EXCLUSIVE: Canadian prodcos Pillango Productions and Aircraft Pictures have just wrapped Gangnam Project, a new tween dramedy series set in the world of K-pop, with co-commissioning broadcasters CBC Kids and CBBC.
The 10×30’ series, which was shot in Toronto and South Korea, is a coming-of-age story, inspired by Pillango Productions producer Sarah Haasz’s personal journey. Set in Korea, Gangnam Project tells the story of Hannah Shin (Julia Kim Caldwell) a spirited Canadian/Korean teen with dreams of becoming a K-pop star and connecting with her Korean heritage. One summer, she accepts a job as an English tutor and flies to South Korea to work at an elite K-pop training school and ends up getting much more than she bargained for. Hannah is tasked with tutoring one of the school’s top students Chan-Mi, who is proving a little challenging.
In a bid to win her and the other students over, Hannah showcases her talent with some impromptu performances, but instead her talents attract the attention of the school’s owner which leads to the opportunity to become a student herself. Along with singing, dancing and Korean lessons, there’s a lot of drama, especially when Hannah discovers that her father had once been a K-pop star himself.
Developed with CBC Kids and produced by Pillango Productions and Aircraft Pictures, series co-showrunners are Haasz (Circuit Breakers) and Romeo Candido (The Next Step). The series is being produced with the financial backing from Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canada Media Fund.
Federation Kids & Family is handling worldwide sales and will be presenting the series to buyers at the upcoming Mipcom and Mipjunior markets.
The series also has an original soundtrack composed by recording artist, songwriter, producer and musician, August Rigo, who has written songs for global talents including K-pop superstar group BTS (Black Swan and On, amassing over 1 billion views combined on YouTube), U Smile for Justin Bieber and Gotta Be You for One Direction.
“For over 30 years I wanted to tell my story as a first-generation immigrant from Korea living in Canada, who journeys to Korea to explore her roots and experiences an identity crisis both comically and dramatically, so it’s a joy to finally see this dream realised in Gangnam Project,” said Haasz.
Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen, Co-Founders of Aircraft Pictures added: “Sarah’s personal story adds such authenticity to this project. Together with Romeo, they bring passion and creativity to this production. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside them and our friends at CBC Kids, CBBC and Federation Kids & Family.”
Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids commented: “We knew right away that Gangnam Project, with its relatable coming-of-age teen drama set within the exciting world of K-pop music, is exactly what our audience is looking for. It’s been such a great experience working with our partners on this amazing creative vision, and we can’t wait to share this groundbreaking series with kids and families across Canada.”
Monica Levy, Co-Chief of Distribution, Federation Kids & Family added: “This is such a vibrant, heart-warming story that also embraces many tween challenges and how to overcome them. Viewers will love the catchy music and rich choreography, whilst being taken on a delightful adventure, and we can’t wait to shine a spotlight on this series during the TV market.”