KOCOWA Brings New K-Pop Reality Show from SM STUDIOS “welcome to NCT Universe” Exclusively To The Americas

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Los Angeles – November 16, 2022 – With the increasing popularity of K-Pop, along with K-Pop fans who are always hungry for new content, the number 1 all-Korean content streamer KOCOWA is excited to announce that, as part of a new content deal, it will be the exclusive provider of SM STUDIOS’ first global show “welcome to the NCT Universe,” in the Americas, with many more to come.

“welcome to NCT Universe” is a 10-episode reality show that debuts globally on November 16. NCT stands for “Neo Culture Technology” and is a worldwide group that recruits members freely, and…there is no limit on the number of members in the group! Currently, there are 23 active members in the NCT main group and its subunits, which include: the Billboard top 10 and platinum-selling NCT 127, teen-oriented and Billboard 21 under 21 named NCT DREAM, and Chinese boy band WayV.

A reality show, the “welcome to NCT Universe” story unfolds when SMROOKIES receive a mysterious invitation that opens the door to a special NEO CITY tour. Starting their NEO CITY exploration with professional guides SHOTARO and SUNGCHAN, viewers can follow SMROOKIES as they embark on their SMTOWN concert journey with NCT and travel with special friends.

Fans who can’t get enough of NCT can watch over eight other shows from SM C&C’s library featuring the group, including newcomers to the platform “NCT LIFE in Gapyeong” (filmed in 2021) that starts streaming on KOCOWA on November 24 and “WayVision 2” on December 28.

In addition to being the premier destination for many K-Pop stars, KOCOWA will be exclusively adding SM C&C-produced library titles and new shows with SM Entertainment artists in the upcoming months.

Yea Jee Lee, the Executive Producer and SM C&C Contents Business Unit Division Director note, “We are very pleased to partner with KOCOWA on the distribution of these shows across North, Central, and South America, as their audience of millions of K-Pop and Korean entertainment lovers truly hits our sweet spot of NCT fans. They’ve already had success with all seasons of NCT LIFE, so we’re excited to see their audience’s response to these new shows.”

KOCOWA CEO KunHee Park added, “As KOCOWA becomes more and more established as the top destination for Korean programming in the Americas, it’s exciting to work with SM Entertainment and SM C&C, such important leaders, to bring the latest in K-Pop TV to our audience. With these new shows, and our large library of K-Pop idols’ reality, behind-the-scenes, and concert shows, we are thrilled to be the streamer with the most content for dedicated K-Pop fans.”

Since its inception in 2017, KOCOWA has provided thousands of hours of fresh and classic K-Pop performances and reality shows featuring all the favorite idols to satisfy every type of fan. Some of the content includes:

Live Performances – KOCOWA streams three weekly live performance events and concert series that showcase the top shows, songs, and bands of that week. The latest K-Pop debuts and highly anticipated comebacks appear on “Music Bank K-Chart,” “Music Bank World Tour,” “Inkigayo,” and “Show! Music Core.” While these shows are new each week, KOCOWA also has a huge catalog of performances and interviews with favorite K-Pop bands for fans to explore.

Behind the Scenes Shows – KOCOWA has shows that take fans behind the scenes with the top K-Pop idols on tour, shows that feature idols as career coaches, plus auditioning, traveling, and more! Now that BTS has committed to serving in the military, their fans might love to enjoy shows like “Rookie King” where BTS offers a deeper dive into the band’s beginnings, interviews, rehearsals, and more in their absence. Other reality titles include EXO’s “Travel the World on a Ladder,” JYP and Psy’s “LOUD,” and more.

Reality Shows – Many of KOCOWA’s shows feature K-Pop fan favorite idols in everyday life, or as guest stars who play games and compete in challenges with a regular cast. Shows like the long-running, international hit “Running Man,” “Home Alone,” “The Manager,” “Idol Sports Athletic Challenge,” and others feature top music celebrities from South Korea like BTS, BlackPink, aespa, and many others.

KOCOWA’s popularity in Latin America is driven by this K-Pop programming, along with K-Dramas subtitled in Spanish. In the US, KOCOWA’s audience is 27% Latino, which is significantly overrepresented than their 19% of the US population.

