part of the studio’s content strategy, Disney is still interested in other content from K-pop acts like Super Junior and NCT 127.
In late August 2023, NCT 127: The Lost Boys premiered on Disney+, while the platform also released Psy Summer Swag 2022 in May 2023, which followed the “Gangnam Style” singer on his summer concerts across seven Korean cities. In July 2023, Disney+ released TXT: Our Lost Summer, a documentary following TXT, a five-member boyband also managed by HYBE. This year, TXT became the first Korean act to perform and headline Lollapalooza, a four-day music festival in Chicago. Disney+ also rolled out Super Junior: The Last Man Standing in January.
The relationship between Disney and K-pop pre-dates the groundbreaking deal with HYBE. For Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary show in November 2018, which was telecast on ABC, Korean boyband subunit NCT127 performed “Regular” from their album alongside the iconic Disney character.
Choi added that the development process of each show is different for every K-pop artist. “A lot of it comes from the management because they know their artist best,” Choi said. “We work together in terms of what is important for that artist at that time.”
“They understand that their fans want a sneak peek behind the scenes of what is going on, and their motivation,” Choi said. “That’s how we continue to package this portfolio of content.”
Currently, Disney is focused on the K-pop industry and is not looking to expand the slate to include collaborations with popular singers from other markets. This includes artists from established music industries like Hong Kong or Taiwan. “There are pockets of tremendous artists and idols in each market but currently, the one with the highest travelability is K-pop,” Choi said. “Certain markets may look for content on their own platform, like they may license certain content.”
For example, in February 2023, Disney+ streamed live two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu’s figure skating show, Gift, only for Japan’s subscribers. Held in the Tokyo Dome, the figure skating show — which is produced by Hanyu, also a well-known Winne the Pooh fan — was streamed via non-Disney platforms for other territories. It has since been packaged into a two-hour show released worldwide on Disney+.
“One of the challenges is to find that voice because we do carry the Disney+ name on our service. It could mean different things to different people,” Choi added. “It is a very competitive market out there, so how do we find a balance between trying new things to showcase the best talents, work closely with our creators and bring those content to life?”
Last edited:
June 7, 2023
The Walt Disney Company
Disney Opens Play Space at Korea University Guro Hospital with LG Uplus and Make-A-Wish® Korea
Disney unveiled its first children’s hospital project in Korea. At Korea University Guro Hospital, a brand-new children’s play space has been created — a collaboration with LG Uplus and Make-A-Wish Korea.
The play space is designed for kids of all ages and abilities to help children ease the fear and anxiety of a hospital stay and bring joy through diverse content offerings from Disney. This imaginative and inviting space also features content from Children’s Land, LG Uplus’ streaming service exclusively for children, and was brought to the hospital in collaboration with Make-A-Wish Korea who works in the region to grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses.
Located in the Future Wing of the hospital, the play space features two zones, one dedicated to Disney and one to Children’s Land. Filled with the globally beloved characters and content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, the Disney zone features Disney videos and storybooks to bring joy and comfort to children facing serious illnesses.
“It is a great pleasure to be able to successfully launch a children’s hospital project for the first time in Korea in collaboration with Disney’s longstanding partners,” said Soyoun Kim, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company Korea and member of Make-A-Wish Korea’s Board of Directors. “With the positive and vibrant energy of Disney content, we are looking forward to delivering joy and happiness to children visiting Korea University Guro Hospital.”
This new play space is part of Disney’s $100 million global commitment to help reimagine the patient experience, providing familiarity and optimism during an otherwise anxious time for kids and the people who care for them. Disney brings the positive power of Disney stories, characters, and immersive experiences to more than 700 children’s hospitals and pediatric places of care around the world.
For almost 100 years, Disney stories have been a source of imagination and hope for children of all ages. Walt Disney himself visited hospitalized children with a cheerful contingent of Disney animators and characters to bring young patients moments of joy when they were needed most. Disney and Make-A-Wish have helped grant more than 150,000 life-changing wishes worldwide since 1980 and continue to create transformative experiences for children with critical illnesses and their families.
Learn more about our commitment to delivering joy and comfort at joy.disney.com.
The Walt Disney Company
Disney Opens Play Space at Korea University Guro Hospital with LG Uplus and Make-A-Wish® Korea
Disney unveiled its first children’s hospital project in Korea. At Korea University Guro Hospital, a brand-new children’s play space has been created — a collaboration with LG Uplus and Make-A-Wish Korea.
The play space is designed for kids of all ages and abilities to help children ease the fear and anxiety of a hospital stay and bring joy through diverse content offerings from Disney. This imaginative and inviting space also features content from Children’s Land, LG Uplus’ streaming service exclusively for children, and was brought to the hospital in collaboration with Make-A-Wish Korea who works in the region to grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses.
Located in the Future Wing of the hospital, the play space features two zones, one dedicated to Disney and one to Children’s Land. Filled with the globally beloved characters and content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, the Disney zone features Disney videos and storybooks to bring joy and comfort to children facing serious illnesses.
