Hot on the heels of an audience explosion for KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix has acquired Pillango Productions’ live-action tween series Gangnam Project to serve up more content for kids interested in exploring this music industry microcosm further.

On January 30, the streamer will launch season one (10 x 30 minutes) of the Canadian musical series in the US and in 35 other territories. The footprint includes Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore—APAC countries with a strong interest in K-pop and K-dramas, according to creator Sarah Haasz—as well as India, Ireland and New Zealand. 

This deal was brokered by distributor Federation Kids & Family, and the show is a co-pro with and Aircraft Pictures (Canada), filmed in both Canada and South Korea. 

Korean culture is central to its premise about a group of teens working to become K-pop idols. Haasz wants to secure a Korean co-producer for season three, which is in development now and will introduce fresh characters (including a new instructor) to the story. Haasz plans to see what resonates with viewers on Netflix, and then use that intel to guide creative decisions for the new season. 

A Netflix deal is a pretty big mic-drop moment for the series, which has already racked up sales in Canada (CBC Gem), the UK (CBBC), France (France Télévisions), Australia (ABC Australia), Norway (NRK), Finland (YLE) and the Baltics (TV3 Group). 

There’s been an intensifying global interest in K-pop and K-dramas lately, with KPop Demon Hunterscatapulting that interest into the stratosphere, says Haasz. She’s hopeful that this momentum will help her land third-season commitments more easily. 

Another reason to be optimistic is the memorandum of understanding between the Canadian Media Producers Association and the Producers Guild of Korea that was signed in December. This agreement aims to promote co-productions between the two countries, and it’s a step towards facilitating deals in which Canadian and Korean producers can more easily benefit from each other’s tax credits, says Haasz.

She’s hopeful that the MOU might make it easier for her to secure a Korean partner—which would open up access to the country’s 25% tax incentive on TV and film projects produced or co-produced by Korean companies—an incentive Haasz wasn’t able to tap into for the first two seasons of Gangnam Project. 

As a Korean producer living and working in Canada, Haasz says this MOU really hit home for her: “Canada’s openness and collaborative spirit, combined with Korea’s bold creativity and global voice, creates something special. After shooting Gangnam Project in both countries, it’s clear to me that this [combination] works. And when we lean on each other, we can create premium, meaningful stories that resonate far beyond our borders.”