About SM C&C (SM Culture & Contents)
SM C&C is a media production company that produces a variety of headline-grabbing, profitable high-quality content for local and overseas TV channels and OTT platforms by collaborating with top-tier local celebrities and artists, and strives to be No.1 in the global content business.

About wA and KOCOWA
wA is a joint company between the top three Korean broadcasters – KBS, MBC, SBS, plus SK Telecom. wA launched KOCOWA, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas, in 2017 with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Brazil. KOCOWA provides a robust lineup of over 20,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Reality, and K-Pop content in multi-languages on its direct platform. For more information please visit: www.kocowa.com

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Presenting AfroClassical Composers Brings Classical Music of the African Diaspora to Life December 17 at Los Angeles’ Founder’s Church

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Los Angeles – Presenting AfroClassical Composers, a new non-profit organization founded to celebrate the contributions of African-American, and other African Diaspora classical music composers is excited to present its first post-pandemic live event Saturday December 17 at 4pm at Los Angeles’ Founder’s Church, 3281 West 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90020.

The event will feature the music of AfroClassical Composers Dorothy Rudd-Moore, George Walker, R. Nathaniel Dett, and Maria Thompson Corley. The compositions will be performed on piano by Maria Thompson Corley and Presenting AfroClassical Composers’ Executive Director Michael Ligon. The event will also feature a panel of experts discussing the impact of AfroClassical Composers and related disciplines. The event is FREE with RSVP at https://afroclassicalcomposers.org/.

Presenting AfroClassical Composers mission is to increase knowledge and appreciation of legacy and living composers of the African Diaspora through live performances of their compositions, interpreted by culturally diverse musicians and framed by interdisciplinary community conversations.

Michael Ligon, the Artistic Director, is bringing together culturally diverse musicians and conductors who reflect LA County’s demographics and best talent to offer a series of live performances of curated orchestral, solo and ensemble works, at venues around LA County. Performances present classical music by both female and male composers (legacy and living) of the African Diaspora, including those from Canada, Guadeloupe, Brazil, France, Guinea, the U.S., Nigeria and England.

Each performance will be framed by performers and expert panelists from Music, Ethnomusicology, Architecture, Visual Arts, Dance, Literature, Sociology, History or other complementary disciplines, enabling audiences to discuss the social context, and broad historical and cultural influences on featured compositions and composers.

The project was launched in 2018 by Ligon, as a series of monthly Sunday Salons, in tribute to and following the death of Dr. George Walker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and mentor to Mr. Ligon. The monthly gatherings set the stage for expansion on larger scale community conversations and live performances of works by composers of the African Diaspora.

Presenting AfroClassical Composers helps counter the erroneous perception that classical music involves only European composers – A study by the League of American Orchestras indicated that Black composers’ works are included in less than 1% of the top 10 compositions performed in subscription programming!

Another issue is the absence or lack of culturally inclusive studies at schools and universities. A pre-COVID/Pre-George Floyd online review of university and schools of music curricula in LA County shows that they often exclude composers of the African Diaspora. Consequently, many music and liberal arts students at universities, schools of music and conservatories are hard pressed to name only one or two (if any) classical composers of the African Diaspora, but can easily name, from memory, some five Russian composers.

Excluding such diversity creates limitations in jobs, careers and livelihoods of Black classical musicians and composers. Less than 2% of musicians employed by major symphony orchestras are Black, according to a League of American Orchestras study. Visual observation reveals similar employment stats reflected in the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestras. The pit orchestra of Long Beach Opera during performances of the 2020 Pulitzer-winning opera Central Park Five, reflects similar lack of cultural/racial diversity among its musicians.

Presenting AfroClassical Composers is unique in that its events feature performances of excerpts and sections of curated compositions, rather than performances of them in their entirety. This offers listeners a much wider range of repertoire and composers, while providing more cultural context than do conventional performances of entire compositions. Printed programs provide listeners with information for expanded discovery and learning after, and inspired by the presentation.

All performances are framed by interdisciplinary discussions with expert panelists, concluding with interactive, community/audience discussion (talkbacks). The organization focuses on works by accomplished composers of the African Diaspora that prior to George Floyd’s death, were rarely included in subscription concerts by similar organizations who receive public funding from LA County (like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra).