“It is a great pleasure to be able to successfully launch a children’s hospital project for the first time in Korea in collaboration with Disney’s longstanding partners,” said Soyoun Kim, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company Korea and member of Make-A-Wish Korea’s Board of Directors. “With the positive and vibrant energy of Disney content, we are looking forward to delivering joy and happiness to children visiting Korea University Guro Hospital.”
This new play space is part of Disney’s $100 million global commitment to help reimagine the patient experience, providing familiarity and optimism during an otherwise anxious time for kids and the people who care for them. Disney brings the positive power of Disney stories, characters, and immersive experiences to more than 700 children’s hospitals and pediatric places of care around the world.
For almost 100 years, Disney stories have been a source of imagination and hope for children of all ages. Walt Disney himself visited hospitalized children with a cheerful contingent of Disney animators and characters to bring young patients moments of joy when they were needed most. Disney and Make-A-Wish have helped grant more than 150,000 life-changing wishes worldwide since 1980 and continue to create transformative experiences for children with critical illnesses and their families.
Learn more about our commitment to delivering joy and comfort at joy.disney.com.
Last edited:
September 22, 2023
Rolling Stone
‘Moving’ Is the Best Superhero Series on TV Right Now
Disney+ and Hulu show is the streamers’ most-watched series of all time in parts of Asia, and has become a K-drama sensation
Moving (무빙), a South Korean drama about superpowered teens and the superpowered parents trying to protect them, made headlines last month when it became Disney+ and Hulu’s most-watched K-drama of all time. In Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Moving has become the streamers’ most-watched series, full stop — yes, it beat out series that hail from the Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universes. The series is not only distributed but also produced by Disney, and the media conglomerate invested a hefty chunk of change to make the multi-generational superhero saga fly. In fact, Moving is reportedly the most expensive K-drama of all time, with a total budget of over 60 billion Korean won, or roughly $45 million. This works out to about $2.25 million per episode.
When broken down across all 20 episodes, the series’ budget is comparable to or even a little less than what Moving director Park In-je had to work with for the second season of Netflix’s zombie historical drama Kingdom, which was only six episodes.
“Because our story deals with supernatural powers, [with] all of the VFX-related budgeting, we had to be very cost-efficient,” Park tells Rolling Stone. “We made sure we were allocating that budget in the most efficient way possible.”
Over 60 VFX studios across nine countries worked on the 7,000 CGI shots used in the series. (For reference, Avengers: Endgame includes 2,700 VFX shots.)
“I have never done a project that required as much CGI as this,” Park said in a behind-the-scenes featurette.
While $45 million is still a lot of money in the context of South Korean TV production — which has seen an increase in average budget since U.S.-based streamers like Netflix, Apple TV+, and Disney+ entered the region — it doesn’t hold a candle to America’s highest-budgeted dramas. Disney’s MCU dramas reportedly cost up to $25 million per episode, while The Mandalorian runs around $15 million per episode. On the broadcast TV side, The CW’s first season of DC’s Superman & Lois (which films in Canada) reportedly cost about $6.3 million per episode to make, while a scaled-back third season cost about $5 million per episode. Moving’s budget is comparable to the budget of a mid-range broadcast superhero drama, such as The Flash or Arrow from the now mostly-defunct Arrowverse.
In this context, what director Park and his team (including co-director Park Youn-seo) were able to achieve in Moving is particularly impressive. The webtoon-adapted series, which concluded its 20-episode first season on Wednesday, follows a wide range of superpowered characters across different settings, including diverse time periods.
“I think having the limited or lower budget compared to those American superhero genres actually worked in our favor,” says Park. “Because, if we wanted to emulate that quality that we see in things like Marvel, it meant that we needed to be creative.”
Most episodes of Moving contain some kind of major stunt, action sequence, or fight between two superpowered characters. An invincible assassin sent by the U.S. government faces off against a company manager with superstrength in an office tower. A city bus driver with the ability to generate electricity takes his passengers on a breathless race through Seoul traffic to keep a superpowered North Korean spy from attacking. A spy with the ability to fly tries to save a flight from a terrorist attack by knocking on the cockpit’s window mid-flight. The sequences are effectively and creatively realized, usually maintaining the kind of visual logic that has become less tangible in big-budget American superhero fare.
It helps that Moving has a good story featuring fully realized characters to hang its action on. Amidst all of the impressive action sequences, when asked to choose a favorite, Park opts for a quiet one, completely devoid of violence. In Episode Seven’s “The Stranger,” teen protagonist Kim Bong-seok (Lee Jung-ha) learns to fly. Previously, the character had lived his life afraid to try. From the time he was small, Bong-seok’s mother loaded him down with weights and fed him large portions to keep him heavy, rightfully afraid her son’s abilities would make him a target. But Bong-seok is growing up and he wants to be able to use his abilities to keep the people he cares about safe. He wants to know what he is capable of. So, he puts on his bright yellow puffer jacket, goes onto the dimly-lit path by his home, and lets himself try.
It’s awkward, arms flailing and yells of effort released into the sleepy night. Bong-seok bangs into signs and splashes his feet and hands in a river as he flies unintentionally low over it. Sometimes, his efforts look like swimming, and other times they look like falling, but, as the triumphant music swells, Bong-seok finally gets it. He soars.
