Theatrical launch for Russian adventure comedy ‘Kikoriki. Legend of the Golden Dragon’ coincides with the Korean national holiday Seollal.
The animated adventure comedy Kikoriki. Legend of the Golden Dragon was released in South Korea on January 25. The start of the theatrical campaign coincides with the national holiday Seollal, one of the most important Korean traditional holidays signifying the beginning of the New Year according to the lunar calendar.
South Korean distribution rights have been secured by the Big Film Company, an established distributor with more than 36 successful releases over the past few years including Adventures of Gamba, I am a hero, and Marshland. According to Big Films’ expectations, Kikoriki. Legend of the Golden Dragon will screen in about 300 cinemas across South Korea.
“Kikoriki is the first company’s experience of collaboration with Russian animation projects,” said Dylan Park, CEO of The Big Film. “We are well aware of the popularity of the Kikoriki among the children in Russia. We decided that it would be possible to go to the Korean market, because it is a work that contains charmingly expressed animal characters that children would like, a story with cartoonish imagination, and a message of instruction. We are marketing with the children’s program MC, which is highly supported by children, and the k-pop star Jinsol as a public relations ambassador, in order to heighten the awareness of the film. Kikoriki’s release season is expected to be extremely competitive between Disney’s Moana, Korean animation Turning Mecard W: Resurrection of Black Mirror, Japanese animation Crayon Shin-chan, and Russian animation Kikoriki. In this situation, we are doing our best to open up to 250-300 screens.”
Kikoriki. Legend of the Golden Dragon has been dubbed for the Korean market by one of the best local dubbing actors: Chae-heon Lim (Kung Fu Panda 3, Turbo, The Boy and The Beast) and Sang-hoon Park (Inside Out, The Snow Queen-3). Both actors admitted they were absolutely charmed by the Kikoriki characters and the story and expressed the commitment to work on the third part of the Kikoriki franchise.
“It was good that various animal characters that children could have a favorable appearance and the story which could give a lesson were attractive,” said Lim, who dubbed the characters Wally and Caterpillar. “It is a work that I want to show to my child. At the time of dubbing, Kikoriki characters were similar age-range characters so I tried to make various tone.”
Park, who dubbed the character Krash, added, “I think the attraction of this movie is that there are many characters in the movie, but all of their charms are alive. Especially, it was good that the protagonist who is timid goes for courage himself. Each character can be the protagonist, so the next sequel is highly expected.”
Australia’s Odin’s Eye Entertainment will distribute the Kikoriki franchise internationally, excluding Russia, China, CIS and Baltic countries. The first feature-length film Kikoriki. Team Invincible was released in 2012, the second part of the franchise, Kikoriki. Legend of the Golden Dragon, came out in Russia on the March 17, 2016. Over the course of 2016, the rights for distribution of the trilogy’ first and second parts have been sold to 25 countries, including American distributor Shout! Factory. The third movie of the Kikoriki franchise, Kikoriki. Déjà Vu, is scheduled for release in December 2017.
Source: The Big Film Company