Future musicians who neither see themselves in orchestras nor hear works by diverse composers – including those of the African Diaspora – experience a form of perceived exclusion, perpetuating a general and often unspoken conclusion that they don’t belong in those organizations. Inversely, Afro-Latina conductor Kalena Bovell reflects in a YouTube interview for Sewanee Summer Music Festival, her surprise in learning that at a school she visited repeatedly, a young boy stood behind her regularly mimicking her conducting motions. He saw himself in her actions and her presence.

Mr. Ligon notes, “The current absence of cultural representation and diversity in performances offered to young musicians and composers often implies an erroneous conclusion that Black musicians and composers perceived value in those roles is diminished.” Adding, “Presenting AfroClassical Composers offers exciting programs with accomplished musicians performing the works of African Diaspora classical composers, with experts discussing their impact to bring these important composers and their brilliant work to life for current and future generations of classical music lovers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy.”

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Jai Uttal Returns to Marin Center for A Solo Acoustic Concert December 17

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San Rafael, CA – November 29, 2022 – Grammy nominated spiritual music pioneer Jai Uttal will perform an acoustic solo concert at The Showcase Theater at Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags in San Rafael, CA 94901, at 7pm on Saturday, December 17.

Stepping into a new and deeper level of vulnerability, Grammy nominee and World Music pioneer Jai Uttal presents an intimate solo acoustic performance of inspiring songs and devotional chants. Jai will accompany himself on a variety of instruments and create a space of invocation, prayer, and heartfelt expression. Join Jai and the Bay Area Kirtan community for this meditative and heart opening event during this special holy season of love. Tickets are $30-$59 in advance here.

Jai Uttal is a Grammy nominated sacred music composer, recording artist (22 albums to date!), multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist, combining influences from India with elements from American rock and jazz, along with Jamaican reggae, Brazilian samba, and more, to create a stimulating and exotic multi-cultural fusion that is truly world spirit music.

Having travelled extensively in India, where he met many great saints and singers, Bhakti Yoga became his personal path. Jai has been performing and teaching around the world for nearly 50 years, creating a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices
Jai is a favorite performer on the yoga festival circuit, playing to thousands each summer at numerous events. He also leads his own workshops and retreats that deepen yogis’ practice of the heart-based Bhakti yoga method, Kirtan, that is chanting the names of God to further enlightenment.

With a unique boomer upbringing in the NYC music biz of the 50s and 60s (as a child he was at the session where Mitch Ryder recorded “Devil With a Blue Dress”!) Uttal understands true musicianship and has worked with top musicians including Bill Laswell, Don Cherry, and his musical guru Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, throughout his career.

Additionally, his story flows with that of his generation – in the 70s he studied with Khan in the Bay Area while making extended trips to the Indian Ashram of Neem Karoli Baba the same guru who influenced Ram Dass’ classic Be Here Now. Maharajji, as the guru is known to his students, encouraged the practice of bhakti (devotional) yoga as expressed through kirtan, the call-and-response chanting of sacred names, over and over again until they become deeply instilled in the consciousness, providing an experience of profound peace and spiritual insight.

The 80s were dedicated to his music career which took off in 1990 with his first album Footprints that featured Don Cherry and other notables, launching him into the exploding world music scene. Now, marriage, fatherhood, a Grammy nomination, and 32 years of worldwide acclaim later this acoustic solo show in Marin continues his legacy.

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KOCOWA Announces New Content for December

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Eagerly Awaited “The Forbidden Marriage,” Beloved Annual Music Festival “Gayo Daejeon,” “aespa’s Synk Road” and Much More!

Los Angeles, CA – KOCOWA, the top all-Korean content streamer, is excited to announce several shows coming to the platform in December. Since KOCOWA is a joint company between Korea’s top three broadcast networks, it airs the shows just hours after they appear in Korea, a must for dedicated K-Drama and K-Pop fans!

The highly anticipated K-Drama “The Forbidden Marriage” will debut on KOCOWA on December 9. The period romance drama is based on screenwriter Chun Ji Hye’s own popular novel and webtoon of the same title. Set in the historical Joseon period, the show follows the story of King Lee Heon, who issued a marriage ban while grief-stricken after the death of his crown princess seven years earlier. Park Ju Hyun, who audiences may recognize from “Extracurricular” and “Zombie Detective,” plays a fearless con artist who claims that she can be possessed by the late crown princess’ spirit. This epic drama will air on Fridays and Saturdays and stars Kim Young Dae, who appeared in fan favorites like “Extraordinary You,” “The Penthouse,” and most recently, “Shooting Stars” and Kim Woo-Seok from “Rookie Cop” and “Voice” seasons 2-4.

