Media Ranch Scores Format Deals in Asia

Media Ranch has signed multiple format deals with Asian companies, including Something Special, FormatEast and TV Asahi.

South Korea’s Something Special, founded and run by Jin Woo Hwang and InSoon Kim, has signed on to distribute Media Ranch’s Don’t Laugh in Asia.

With this new deal, Media Ranch and Something Special are now partnered on three projects, including Finally, it’s Mine, a competition reality format developed with Sweet Pumpkin. In addition, Something Special represents Media Ranch’s Watch! in Asia, and Media Ranch represents Something Special’s Miracle Habits and Miracle Recipes outside of Asia.

Media Ranch also signed a deal with Japan’s TV Asahi via Tim Crescenti’s U.S.-based Small World IFT to distribute Happily Ever Apart. An option deal has already been signed with Figure 8 Films.

From Media Ranch and FormatEast’s partnership in the U.S., 44 Blue Productions has optioned Boundary, while Honey in the Box has been optioned by 1/17 in the U.S. and Fair-Play Group in French-speaking Canada.

Sophie Ferron, president and founder of Media Ranch, said, “Today marks the next step in Media Ranch expanding its content scope with not only strong partnerships but with meaningful ones that fit into our future. Expanding our Asian footprint through our distribution and co-development venture with Something Special and Sweet Pumpkin complements that journey. Additionally, our distribution partnerships with FormatEast in Korea, a Japanese format representation with Small World and our amazing collaborations with 44 Blue, 1/17, Fair-Play Group and Figure 8 Films, we realize the more we reach across borders, the more we find successful friendships to build outstanding formats.”

Hwang added, “Something Special is a creative Korean format hub with a mission to highlight the best Korean content and creative talents to a global audience. Media Ranch is the perfect partner who shares our deep love of creating the best formats that can travel the world. Our co-work project Finally, it’s Mine is a wonderful new format with a never-before-seen approach of reality formats. And we continue to grow our partnership by taking their fun format Don’t Laugh into Asia. We look forward to promoting the show at MIPTV.”