Choikang Changmin’s “SWWTN” US$140,000 per airing; U-Know Yunho’s IOY, US$350,000.
The currently enlisted TVXQ have been crowned this year’s drama king of exports. TVXQ’s Choikang Changmin and U-Know Yunho’s respective terrestrial drama, and web drama, were sold to Japan for the highest amounts this year.
It was made known that Choikang Changmin’s drama “SWWTN” which he appeared in before enlist, signed a copyrights contract for US$140,000 per airing. With 20 episodes for “SWWTN”, the amounts to $2,800,000 received; and it will be broadcasted ob Japanese K-wave specialty channels, KNTV and DATV from 26th December, this year.
On KNTV, so that Choikang Changmin’s voice can be directly heard, (SWWTN) will be the first amongst korean dramas exported to Japan to be close-captioned in Japanese (broadcasted with subtitles). On DATV, the Yokohama special fan meeting that Choikang Changmin came over to have, before he enlisted, will be broadcasted on the same day after the first broadcast on KNTV.
“SWWTN” was broadcasted from 8th July to 10th of September on MBC.
“IOY” which U-Know Yunho had also filmed before he enlisted, was also sold in Japan before its broadcast domestically (in Korea). It had been released on Naver TVCast on the 5th of July, and at the time, the drama was exported for about US$350,000 (about 390,000,000 won). For a (about) 15 minute-(per episode) web drama, composed of 16 episodes, about 300 minutes (feature presentation is 240 minutes long + making video, 60 minutes long), the exported content was a high amount.
According to broadcast officials, the decisive force behind the export decision of the two products is said to be entirely due to the level of (public) recognition of Choikang Changmin and U-Know Yunho, namely as Tohoshinki (TVXQ_.
Even with the declining situation of the K-wave in Japan, thanks to the value of Tohoshinki’s name, high sales prices could be asked. In reality, even after the change in the formation of Tohoshinki to 2 people, it is still as ever, a group who has a fandom that pulls in great profits from K-wave contents. Due to that, although throughout Asia, there is a low demand for drama content, the publication rights contracts for the two’s dramas were easy to close.
A related official commented: Although Choikang Changmin and U-Know Yunho are both in the army, their fandom will not disappear. It will stand firm in the face of a K-wave reality that is not like before.
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Credits:
TVXQ! Express 