Factual
Korean TV format powerhouse plants flag in India with two ambitious deals
CANNES: Seoul’s Something Special has cracked India’s booming television market with a one-two punch, licensing two Korean formats to Karman Unlimited that promise to deliver both tears and laughter to subcontinental audiences. The Seoul-based agency announced the deals at Mipcom, the world’s largest television content marketplace held this month in Cannes.
First up is Unforgettable Duet, a heart-wrenching unscripted series that reunites dementia patients with their pasts through music and memory. Families curate mementos and a cherished song, which are then loaded onto a Memory Bus that triggers long-buried recollections. The finale sees the patient perform an emotional duet with a family member, crowned by a tribute song from a professional artist. It is therapeutic television at its most potent.
Then there is Hit & Miss Tour, a raucous comedy show featuring five long-time comedian friends competing in six to eight daily mini-challenges across tourist destinations. With over 210 games in the bank and sponsorship from tourism boards across Turkey and Greece, the format has proved a ratings winner on Channel S in South Korea.
Something Special president and executive producer Jin Woo Hwang sees the deals as validation of the company’s mission to export Korean creative firepower globally. Karman Unlimited founder & chief executive Sunita Uchil —who previously held sway at Zee TV International—is equally bullish, predicting that Unforgettable Duet will strike a chord with Indian families whilst Hit & Miss Tour delivers the laughs the country desperately needs. Two formats, two markets, infinite possibilities.
DUBLIN: Ireland is betting big on reality television. In a move that has Hollywood scouts scrambling for their passports, Dublin has unveiled Europe’s first tax credit dedicated solely to unscripted programming—think The Traitors rather than Game of Thrones.
The scheme offers producers a juicy 20 per cent rebate on qualifying expenditure, capped at €15 million ($17.5 million) per project. It’s a cultural credit with strings attached: programmes must pass a test proving they genuinely promote Irish and European culture. No word yet on whether Love Island derivatives need apply.
Ireland tánaiste and minister for finance Simon Harris says the incentive will cement Ireland’s reputation as a “centre of excellence” for audiovisual production. His colleague, minister for culture, communications and sport Patrick O’Donovan, insists Ireland has “the talent, creativity and production expertise to lead” in unscripted television. Bold claims for a nation that has spent decades exporting scripted drama.
The timing is canny. Unscripted production costs have soared globally, making Ireland’s existing infrastructure—and now its tax breaks—increasingly attractive. Fox Entertainment Studios already churns out shows like Beat Shazam and The Floor from Irish studios. Whether these American productions will pass the cultural test remains to be seen.
Producers must secure an interim cultural certificate before filming begins, allowing them to claim credits during production rather than waiting until wrap. A final certificate follows completion. The European Commission has blessed the scheme through December 2028.
Minimum thresholds apply: productions must cost at least €250,000, with eligible expenditure above €125,000. Only one season per project can claim relief in any 12-month period, though producers can juggle multiple projects.
Britain, take note. The UK industry has clamoured for similar support for 18 months, but Westminster has dithered. India’s ministry of information and broadcasting pay heed. Its incentive scheme for co-productions excludes unscripted television. To what end, no one knows! Ireland, meanwhile, is already rolling out the red carpet—or should that be green?
The message from Dublin is clear: when it comes to backing reality TV, Ireland isn’t messing about. Lights, camera, tax action.