“If we could call that action, that would be my first pick,” says Park. “I think that that was the scene, for both me and all of our crew, that was the scene that really moved our hearts.”
It’s a fitting choice for a show that, in the midst of all the superpowered action, never once forgets its characters, Park first received the offer to work on Moving after wrapping Kingdom, when he was working on his own feature film script and just after his daughter had been born.
“I was really moved by the family story,” explains Park, referring to the parallel, interlacing stories of parents and their children at the heart of the South Korean drama. “When we tried to approach Moving, [we knew] it had to be different from how American superheroes are. Firstly, because of the budget — I mean, we weren’t able to do [what Marvel does]. But also because our basic approach to the heroes in Moving was that they are very grounded and very realistic people.”
Rolling Stone
‘Moving’ Is the Best Superhero Series on TV Right Now
Disney+ and Hulu show is the streamers’ most-watched series of all time in parts of Asia, and has become a K-drama sensation
When broken down across all 20 episodes, the series’ budget is comparable to or even a little less than what Moving director Park In-je had to work with for the second season of Netflix’s zombie historical drama Kingdom, which was only six episodes.
“Because our story deals with supernatural powers, [with] all of the VFX-related budgeting, we had to be very cost-efficient,” Park tells Rolling Stone. “We made sure we were allocating that budget in the most efficient way possible.”
Over 60 VFX studios across nine countries worked on the 7,000 CGI shots used in the series. (For reference, Avengers: Endgame includes 2,700 VFX shots.)
“I have never done a project that required as much CGI as this,” Park said in a behind-the-scenes featurette.
While $45 million is still a lot of money in the context of South Korean TV production — which has seen an increase in average budget since U.S.-based streamers like Netflix, Apple TV+, and Disney+ entered the region — it doesn’t hold a candle to America’s highest-budgeted dramas. Disney’s MCU dramas reportedly cost up to $25 million per episode, while The Mandalorian runs around $15 million per episode. On the broadcast TV side, The CW’s first season of DC’s Superman & Lois (which films in Canada) reportedly cost about $6.3 million per episode to make, while a scaled-back third season cost about $5 million per episode. Moving’s budget is comparable to the budget of a mid-range broadcast superhero drama, such as The Flash or Arrow from the now mostly-defunct Arrowverse.
In this context, what director Park and his team (including co-director Park Youn-seo) were able to achieve in Moving is particularly impressive. The webtoon-adapted series, which concluded its 20-episode first season on Wednesday, follows a wide range of superpowered characters across different settings, including diverse time periods.
“I think having the limited or lower budget compared to those American superhero genres actually worked in our favor,” says Park. “Because, if we wanted to emulate that quality that we see in things like Marvel, it meant that we needed to be creative.”
Most episodes of Moving contain some kind of major stunt, action sequence, or fight between two superpowered characters. An invincible assassin sent by the U.S. government faces off against a company manager with superstrength in an office tower. A city bus driver with the ability to generate electricity takes his passengers on a breathless race through Seoul traffic to keep a superpowered North Korean spy from attacking. A spy with the ability to fly tries to save a flight from a terrorist attack by knocking on the cockpit’s window mid-flight. The sequences are effectively and creatively realized, usually maintaining the kind of visual logic that has become less tangible in big-budget American superhero fare.
It helps that Moving has a good story featuring fully realized characters to hang its action on. Amidst all of the impressive action sequences, when asked to choose a favorite, Park opts for a quiet one, completely devoid of violence. In Episode Seven’s “The Stranger,” teen protagonist Kim Bong-seok (Lee Jung-ha) learns to fly. Previously, the character had lived his life afraid to try. From the time he was small, Bong-seok’s mother loaded him down with weights and fed him large portions to keep him heavy, rightfully afraid her son’s abilities would make him a target. But Bong-seok is growing up and he wants to be able to use his abilities to keep the people he cares about safe. He wants to know what he is capable of. So, he puts on his bright yellow puffer jacket, goes onto the dimly-lit path by his home, and lets himself try.
It’s awkward, arms flailing and yells of effort released into the sleepy night. Bong-seok bangs into signs and splashes his feet and hands in a river as he flies unintentionally low over it. Sometimes, his efforts look like swimming, and other times they look like falling, but, as the triumphant music swells, Bong-seok finally gets it. He soars.
“If we could call that action, that would be my first pick,” says Park. “I think that that was the scene, for both me and all of our crew, that was the scene that really moved our hearts.”
It’s a fitting choice for a show that, in the midst of all the superpowered action, never once forgets its characters, Park first received the offer to work on Moving after wrapping Kingdom, when he was working on his own feature film script and just after his daughter had been born.
“I was really moved by the family story,” explains Park, referring to the parallel, interlacing stories of parents and their children at the heart of the South Korean drama. “When we tried to approach Moving, [we knew] it had to be different from how American superheroes are. Firstly, because of the budget — I mean, we weren’t able to do [what Marvel does]. But also because our basic approach to the heroes in Moving was that they are very grounded and very realistic people.”
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