TVING global pavilion reshapes K-content production

Jan 28, 2026, 10:04 am

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Min Sun-hong, head of content at TVING. / CJ ENM

The launch of TVING’s global brand pavilion is driving structural changes in how Korean content is planned and produced, as creators increasingly factor global distribution into projects from the earliest stages.

Traditionally, K-content expanded overseas after domestic release, either through individual licensing deals or by being absorbed as originals by global platforms such as Netflix or Disney+. In many cases, global platforms controlled distribution, while local producers relied on post-release sales.

TVING has sought to change that model by establishing a “TVING Global Brand Pavilion” within overseas OTT platforms. By collaborating with international services to enter multiple markets simultaneously, the company has created a new pathway beyond rights-centric distribution—one that encourages producers to assess global prospects during planning rather than after completion.

The brand pavilion functions as a single gateway for overseas viewers to access K-content, while prompting production companies to treat global distribution as a core consideration. As a result, overseas audience response and platform characteristics are being weighed more heavily throughout the production process.

The shift is evident in distribution strategy. TVING is simultaneously releasing new Korean TV dramas via brand pavilions on Disney+ Japan and HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific countries. MBC’s Judge Lee Han-young and JTBC’s Efficient Dating for Singles, which premieres on Feb. 28, are notable examples. It marks the first time TVING has facilitated global day-and-date releases for non-original titles produced by external studios.

The approach provides domestic producers with a more stable and predictable global distribution route. Unlike the previous model of negotiating overseas sales title by title, the brand pavilion enables faster and more assured international exposure, allowing producers to design content with global reach in mind from the outset.

Min Sun-hong, TVING’s head of content, said the pavilion has changed how producers engage with the platform. “Previously, overseas sales were discussed after domestic performance,” he said. “Now, global distribution is increasingly reviewed from the planning and scheduling stages. Production companies are beginning to see TVING as a partner in IP expansion.”

Results are beginning to show. TVING original series Dear X ranked first in paid-subscriber contribution for five consecutive weeks on the platform and posted strong performance overseas following brand pavilion launches on HBO Max and Disney+ Japan. The series also expanded simultaneously to platforms such as Rakuten Viki in the U.S. and Starzplay in the Middle East and North Africa.

Producers say success abroad reflects not only content quality but also careful consideration of platform traits and viewing environments. Kim Yoon-hee, a chief producer at Studio Dragon, said subtle differentiation within familiar genres is key to global competitiveness. She noted that Dear X, positioned between melodrama and suspense, resonated with international viewers through unconventional storytelling, universally relatable characters and a distribution strategy tailored to platform audiences.

Industry observers say TVING’s global brand pavilion strategy is prompting a broader rethinking of production practices. With global markets now part of the equation from the planning phase, creators are designing content for wider distribution pathways rather than treating overseas sales as an afterthought.

“Over the medium to long term, the brand pavilion broadens the scope of planning and programming decisions,” Min said. “The biggest change is that TVING and producers are now considering IP expansion together.”

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