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Korea’s Something Special wins two KOCCA funds
Mumbai: Seoul-based independent international format agency – Something Special’s EVP – head of content InSoon Kim, has announced the company won two KOCCA annual funds and accepted both the Format lab (five years in a row) and the pilot fund. KOCCA allows for a max of two funds per year for one company.
For the Format Lab, Something Special selected four teams of established Korean producers such as: Sook-kyung Kang, original creator of Physical 100, and Hyunsook Ji, original creator of Singles Inferno, to work with Something Special’s own award-winning format producers. The producers will develop original Korean IP made for international format distribution. Something Special’s company mandate is to help Korean content make its way into the global marketplace. Over the past four years, successful formats such as spooky reality game show Still Alive and play-along-able music gameshow The Beatbox came from the Format Lab and have been optioned in Germany, Spain, and more.
Something Special has achieved another milestone by winning the format production fund. The production is set to produce a pilot with a top-tier Korean creative and production company soon.
And the UK version of Battle in the Box is scheduled to air on 16 and 17 July with host, popular comedian Jimmy Carr, produced by Interstellar for UKTV and channel U & Dave. The show, originally created by Nmedia and represented by Something Special, aired in South Korea on MBN with top ratings.
Still Alive: A reality gameshow format where ten contestants find clues and complete in challenges within a mysterious mansion and try to remain until the end.
Battle in the Box: Gameshow showcasing two celebrity teams who live in an empty box divided by a movable wall armed and compete for food and household items.
Kim stated: “Something Special is pleased to be selected for the prestigious KOCCA funds — for five years in a row, which demonstrates the strength of our company. Since Something Special’s inception five years ago we continue to pride ourselves on working with top producers to develop original Korean format content that can travel around the world. Stay tuned for announcements on some great formats in the coming months!”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
