C NTENT 4-17 May 2020 www.contentasia.tv l www.contentasiasummit.com JTBC drama busts Sky Castle record A World of Married Couple becomes Korea’s highest-rated cable drama JTBC drama A World of Married Couple broke cable ratings records this week- end, ending Sky Castle’s 15-month reign. With four episodes to go, the 16-episode prime-time Fri/Sat series hit nationwide ratings of 24.332% (AGB Nielsen) on Sat- urday (2 May). Sky Castle ended its run on 1 Feb 2019 with a high of 23.779%. A World of Married Couple is based on BBC drama Doctor Foster. The full story is on page 6 & 7 q Producers scramble after Hooq liquidation Production houses sit tight on Hooq Mauritius Producers across the region and rights holders around the world are holding a collective breath for the next move by Hooq Mauritius, which holds the bulk of the content/IP contracts signed for failed Asian streaming platform Hooq. Overwhelming sentiment is that the en- tity will follow the Singapore-registered Hooq Digital Pte Ltd into liquidation. But until it does, hope springs eternal. The full story is on page 5 q PLUS • Industry pays tribute to Tetsu Uemura • Free-flow TV for SG migrant workers • Top shows in Thailand and what’s most in demand in India... & a whole lot more. 4-17 May 2020 page 2. C NTENTASIA 4-17 MaY 2020 Page 3. Thai streaming mins up Free-flow TV for S’pore migrant workers 6% for April; Netflix tops Media co’s step in to entertain workers on lockdown mins, True ID tops MAUs Media companies across Singapore are sages from Hollywood and Bollywood Netflix was Thailand’s top VOD service in providing free entertainment to Singa- along with daily talk shows for workers April by streaming minutes, with second pore’s one-million strong community of on Radio Masti and projects with local place going to the Thai operation of migrant workers hit hard by Covid-19. media companies including Mediacorp, Japan’s Line TV. Local platform WeTV The vast majority of new daily Covid-19 StarHub and Singtel. placed third, followed by Viu and TrueID, cases in Singapore are from South Asian The initiatives also include a three- according to data (ex YouTube) from migrant worker communities living in dor- month partnership with Disney to bring the new MPA/AMPD Research panel mitories. Indian streaming platform Hotstar to for 1-25 April. Netflix and Viu continue to The entertainment initiatives are led by migrant workers in Singapore. The pro- lead the paying subscribers category. By Singapore’s Infocomm Media Develop- gramme runs to 21 July 2020. monthly active users, top platforms for ment Authority (IMDA), which says the Hotstar’s service for migrant workers April 1-25 (ex YouTube) were True ID, Line aim is to create a pipeline of content to went live to Android phones at the end TV, Netflix, Viu and WeTV. Total stream- support workers living in isolation during of last week with 85,000 hours of mov- ing minutes for the period were up 6% the country’s pandemic containment ies, cricket matches, live news and pro- month-on-month, reaching 56 billion “circuit breaker” effort. grammes from Star TV India. The bundle minutes. Viu’s top show for the period “We understand many workers are includes 2,000 movies and 900 TV shows in Thailand was Princess Hours, followed grappling with the difficulties of living in in nine languages. by A World of Married Couple, with Thai isolation away from their homes and fam- Disney said an iOS service would follow series Beef In in third place. Netflix’s top ilies,” said Howie Lau, the IMDA’s assistant and flagged a coming-soon subscription show was Stupid Cupid, followed by Well chief executive (media & innovation). service for other Singapore-based resi- Intended Love and Riverdale. The IMDA has backed support mes- dents. @all3media_int all3mediainternational.com C NTENTASIA 4-17 MaY 2020 Page 4. Industry pays tribute to Tetsu Uemura TFC son dead at 58 of Covid-19 complications Industry veterans have paid tribute to to wait a long time and, in a sense, nev- Tetsu Uemura, one of Japan’s best- er really got there,” said another long- known media executives internationally, time friend, Beng Teck Lim, the head of who died in Tokyo of Covid-19-related Malaysian media company Vision Plus complications on 21 April. He was 58 Entertainment/Double Vision. years old. “But unlike Charles, while waiting, he Uemura was the son of Banjiro Uemu- worked tirelessly in the family business, ra, the founder of Jasdaq-listed Japa- always knowing exactly when and how nese media/entertainment company to dispense his somewhat unique blend