Kids
Disney Channel to debut on DTH service in Korea 1 June
Mickey Mouse is coming to Korea. Come 1 June, viewers in Seoul will be able to tune into the antics of Disney’s rodent on television. The Disney Channel will be carried on Korean DTH service provider, Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting (KDB) on channel 654 under the “Skylife” brandname.
KDB president & CEO Hyeon-Dew Kang, and Walt Disney Television International managing director for branded television – Asia Pacific – Jon Niermann had earlier signed an agreement sealing the deal on 9 April.
Making the announcement of the 1 June debut, Walt Disney Television International president David Hulbert said: “Korea is a market that shows tremendous potential for growth in the cable and satellite industry. This is an important step in expanding our presence throughout the region.”
The Korean Broadcasting Commission granted Disney Channel approval as a foreign re-transmission channel early this year. Negotiations between KDB and Disney began in the middle of 2001 and culminated in an agreement recently. On 1 March 2002, KDB launched its Skylife service with a ceremony held in Seoul which was attended by Korean President Kim Dae Jung. Disney Channel has offered KDB customers a “preview” channel since 26 March. With Disney launching, KDB expects Skylife to reach 500,000 Korean households by December 2002.
Disney Channel Asia, which is headed by managing director Raymund Miranda, is now available in five countries around the region: Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. It was launched in January 2000 and is a multi-language feed with both dubbing and subtitling in Mandarin, and a main feed in English. The Korean feed will be broadcast in English with Korean subtitles.
The Asian television service is available in seven countries in the Asia Pacific region: Australia, Korea, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. The Korean feed will be broadcast in English with Korean subtitles.
Disney branded programs are broadcast on local free-to-air networks in 12 countries around the region, reaching a total audience of 300 million in the Asia-Pacific.
In India Disney programming is watched on Sony Entertainment Television, Eenadu TV, and Doordarshan. Disney which normally takes time to enter a new country, has been studying a foray into India with its 24-hour service for the past three to four years but has held back because its cable TV networks are not truly addressable. It has recently applied to the country’s foreign investment promotion board for clearance to get into broadcasting activities.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
