Deal brings Justin Bieber, Big Machine together with K-pop powerhouseHYBE, the company formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, which is home to , the South Korean pop group, has merged with Ithaca Holdings, the company led by SB Projects (SBP) founder . In the deal, HYBE will acquire through HYBE America, its wholly owned subsidiary, a 100% stake in Ithaca Holdings and its properties, which includes SB Projects and management clients , Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, among others, as well as Big Machine Label Group.The deal is said to be valued at more than $1 billion.Braun will join the...…Deal brings Justin Bieber, Big Machine together with K-pop powerhouseHYBE, the company formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, which is home to , the South Korean pop group, has merged with Ithaca Holdings, the company led by SB Projects (SBP) founder . In the deal, HYBE will acquire through HYBE America, its wholly owned subsidiary, a 100% stake in Ithaca Holdings and its properties, which includes SB Projects and management clients , Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, among others, as well as Big Machine Label Group.The deal is said to be valued at more than $1 billion.Braun will join the...WW…

, CalFilms Asia and Sixty Percent Productions have partnered to co-finance and co-produce “,” a Chinese-language anthology series inspired by real criminal cases from Taiwan.Four pairs of writers and directors will deliver stories that are each told over three episodes, for a total of 12 episodes, set at 60 minutes or longer.Confirmed writers and directors include: Liu Tsun-Han (“What Love Has Taught Us”); Golden Horse-nominated director Hung Tzu-Hsuan (“The Scoundrel”), Golden Bell nominated writer and director, Liang Shu-Ting; and Jimmy Hsu Jiu-Liang (“The Victim’s Game”).“When I was...…, CalFilms Asia and Sixty Percent Productions have partnered to co-finance and co-produce “,” a Chinese-language anthology series inspired by real criminal cases from Taiwan.Four pairs of writers and directors will deliver stories that are each told over three episodes, for a total of 12 episodes, set at 60 minutes or longer.Confirmed writers and directors include: Liu Tsun-Han (“What Love Has Taught Us”); Golden Horse-nominated director Hung Tzu-Hsuan (“The Scoundrel”), Golden Bell nominated writer and director, Liang Shu-Ting; and Jimmy Hsu Jiu-Liang (“The Victim’s Game”).“When I was...WW…

, the iconic businessman and co-founder of who had been reported by media as missing, made an appearance this week in public, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.Ma met with 100 rural teachers via a video meeting, Tianmu News, a news portal that belongs to Zhejiang Online, a government-backed news website, reported.The news was also carried by state-owned tabloid, The Global Times. The paper said that Ma attended the Jack Ma Rural Teachers Award ceremony, an annual event launched by the Jack Ma Foundation in 2015, via video. It reported him as saying: “we’ll meet again when the...…, the iconic businessman and co-founder of who had been reported by media as missing, made an appearance this week in public, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday.Ma met with 100 rural teachers via a video meeting, Tianmu News, a news portal that belongs to Zhejiang Online, a government-backed news website, reported.The news was also carried by state-owned tabloid, The Global Times. The paper said that Ma attended the Jack Ma Rural Teachers Award ceremony, an annual event launched by the Jack Ma Foundation in 2015, via video. It reported him as saying: “we’ll meet again when the...WW…

The death by poisoning of Lin Qi, the billionaire Chinese film and TV producer who was set to work with Netflix on “The ,” was unusual . The picture now emerging from Chinese media points to a carefully planned murder carried out by a jealous junior colleague who practiced his craft before eliminating his boss.Lin was admitted to hospital in Shanghai on Dec. 16 and died on Dec. 25, despite being give some 40 litres of blood transfusions. He was treated for mercury poisoning, but may in fact have been killed by tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin most commonly found in puffer fish.Shanghai police...…The death by poisoning of Lin Qi, the billionaire Chinese film and TV producer who was set to work with Netflix on “The ,” was unusual . The picture now emerging from Chinese media points to a carefully planned murder carried out by a jealous junior colleague who practiced his craft before eliminating his boss.Lin was admitted to hospital in Shanghai on Dec. 16 and died on Dec. 25, despite being give some 40 litres of blood transfusions. He was treated for mercury poisoning, but may in fact have been killed by tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin most commonly found in puffer fish.Shanghai police...WW…

Large parts of ’s entertainment industry are reeling as the national government put capital city Seoul on the country’s second highest virus response footing. Concerts, award shows and movie premieres are being canceled, and all but essential staff are being told to work remotely.“Most people are working from the office here in Busan, but our secondary office in Seoul closed from today, and it will stay closed until the end of December,” Nam Dongchul, the Busan International Film Festival’s chief programmer told Variety. “We were lucky to be able to hold the festival in October.”“We’ll be...…Large parts of ’s entertainment industry are reeling as the national government put capital city Seoul on the country’s second highest virus response footing. Concerts, award shows and movie premieres are being canceled, and all but essential staff are being told to work remotely.“Most people are working from the office here in Busan, but our secondary office in Seoul closed from today, and it will stay closed until the end of December,” Nam Dongchul, the Busan International Film Festival’s chief programmer told Variety. “We were lucky to be able to hold the festival in October.”“We’ll be...WW…