On December 24th SBS’s Gayo Daejeon will stream just in time to help celebrate a K-POP Christmas! SHINee’s Key, ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo, and IVE’s An Yu Jin will host this Idol-studded show. The confirmed lineup for performances includes KOCOWA K-POP reality show stars like aespa, NCT 127, NCT Dream and other fan favorites like Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE, ATEEZ, ITZY, TXT, aespa, ENHYPEN, IVE, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans. This show is sure to get every K-POP fan’s holiday off to an exciting start!

Debuting on December 28, “aespa’s Synk Road” adds even more K-POP content to the over 9,100 hours currently available on KOCOWA. aespa, a fourth-generation K-POP girl group, stars in their first reality travel show. Their first destinations on the Synk Road are Gangwon’s East Sea, a popular beach destination, and the mountainous site of the 2018 Winter Olympics, Pyeongchang. Throughout the trip, the band members go on various missions where they must earn or find hidden ae-key cards to complete the Synk Road as they enjoy their trip. Can aespa successfully complete the first Synk Road and open the door to the next Synk Road?

aespa consists of four members: Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning. They debuted on November 17, 2020, with the hit single “Black Mamba.” The group has really blown up this year, including a performance at Coachella, inclusions in Time magazine’s Next Generation Leaders list, and on Forbes’ 30 Under 30. They also signed with Warner Records, and they spoke and performed at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2022.

Other new shows launching in December include two new K-Dramas, and new reality shows featuring K-POP Idols, and six awards shows celebrating the best entertainment of 2022:

More K-Dramas:
“Recipe for Farewell,” launched December 1st, is about a family whose sweet working mom finds herself unable to eat while suffering from cancer. Her husband, who has never cooked before, begins cooking to take care of her health and the family’s meals. He handpicks the ingredients and tries to develop healthy recipes to make each meal precious and healing. Although he may be clumsy, he begins to realize how he treasures the time spent cooking and having meals together with his family.

“Red Balloon,” premieres on December 17th. Seo Ji Hye from the hit “Crash Landing On You,” stars alongside Lee Sung Jae, Hong Soo Hyun, and Lee Sang Woo in a story about four people trying to quench their desires and apprise their heartbreaks in this slice-of-life dramedy.

More Reality Shows featuring K-Pop Idols:
On the 11th, “Adventure By Accident,” a reality show, features Kian84 and Lee Si Eon from the popular reality series “Home Alone” as they travel around South America. This has been called “a travel show like never seen before!”

“K-Idol Goods Tour Paradaro” debuts December 22nd. This show features WEi and fromis_9, two of the most popular idol groups in Korea, as they go on a trip for two days and a night to sell specific goods. In each episode, they play hilarious games or are forced to barter with the production crew to get items essential for survival, selling, and enjoying this exciting and fun-filled trip.

More Year-end/Awards Shows:
“KBS Song Festival” kicks off the year-end award shows on December 16th. This show will be hosted by comedian Kim Shin Young, “Music Bank MC” host Jang Won Yeong, and “2 Days and One Night” star Na In Woo. The show celebrates the musical hits of the year and features favorite songs, performances, and pop-culture moments, and it is known to consistently deliver an experience that is beyond fans’ wildest imaginations!

“SBS Entertainment Awards” streams December 17th, and will be hosted by the 2021’s winner of “Variety Entertainer of the Year” Tak Jae Hoon. This awards show celebrates and recognizes the stars and the variety shows they are on. Always entertaining with lots of appearances from fan favorites from the year’s top shows!

“MBC Entertainment Awards” debuts December 29th – A recap of all of the trending moments in entertainment that defined the year featuring fans’ favorite moments, idol appearances, and lots of fun! It will be hosted by Jeon Hyun Moo from “Home Alone,” and “Idol Track and Field Championships,” Lee Yi Kyung, who has become popular on “How Do You Play?” and singer, actress, and entrepreneur Kang Min Kyung.

