MIPTV Spotlight: CJ E&M

CANNES: Korea’s Shin Ha-Kyun portrays a gifted negotiator up against a terrorist in the drama series Pied Piper, which CJ E&M is highlighting for MIPTV.

“Given the raised awareness of terrorism, its solving-cases-through-negotiation angle may appeal to audiences,” says Jangho Seo, CJ E&M’s head of international sales and acquisitions.

The company is also offering up Memory, focused on a lawyer who pushes himself to defend one last case after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The story of a man “fighting to regain his memory, not only for his cherished career but also to respect the value of family, Memory has a strong plot,” says Seo.

There is also Vampire Detective, which stars Lee Joon as a vampire detective working to help those in need.

Combining home makeovers and pranks, Look What Your Hubby Did sees a husband who (without his wife’s knowledge) remodels part of their home to feature his favorite retired hobby. “From a storytelling perspective, the show has a structured beginning (problem: hubby’s lost passion), middle (intense remodeling of the house in a short time) and end (wife’s reaction)—which is often hilarious,” says Seo.

CJ E&M is presenting that format to buyers, along with The Acting School, which follows actors who are being trained to improve their skills and advance their careers. “Seeing the famous actors humbled by a strict teacher, unusual acting exercises and the modest conditions of the boarding school triggers feelings of nostalgia and the universal desire for approval and improvement,” Seo says of The Acting School.

Then there is We Kid, a music entertainment show in which children, celebrities and a composer collaborate on new songs. “We Kid is an all-ages show that highlights the innocence, charm and pure emotions of 12 highly talented children,” Seo says.