Newly-launched Taiwan production company is to be involved in a wide range of screen content. But it is to be particularly involved in development of international projects.The company was given its official launch in July and is jointly backed by quasi-government organization Taiwan Creative Content Agency () and locally-based streaming platform .At launch in July, the company said that it was involved in six projects. They included “The Making of An Ordinary Woman II,” a sequel to one of the most successful Mandarin-speaking drama series of 2019, and “Chi,” a TV drama adapted from...…Newly-launched Taiwan production company is to be involved in a wide range of screen content. But it is to be particularly involved in development of international projects.The company was given its official launch in July and is jointly backed by quasi-government organization Taiwan Creative Content Agency () and locally-based streaming platform .At launch in July, the company said that it was involved in six projects. They included “The Making of An Ordinary Woman II,” a sequel to one of the most successful Mandarin-speaking drama series of 2019, and “Chi,” a TV drama adapted from...WW…

Global streaming giant has expanded its roster of studio suppliers. It has signed content deals with three Japanese animation houses and one from Korea, lifting its total to nine.It said Friday that it had struck “production line partnerships” with Anima & Company (owner of NAZ), Science Saru and Mappa from Japan, and with Studio Mir based in Korea “to explore new stories and formats to entertain anime fans around the world.”Netflix previously hatched non-exclusive production line partnerships with other Japanese production houses Production I.G and Bones in 2018. In 2019 it added deals...…Global streaming giant has expanded its roster of studio suppliers. It has signed content deals with three Japanese animation houses and one from Korea, lifting its total to nine.It said Friday that it had struck “production line partnerships” with Anima & Company (owner of NAZ), Science Saru and Mappa from Japan, and with Studio Mir based in Korea “to explore new stories and formats to entertain anime fans around the world.”Netflix previously hatched non-exclusive production line partnerships with other Japanese production houses Production I.G and Bones in 2018. In 2019 it added deals...WW…

Courtesy of NetflixFor the portion of Western audiences previously stuck behind the one-inch barrier of subtitles, the multi-Oscar haul by Bong Joon Ho’s dark and provocative “Parasite” was a revelation. But for savvy viewers who had long ago moved past a perceived language barrier, Bong’s win is instead the latest splash in a succession of South Korean milestones that span film, music and television.Thanks to vibrant talent and years of industrial-scale preparation, the rich Korean entertainment scene has solid foundations. Smartphones, YouTube and are now carrying the Korean wave, known...…Courtesy of NetflixFor the portion of Western audiences previously stuck behind the one-inch barrier of subtitles, the multi-Oscar haul by Bong Joon Ho’s dark and provocative “Parasite” was a revelation. But for savvy viewers who had long ago moved past a perceived language barrier, Bong’s win is instead the latest splash in a succession of South Korean milestones that span film, music and television.Thanks to vibrant talent and years of industrial-scale preparation, the rich Korean entertainment scene has solid foundations. Smartphones, YouTube and are now carrying the Korean wave, known...WW…

U.S. President has issued executive orders banning transactions with two leading Chinese apps; controversial video sharing app ; and , one of the world’s most popular social media platforms.The separate orders, citing national security concerns, were published late Thursday and take effect in 45 days. They prevent any transactions with WeChat or TikTok by any person, or involving any property subject to U.S. jurisdiction.“The spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national...…U.S. President has issued executive orders banning transactions with two leading Chinese apps; controversial video sharing app ; and , one of the world’s most popular social media platforms.The separate orders, citing national security concerns, were published late Thursday and take effect in 45 days. They prevent any transactions with WeChat or TikTok by any person, or involving any property subject to U.S. jurisdiction.“The spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national...WW…

Cinemas in are closing their doors again from Wednesday night as the city suffers a third wave of the deadly .The move was part of a wave of new measures announced on Monday evening by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in response to a new surge in COVID-19 cases.New social distancing measures will halt restaurant dining from 6 p.m. till 5 a.m. every day, and make mask-wearing mandatory on public transport at all times.The maximum size of group gatherings, which had been expanded to 50 people in recent weeks, will be reduced back down to just four people.After weeks without any cases of local...…Cinemas in are closing their doors again from Wednesday night as the city suffers a third wave of the deadly .The move was part of a wave of new measures announced on Monday evening by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in response to a new surge in COVID-19 cases.New social distancing measures will halt restaurant dining from 6 p.m. till 5 a.m. every day, and make mask-wearing mandatory on public transport at all times.The maximum size of group gatherings, which had been expanded to 50 people in recent weeks, will be reduced back down to just four people.After weeks without any cases of local...WW…