“MBC Music Festival” debuts December 31 – This will be hosted again by three popular hosts – Lee Jun Ho (singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor,) Yoona (part of the hit band Girl’s Generation and an actress considered as one of the top Idol-actresses today,) and Jang Seong Gyu (a popular host and personality). This show is a celebration of all things K-POP.

Finally, the “MBC Drama Awards” debut on December 30thst – Top South Korean TV host Kim Seong Joo will be the sole MC for the third consecutive year. From dramas with various genres and characters, such as “Tracer,” “Witch’s Game,” and “FanLetter, Please,” which were greatly loved on MBC in 2022, to “The Forbidden Marriage,” the most anticipated show at the end of the year, all the dramas that made viewers stop everything they were doing to watch in 2022 will be celebrated and awarded. Who will be the main character to take the glory in 2022?

About wA and KOCOWA
wA is a joint company between the top three Korean broadcasters – KBS, MBC, SBS, plus SK Telecom. wA launched KOCOWA, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. KOCOWA provides a robust lineup of over 25,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Reality, and K-POP content in multi-languages on its direct platform. For more information, please visit: www.kocowa.com

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Small Factory Films Premieres Filmmaker Joe Bartone’s Everything Will Be Fine in the End at Silicon Beach Film Festival on September 14 at the TCL Chinese Theater

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Everything Will Be Fine Key ArtHollywood, CA – Indie film company Small Factory Films is excited to premiere their feature film, Everything Will Be Fine in The End from award-winning, screenwriter, filmmaker, and composer, Joe Bartone as part of the Silicon Beach Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theater 6 in the heart of Hollywood on September 14 at 7:30 pm.

The neurotic film follows the maniacal Buzz, who has taken his girlfriend George’s dog, a labradoodle named Leo. George goes on a revenge spree of poor decisions with her friends Kai and Renka to get Leo back, ignoring that she, in fact, had previously stolen Leo from Tom, a kindly man also searching for his beloved pet. Narrated by Isaiah, an urban shaman, George, Kai, and Renka botch a break-in robbery ending in homeowner Julia’s death – who then follows George around in her ghost form to witness the consequences of their actions.

The film features Kent Harper as Buzz and introduces Elsa Kennedy in her first lead role as George, the film also stars musician actors Cheska Zaide and Steven Michael Martin.

The film features an original score and songs written and performed by the director joined by Kennedy on vocals and Martin on drums, making this film unique for today’s productions and is reminiscent of the punk/DIY spirit of legendary indie films of the 80s, 90s, and 00s such as Paranoid Park, and Repo Man. Trailers for Everything Will Be Fine in The End can be seen here and here.

Filmmaker Bartone notes, “I never dreamed writing songs for my friends would one day bring me to standing in front of an audience at the world-famous TCL Chinese Theater to share my vision, words, and music. I hope that my hard work and that of my cast and crew can show others that all things are possible if we choose life.”

The event will kick off at 6:30 pm at TCL Chinese Theater 6 at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 with a red carpet featuring stars of the film and notable supporters. The screening will take place at 7:30 pm. Following the screening there will be a premiere party at the nearby Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd, starting at 9:30 with a red carpet. In the Hollywood Roosevelt Pool bar, music and a cash bar will continue until 11:15 pm.

Joe Bartone is a WGA caucus member. His films have won 18 awards in filmmaking, screenwriting, and composing. He has also notched 19 finalist placements and 8 semi-finalist placements in film festivals. He was a member of the Warner Bros. team that took the 2013 Technical Emmy for innovative digital delivery systems. His screenplay, Worst Night Ever was chosen as the 3rd best horror screenplay at Slamdance in 2021. In music, he was named among the 2015 best new jazz artists from JazzFM – the top syndicated jazz radio programming for NPR for the album Master Plan B with his group Thelonious Dub.

In addition to his own films, Bartone has been on the sound team of over 120 film and television productions.

The public can purchase tickets at the film festival in advance or at the door. Advanced tickets may be purchased online at https://www.siliconbeachfilmfestival.com/tickets, please scroll down to Block OO Wednesday, 7:30 pm 9/14. Tickets must be added and then scroll down to the check-out at the bottom.

