The Korean animated film 'Merry Christmas Tete' is to be distributed to the world market thanks to an investment from a major US distribution company.
Sieundesign (CEO: Im, Sieun / Open the link ) announced at the US Office of the Korea Culture & Content Agency (KOCCA) (Managing Director: Alex H. Shin) on Feb. 23 (US time) that the company has entered into a contract with the Licensing Group (CEO: Danny Simon / www.cplg.com) on attracting investments, distribution in the US market, and collaborated production of 'Merry Christmas Tete', a 3D animated feature film.
The Licensing Group had licensed major Hollywood films like 'Titanic', 'Terminator', and 'Rambo'.
The two companies' CEOs have been discussing the collaboration since they met at the Digital Content International Conference 2005 hosted by KCOCA (President: Seo, Byeong-moon) last November.
With this contract, Sieundesign receives 50% of the total production cost (10 billion Korean won) from the Licensing Group and will require them to conduct co-marketing in the USA.
"Part of the copyrights of the film will be co-owned by both companies, and the distribution rights except for one in the US will be owned by Sieundesign. We also attracted almost all of the last 50% of the production cost from Korea", an official from Sieundesign said.
A tale about a family's love with the Christmas Village as its backdrop, 'Merry Christmas Tete' has already showcased its sample clip, titled as 'William Rudolf', early this year.
Director Jang Wook-Sang, who participated in 'Ice Age', an animated film by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, leads the production, with the film scheduled to open in theaters in December 2008.
"I thought if you wanted to succeed in the global market, you would have to find a subject that can be equally felt by people from all over the world, and that's why we chose Christmas as its theme. We hope that every Christmas everyone on earth gives and receives 'Tete' as a Christmas present some day". Im said.
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