Event Coverage
Korean ‘hallyu’ hits MIPTV 2005
CANNES: If it has been the Latin American telenovellas that have impacted global television programming in the last few years, it could well be the Korean wave (hallyu in local lingo) that could hit TV screens in the coming year.
Korean TV dramas, like Winter Sonata, have already been dubbed in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam and adapted in countries like Ghana, Uzbekistan and Mongolia among other countries and producers Korean Broadcasting System is already beginning to eye other Asian and western markets.
The Korean cultural fever hasn’t yet hit the Indian market, but a contingent of Korean independent production houses and the three broadcast terrestrial stations that make up Korean TV will be visiting India in May to make the initial presentations.
Winter Sonata, a KBS produced three year old drama about first love, separation and eventual reunion, has in fact generated mass hysteria in all the countries it has aired, and has already earned $20 million for its producers. DVD sales have already fetched $143 million and its popularity has also reflected in increased tourism into Korea, says Korean Broadcasting Commission head Hwee Boo Yang.
Yearly exports of Korean TV programmes are maintaining an increase of 40 per cent every year, with the drama genre constituting 91.8 per cent of total exports in 2004, followed by animation that had a share of 4.6 per cent. According to the commission, in 2004, Vietnam (1.5 per cent), Malaysia (1.8 per cent) and the US (2.2 per cent) emerged as growing markets for Korean TV products.
The Korean wave is riding high on several factors. Hot competition among production houses is yielding high quality drama, the most preferred genre in Korea, and over 30 TV dramas are produced per week. The stories are universal, love oriented and family related stories, targeted at tugging heart strings of middle-aged women that form the bulk of their audience.
Korea is also banking on the fact that they are producing ‘high quality dramas at reasonable rights fees.’
Another 2003 Korean MBC production Jewel in the Palace, a historical drama set in the Chosun dynasty about 500 years ago, has hit the popularity charts in Japan, Latin American and Middle East countries and made an income of $2.3 million by selling in eight countries, leading to the ‘Hanbok’ – traditional Korean costume becoming the latest in the wave of Korean products to gain popularity in Taiwan.
Korea is now eyeing co-productions with countries like China, where Korean scripts are being married to Chinese stars and locations and ensuring a ready market in both countries.
TV dramas apart, Korea, which has been in focus at this MIPTV with its cultural presentations and a Korean Day on 12 April, also plans to launch Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), a Korean version of ‘mobile broadcasting’ by the end of this year. The ‘ubiquitous connectivity’ envisaged by this service means that people can utilise ‘any device, anywhere, anytime’ via ‘U-home, U-office, U-government, U-education’ services. Although it sounds a tad futuristic, Yang sounds confident that the service (to be transmitted via satellite and terrestrial) will allow all information devices and household appliances to be connected to the wired/wireless home network. Services will include TV VOD/ Interactive TV, healthcare, visitor identification, broadband Internet as well as control of house appliances.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