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Korean Content Streamer KOCOWA Celebrates Their 5th Anniversary by Releasing Five of the Top Korean TV Shows Available Exclusively on KOCOWA

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Los Angeles, CA – The number one 100% Korean content streamer KOCOWA is excited to celebrate its 5th Anniversary this summer by offering its dedicated audience of K-culture fans five popular Korean TV shows exclusively on the KOCOWA app and on their channel on select partners such as Prime Video, Roku and Comcast.

In addition to KOCOWA Exclusives hits like It’s Beautiful Now and Tracer, the five new exclusive shows are Merry Queer, the very first Korean LGBTQ+ reality dating show; Boar Hunt, a new drama about all of the secrets brought to light as a mountain village searches for a missing child; No, Thank You, a show about a new wife learning to deal with her traditional in-laws; High Kick!, a beloved ensemble sitcom in a vein similar to Modern Family; and Dopojarak: Story of Homme the K-Wanderer, that features huge stars like Kim Jong Kook from Running Man, Noh Sang Hyun from Pachinko, Ji Hyun Woo from the recent hit Young Lady and Gentleman, Joo Woo Jae from Love Naggers, and Olympian Hwang Dae Heon, as they travel around the world introducing people to all things Korean.

KOCOWA has been on a fantastic trajectory since its 2017 launch with 40% YOY growth. In addition to the app and device partners Apple, Google, Roku, Samsung, LG Smart TVs, etc., KOCOWA has also set up B2B deals with a number of partners including MVPDs Comcast Xfinity X1, Flex + Cox Communications, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, OnDemandKorea, among others, with more to come.

In addition to having a solid presence in North America with English and Spanish subtitled content KOCOWA is also available in Central and South America, and in Brazil with Portuguese subtitles. KOCOWA is also responding to its large Spanish-speaking fan base by doubling the amount of its hit shows now available with Spanish subtitled content.

CEO of waave Americas, the parent company of KOCOWA, KunHee Park notes, “leading the wave of Korean content going global has been exceptionally gratifying these past five years. Being able to bring a diverse array of content to our audiences is very important to us. Seeing the ever-increasing subscriber base for KOCOWA, along with other Korean global hits, and pop stars like BTS, show the world is very interested in Korean content. We are excited to bring some of the best and most diverse Korean TV to a global audience as we continue to expand to new territories and offer programming subtitled in more languages.”

Truly the ultimate destination for Korean entertainment, on KOCOWA customers can watch select shows on the same day they air in Korea, like their favorite idols on music chart shows, and dig into thousands of high-quality library titles. Discovery is easy, as audiences can immerse themselves in award-winning relatable comedies and dramas, and hilarious reality competitions. For fans of K-pop, there are more than enough idols’ moments to binge on.

KOCOWA makes Korean TV accessible to new viewers by showcasing the Top 10 current series, featuring an impressive lineup of addictive hits, including It’s Beautiful Now, Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-joo, The Penthouse, Hwrang: Warrior Poet Youth, and long-time fan favorites like Running Man and Home Alone. BTS recently performed their latest single live on the popular Korean show Music Bank K-Chart, and fans worldwide were able to see it via the KOCOWA app.

As the service provider in the Americas with the largest library of Korean content, KOCOWA has quickly risen as an international platform since 2017. KOCOWA’s millions of viewers are diverse, with 90% of viewers of non-Korean ancestry, in the prime under 44 age demographic, and female. Programming is available in real-time after broadcast airtime in Korea, making KOCOWA the preferred destination for fans to watch new series, and award-winning library titles, or to discover new and exciting Korean content available only on KOCOWA.

About wA and KOCOWA
wA is a joint company between the top three Korean broadcasters – KBS, MBC, SBS, plus SK Telecom. wA launched KOCOWA, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. KOCOWA provides a robust lineup of over 25,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Reality, and K-Pop content in multi-languages on its direct platform. For more information please visit: www.kocowa.com.

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Korean Content Streamer KOCOWA and The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) to Host an immersive K-Drama and Running Man Booth at KCON Los Angeles on August 19-21, 2022

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KCon Collage of imagesLos Angeles – Korean content streamer KOCOWA and The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), a South Korean governmental agency that oversees and promotes the advancement of the Korean content industry, are teaming up to host a booth themed around fan favorite K-Dramas and the top-rated and long-running Korean TV show, Running Man, at the 10th Anniversary KCON LA 2022 event taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 19-21, 2022.

