Music and Youth
TF1 picks up Korean formats Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for France
MUMBNAI: From cryptic mansions to cash-fuelled elevators, two of Korea’s most bonkers reality shows are packing their passports and heading to France. Something Special, the Seoul-based format agency known for its boundary-pushing unscripted content, has struck a double-format deal with Studio TF1 via Flanagan Productions, licensing two of its hit Korean shows Still Alive and The Penthouse Game for French adaptation.
It’s a spooky-meets-spendy combo: Still Alive is a clue-hunting, rule-breaking game show set in a mysterious mansion where contestants must stay sharp or face mysterious, instant elimination. With hidden rules, 24-hour gameplay, and comedic curveballs, the show blends suspense with laughs, and has already been picked up in 14 territories, including Germany, Italy, and across the Nordics.
Meanwhile, The Penthouse Game trades ghosts for gold. In this high-stakes, hierarchy-driven format, financially struggling contestants fight for dominance both literal and metaphorical as they ascend (or descend) a vertical playing field controlled by a central elevator. With gold tokens, food rations, and three hosts acting as agents of power, it’s part Monopoly, part Squid Game, part social experiment.
Both formats were snapped up by Flanagan Productions, one of Studio TF1’s flagship labels, known for adapting edgy international hits for prime-time French TV.
“We’re thrilled to bring these high-concept Korean formats to France,” said Flanagan head Florence Boudaud. “They’re bold, unexpected, and packed with creative storytelling exactly what today’s audiences are craving.”
For Something Special, co-founders Jin Woo Hwang and Insoon Kim see this as further proof that Korea’s wildly inventive reality concepts are more than just fleeting trends, they’re becoming global go-tos for fresh unscripted content.
“Our motto is simple create and connect,” said Kim. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing with formats like Still Alive and The Penthouse Game.”
With the global appetite for Korean storytelling at an all-time high, these two eccentric, high-drama formats are ready to give French audiences a taste of K-reality with a side of chaos.
Music and Youth
TLC launches ‘World On My Plate’ with Shipra Khanna
New travel-food series premieres 29 March at 7:00 PM.
MUMBAI: Shipra Khanna just packed her bags and her flavours because when a celebrated chef takes you on a global plate tour, even the couch starts feeling like first-class. Warner Bros. Discovery India has announced the launch of World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna, a new travel and food series set to premiere on TLC on 29 March at 7:00 PM. Hosted and curated by the popular chef and television personality, the show blends food, travel and culture through an intimate and immersive lens.
Across three visually rich episodes, Shipra journeys to global destinations to explore not just what people eat, but why they eat it, uncovering the stories, traditions and human connections behind every dish. The series opens in London, weaving its iconic landmarks with diverse culinary scenes, before moving to Spain’s vineyards, olive orchards and coastal kitchens.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of advertising revenues for South Asia Tanaz Mehta said: “At TLC, our focus has always been on bringing authentic stories that reflect how people live and connect. World On My Plate builds on this by using food as a lens to explore shared traditions across geographies. We’re excited to collaborate with Chef Shipra Khanna, whose perspective brings both depth and relatability to these narratives.”
Shipra Khanna added, “Food has always been my way of connecting with people and understanding cultures. With World On My Plate, I’ve had the opportunity to step into new worlds, learn from incredible individuals, and share stories that go far beyond the plate. This show is very special to me.”
The series promises strong visual storytelling, meaningful interactions and a fresh perspective on global cuisine celebrating flavours alongside the emotions and traditions that shape them.
In a world where travel shows often feel like distant postcards, Shipra Khanna is serving up something far more personal: a passport to cultures through their kitchens, proving that the best way to understand a place is still through the plate. Tune in to World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna starting 29 March at 7:00 PM on TLC.
