South Korea’s Pinkfong Company is looking to double down on the Japanese market through a newly announced partnership with TBS Television.

The companies are planning to co-develop original kids & family content together—with a focus on tapping into “fresh and engaging formats,” according to Masamine Ryuho, TBS Television’s president and representative director. The first project on this joint slate will be announced in the fall.

But another component of the collaboration will involve a big push for Pinkfong’s Bebefinn IP in Japan through a combination of content distribution and live events. Perhaps teasing what’s to come, Pinkfong recently participated in TBS’s Play & Learn Festival (April 4 to 6), running a Bebefinn-inspired booth and sing-along show featuring the sibling stars of its CG-animated series.

Pinkfong has been eyeing Japan’s growth potential for quite some time, and CEO Min-seok Kim considers the region “a key strategic market”. With the Japanese Pinkfong channel at close to three million subscribers on YouTube, the company has also had some recent success with live branded experiences. For example, a pop-up store initiative with a kids café called Little Planet across six Japanese cities attracted more than 128,000 visitors in 2022, representing a 132% year-over-year uptick. 

News of this TBS partnership also follows on the heels of Pinkfong setting up a Tokyo office under the leadership of chief business officer Gemma Joo last month in order to have a stronger presence in Japan. 

Collaborating with Pinkfong should also help TBS—which ranks among Japan’s biggest broadcasters, along with NHK, Fuji TV, Nippon TV and TV Asahi—attract more viewers, a goal that’s outlined in its long-term “VISION2030” strategy (which also highlights a bigger push in digital content and live entertainment).