May 9, 2016 – Hong Kong – FOX Networks Group Asia (FNG) announced today that it has partnered with China-based film and television company Linmon Pictures in delivering the new Chinese romantic drama series To Be A Better Man to international audiences. FNG has acquired the rights to exclusively broadcast and distribute the series to all markets outside of mainland China, along with the rights to distribute it to channels outside of FNG. To Be A Better Man will be carried by STAR Chinese Channel (SCC), Asia’s leading Chinese general entertainment channel, which will be broadcasting episodes on the same day as in China. The series premieres on May 31, 2016 on SCC internationally, with a simulcast in China by exclusive partners Zhejiang TV, Jiangsu TV and LeEco.
FNG’s collaboration on this new China-produced television series follows the success of Tiger Mom, a family comedy-drama series broadcasted on SCC in 2015, as well as confirms the network’s commitment to promoting quality Chinese content in territories beyond mainland China. FNG is set to deliver To Be A Better Man to a wider audience with its global presence and extensive experience in international broadcasting, packaging and marketing solutions, allowing the series to reach markets such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, Australasia, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Africa.
With its cosmopolitan themes, To Be A Better Man is a 42-episode romance drama that will appeal especially to international audiences. The top-tier production costs RMB3.5 million (~US$600k) per episode to make, boasting a total budget of RMB150 million (~US$25m), with scenes shot in the US and Italy. The series follows the story of a tough Chinese chef working at a Michelin 3-star restaurant in the US. After a nightmarish car accident takes away his friend, he returns to mainland China with his remains. There, he runs into the person he most doesn’t want to see, and becomes entangled with both his unresolved and new relationships.
Written by award-winning scriptwriter Xiao LI (May December Love, Honey Bee Man, The Bachelor) and directed by Xiao Bo ZHANG (The Nanny Man, The Bachelor), To Be A Better Man has a powerhouse cast led by Hong Lei SUN, one of the most popular actors in mainland China, and Yixing ZHANG (Lay), a well-loved entertainer from the famed South Korean-Chinese boy group EXO and its sub-unit EXO-M. The two actors had previously worked together on the highly-rated variety show Go! Fighting, but To Be A Better Man is Lay’s first opportunity to star in a drama. Hong Lei SUN, who plays the lead character Lu Yuan, also travelled to France to train under Michelin chefs in order to authentically portray one in the series. International locations, a combination of young and seasoned talent, and a compelling story make To Be A Better Man a modern Chinese drama about loss, love and redemption that has universal appeal.
Cora Yim, SVP and Head of Chinese Entertainment at FOX Networks Group Asia, said, “We’re proud to partner with another Chinese production with top caliber talent in front and behind the camera for our audiences all over the world. With the increasing demand for high-quality Chinese content internationally, FNG is confident that To Be A Better Man will set the bar even higher for what can be expected from Chinese productions. The show is exactly the kind of top tier original content we are committed to deliver to audiences – backed by award-winning talent and superb performances, from the writer and director behind the scenes to the actors in front of the camera.”
Xiao SU, CEO of Linmon Pictures, also commented on this highly anticipated drama, “There have never been a time when premium content is more welcomed in the market. We strongly believe in the idea that premium content is the key to uniting the new generation, which people consume content not only on TV but also on mobile devices. Working with powerful a global player like FOX Networks Group, we are very excited to be able to bring our premium content on a global scale and thus uniting the generation that we have been waiting for.”
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About STAR Chinese Channel (SCC)
STAR CHINESE CHANNEL is the leading Chinese language channel produced elaborately by FNG. It is an integrated family entertainment channel especially designed for the Chinese audience. For a long time, STAR CHINESE CHANNEL continues to be the popular channel among the Chinese audiences worldwide. Various types of programs are presented on STAR CHINESE CHANNEL, including games, interviews, exteriors, delicacies and exciting dramatic programs.
About FOX Networks Group
FOX Networks Group (FNG) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, sports, factual and movie channels in 45 languages across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. FNG’s core channel brands include FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Life, FOX+ and National Geographic Channel. FNG’s movie channels include FOX Movies, FOX Movies Premium and SCM (formerly Star Chinese Movies). Our non-linear brands include FOX Play, FOX Play+ and Nat Geo Play. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high- definition extensions, reach over 1.825 billion cumulative households worldwide. In addition, FNG owns and operates two production studios and produces thousands of local programming hours for its wholly owned channels and third parties.
About Linmon Pictures
Linmon Pictures is a boutique creator, producer and distributor of premium entertainment contents. With extraordinary content making capabilities, strong sales force and a sophisticated multi-studio network, Linmon is dedicated to make inspirational and innovative contents available to all audiences. In early 2016, our first drama, Love You, Leave You, was rated the highest viewed TV drama during Chinese New year. In addition, A Love for Separation and To Be a Better Man are also highly anticipated contents that will be broadcasted in 2016. Fighter of the Destiny, the number one IP on Tencent Literature, is also going to production this year with top-tier talents and production teams. We are pleased to work with Tencent and Penguin Studio as well as Mango TV in order to bring such a phenomenon IP on screen to our fans and audiences. With the strong support and strategic alliances of our investors Tencent, Mango TV and Hony Capital, Linmon is constantly striving for top-tier contents in all kinds of formats.
Media Inquiries:
Kelly Jang
Vice President, Marketing & Communications | FOX Networks Group Asia
kelly.jang@fox.com | Tel: +852.2621.8875