KOCOWA is a joint company between wavve Americas (wA), and the top three Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, and SBS, along with SK Telecom. KOCOWA’s international service allows customers to access new authentic content from Korea daily via their mix of K-Dramas, K-Pop, K- Reality, and K-Variety, in addition to thousands of hit and highly rated library titles.

“With Korean content’s mainstream wave in the Western Hemisphere breaking recently, we are excited to be the only streamer 100% dedicated to Korea’s fresh storytelling and diverse programming,” said wA CEO KunHee Park. “As a niche streaming service with broad reach, KOCOWA is well-positioned to be competitive in the battle among streaming services by super-serving fans of Korean-produced content. We are looking forward to meeting our viewers in person and providing them some fun at KCON LA 2022.”

“The love and demand for Korean content is by no means secret but has become a global sensation with record-breaking content and K-Pop artists such as Squid Game and Parasite, to BTS and Blackpink,” says Sung Ho Ju, the director of KOCCA USA. “KOCCA is excited to be part of this year’s KCON LA 2022. We look forward to meeting and celebrating all things Korean with Hallyu fans at the event. We will continue to support the Korean content industry so that more audiences around the world will have a chance to fall in love and to engage with Korean culture and content.”

KCON LA 2022 is the world’s largest fan celebration of Korean culture and music. The event launched in Los Angeles in 2012. It features an entire convention center to explore K-Pop, K-Drama, K-Beauty, K-Food, and beyond through engaging panels, an expo overflowing with innovative products and idol appearances, KCON LA 2022-exclusive programs, and artist engagements giving fans a chance to meet their favorite K-Pop stars—along with star-studded “M COUNTDOWN” concerts featuring K-Pop legends alongside the hottest rookies in the industry.

Running Man is a reality-variety show that stars Yu Jae Seok, Kim Jong Kook, Haha, Jee Seok Jin, Song Ji Hyo, Lee Kwang Soo, Jeon So Min, and Yang Se Chan. In each episode, they must complete missions at various places to win the race. Each mission is action-packed and hilarious as each member tries to beat the others using their wits and skills. Each week is filled with fun that includes trust and betrayal, knowledge and skills, physical strength and outrageous penalties. Sometimes, they work as a team and cooperate for one common goal. Other times, they betray each other throughout the race in order to win all the honor and glory for themselves. Viewers can be brought to tears each week from laughing at their silly antics!

With its global success, Running Man has welcomed appearances from Hollywood actors like Jackie Chan (episode 135), Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Henry Cavill (episode 410), Ryan Reynolds (episode 482), and K-pop stars, including BTS. All seasons of Running Man are available to view on KOCOWA. The show has also made its stars Yoo Jae Suk, Haha, Jee Seok Jin, Kim Jong Kook, Song Ji Hyo, Jeon So Min, and Yang Se Chan into globally recognized stars as well.

At the KOCOWA x KOCCA booth, fans will be able to play games from the show and insert themselves into their favorite K-Dramas and pose with beloved characters selected by the fans themselves. They will also be giving away collectible dolls and items from their hottest shows signed by the stars. Between KOCCA and KOCOWA, stars and idols have been known to stop by the booth for photos, so KCON LA 2022 attendees should check the booth often to see who they might meet!

As the service provider in the Americas with the largest library of Korean content, KOCOWA has quickly risen as an international platform since 2017. Programming is available in real-time after broadcast airtime in Korean, making KOCOWA the preferred destination for fans to watch new series and award-winning library titles or to discover new and exciting Korean content only available on KOCOWA.

About wA and KOCOWA
wA is a joint company between the top three Korean broadcasters – KBS, MBC, SBS, plus SK Telecom. wA launched KOCOWA, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas, in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. KOCOWA provides a robust lineup of over 17,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Reality, and K-Pop content in several languages on its direct platform. For more information, please visit: www.kocowa.com

About KOCCA
As the umbrella government agency for South Korea’s content industry, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) supports creating and maintaining the content industry ecosystem in Korea. KOCCA supports a wide range of creative industries, including game, animation, character licensing, K-Pop, fashion, and broadcasting. KOCCA actively supports these industries via production support, marketing, global expansion, talent development, funding support, cultural technology development, and policy research. For more information, please visit: www.kocca.kr/en.

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