Tohokushinsha Film Corporation (TFC). of Japanese work ethics with western When his father retired in 2010, he took educated (or more like movie acquired) over as president and chief executive. values of fun, compassion and charis- Long-time friend and colleague, HBO ma to such great effect that he could Asia’s former chief executive Jonathan charm us all almost at will,” Lim said. Spink, described Uemura as “first and “Tetsu and I connected more as friends foremost a really wonderful person, gen- – bonded on a shared heritage of being erous of spirit and generous of time al- indentured, not just to a business, but to ways available with help or advice.” a family business that spanned genera- “He straddled the Western and Japa- Tetsu Uemura, 1962-2020 tions,” Lim said. nese media business seemlessly, not an “We understood each other well. easy thing to do. His last year was very in Singapore in January 2020, just before Which is why my most poignant memory tough, which makes this news all the the coronavirus started creating havoc of him was when we first caught up after more tragic. I will remember him as a around the world. As usual it was a fan- his father’s ‘retirement’, and Tetsu had funny, intelligent charming man but tastic evening. Reminiscing about good finally become CEO. Before he could mostly of all, a great friend who will be times and talking about family and re- even sit down, he burst out with, “can forever missed,” Spink added. lationships over some great food and you believe he came into the office last Media Partners Asia (MPA) executive wine. His last message to me was, ‘I’m week?!” I looked at him, and although director, Vivek Couto, highlighted Ue- grateful to be blessed with friends such we both laughed, he didn’t have to ex- mura’s contribution to the media indus- as you and you are welcome in Japan plain further; I knew exactly what that try and mourned the loss of “a real gen- at anytime’. I am blessed to have known meant for him and how he felt.” tleman”. Uemura was a familiar face at him and thankful for his friendship. Can’t “And it also got me thinking very seri- MPA’s annual event, APOS. believe that he is no more. Love you Tet- ously, for the first time, about my own “Tetsu-san was a savvy executive who su my friend and brother. Rest in Peace.” situation – when should I ‘retire’ (if at looked outwards, understood the value Among many achievements in his ten- all, and is there such a thing as the right of partnerships, believed in change and ure at a company founded by his father time?) and how should I ‘behave’ when innovation and was highly principled in in 1961, Tetsu extended partnerships with I do, for the sake of the next generation. his dealings,” Couto said. Hollywood studios, built new alliances, I still have no answer but I’m pretty sure “He had a great sense of humility and and entered retail segments. my daughter will be grateful to him one humour and an ease of manner. He was He also developed branded pay net- day for this unintended consequence,” warm and generous in equal measure. works, a robust licensing business (in- Lim said, adding: “So... here’s to you, Finally he was a real gentleman who cluding selling content to Netflix) and a Tetsu, from all of us – the ones who knew had dignity. His passing is incredibly trag- theatrical business. you as well as all those from the indus- ic and he will be sorely missed”. “His last few years were spent really try you so loved. We mourn the loss of Rewind Networks’ founder, Avi Himats- trying to take TFC into the new era and your leadership, your sharp wit and your inghani, talked about Uemura’s gener- embrace the digital transition,” Couto infectious zest for life. But most of all, we osity in sharing his stories and his time. said, adding: “He believed fervently in will dearly miss a good friend to share a “He was a legend – loved by many the group embracing change”. sake (or two) and a trusted peer who across the world,” he said. Uemura stepped down as TFC presi- would never deny our call for help if “He always had great stories about his dent and chief executive officer in June we ever needed one. You will be truly dad and the business relationships with last year after nine years. missed, my friend.” the big studios... We last met over dinner “Like Charles, the king to-be, Tetsu had R.I.P. Tetsu-san. C NTENTASIA 4-17 MaY 2020 Page 5. Producers sit tight on next move by Hooq Mauritius Hooq’s Singapore liquidation leaves production houses across the region scrambling Producers across the region and rights it had 63 “originals”.