Astro vice-president of content management group Agnes Rozario: ‘Viewers want to watch the latest movies and dramas the moment these are released.’[By SETO KIT YAN]
Hallyu fans have more than one choice for 24/7 Korean entertainment on Astro.
WHILE K-pop rides high with a multitude of super boy and girl groups packing local venues, the popularity of K-dramas continues unabated among Malaysian Hallyu (Korean wave of popular culture) fans. The demand for South Korean entertainment has naturally resulted in an increased spread and variety of shows, especially K-dramas, on local television.
KBS World began broadcasting on Astro on Oct 13, 2007, bringing joy to viewers who can tune in to Korean content all day long.
Recent figures from AC Nielsen show that in the last two months, KBS World (available on Astro Channel 391) reached 1.1 million viewers, a majority of them in the Klang Valley. The Malays make up almost half of the number while 60% are female and 29% students.
Despite Korean shows being aired also on terrestrial TV, it was soon discovered that local Hallyu fans just couldn’t get enough of entertainment from kimchi-land. With the quantum spread of the Korean wave, Hallyu fans started turning to video-sharing websites like YouTube and Dailymotion for their fix.
At the same time, Astro found itself inundated with requests for more Korean channels. The satellite broadcaster then decided to do better. Last Oct 1, it added a second Korean channel but this time in high definition – One HD, which is available to Astro B.yond subscribers on Channel 393.
With programmes in high definition, the audience can enjoy superior resolution and sound quality when they catch the latest Korean shows.
Astro vice-president of content management group Agnes Rozario says Astro is constantly evolving to offer the best and latest in Korean entertainment.
“The viewing trends of customers today have changed to instant gratification. They want to watch the latest movies and dramas the moment these are released. Korean bands and artistes also enjoy an enormous following in Malaysia as demonstrated by the full turnouts at the concerts of JYJ, Super Junior and Wonder Girls. Any broadcaster who wants to remain relevant among this generation of customers will have to evolve its value proposition.”
Rozario points out that Malaysia is the first in the region to have One HD, whose selected drama series aired during prime time are available in Korean and Bahasa Malaysia audio with Bahasa Malaysia subtitles. All other programmes are available in the original Korean audio with Bahasa Malaysia subtitles.
“One HD is an exclusive channel which features some of the best and most popular entertainment programmes from South Korea. The channel has a prime-time belt dedicated to showcasing the latest productions from one of South Korea’s top broadcasters, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS). The channel also airs variety shows from CJ Media,” she says.
(HD channels were first presented by Astro in December 2009. To date, it has 12 HD channels: National Geographic HD, History HD, HBO HD, ESPN HD, Astro SuperSport HD, Astro Zhi Zun HD, FX HD, AXN HD, AXN Beyond HD, ONE HD, STAR Movies HD, and the lifestyle channel Life Inspired or Li.)
Noridawati Idris, 34, a Kuala Lumpur-based purchasing executive in the IT industry, has been watching KBS World and following One HD “from the beginning”.
“I love all the shows, and hope to get a chance to watch MBC in future,” she adds.
(MBC and KBS, together with SBS, are the main channels in South Korea that produce the hottest and highly rated shows.)
On the other hand, KBS World is a 24-hour family entertainment channel provided by KBS, the flagship public broadcaster in South Korea. With 100% original programming by KBS, the channel broadcasts in Korean language along with English subtitles except for news and live coverage events.
Selected or re-run drama series will be available in Chinese while starting from next month, Bahasa Malaysia subtitles will be added. KBS World programmes air only three weeks after their first run on the Korean terrestrial channel.
Sixteen-year-old Rachel Tan, who follows KBS, hopes to see even more Korean channels on Astro “now that the Korean wave is spreading”.
“Many of us have to watch those programmes on YouTube or online. It’s frustrating to get updates of the shows on Twitter yet not be able to watch them,” laments the student from KL.
Yong Jetyau, 36, a book merchandiser from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, is partial to KBS World. Apart from K-dramas – she is currently watching Two Days One Night and says her other favourite is The Star Golden Bell – Yong suggests the channel feature other programmes on Korean culture, places to visit, cuisine and festivals.
“And more Korean dramas too ... that would be nice,” she adds.
So, which are the most popular Korean programmes currently airing on Astro?
Rozario names I’m Legend, My Girlfriend Is Gumiho and Secret Gar-den as the current favourites on One HD and anticipates the newly premiered Athena: Goddess Of War to be popular among the audience too.
According to Rozario, some of the top programmes on KBS World are Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Cruel Love, Smile Again, All About Marriage, The Fugitive Plan B and the entertainment show Let’s Go Dream Team.
“KBS World viewers peak during the 9pm drama belt Monday to Thursday,” she shares.
Astro, says Rozario, has in the past organised promotional activities with Hallyu stars and will continue to do so.
Last year, KBS World had a special programme called World Date With Kim Beom to celebrate the seventh anniversary of KBS World middle of last year. As part of the event, a contest was held in search of worldwide fans to appear on a KBS World programme with Kim Beom – a popular Hallyu star who’s acted in the mega hit Boys Over Flowers.
“Astro subscriber Nadira Hanum Akbar Shah won a trip to South Korea to meet with Kim Beom and the three-episode programme was aired during last year’s Merdeka Month,” Rozario says.
On Tuesday, Hallyu fans who are Astro B.yond subscribers may get to meet Jang Hyuk. The actor will be in town to plug his upcoming SBS drama series Midas, which started shooting last week.
In the show, Jang, 34, who recently nabbed the top honour of Dae Sang (Grand Prize) as well as Best Couple (with Lee Da Hae) for Chuno (The Slave Hunters) at the 2010 KBS Drama Awards, plays a lawyer. Set in the highly competitive Korean corporate world, Midas will premiere first and exclusively on One HD sometime this year.
Until tomorrow, every fifth Astro B.yond subscriber to register their particulars at www.astro.com.my/astrolife will win double passes to the private fanmeet with Jang. There will only be 60 winners, so hurry!
Source: the star online
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