IN LATE June, TV network GMA entered the digital TV box fray with its Affordabox that was met with an “overwhelming response” and introduced a new digital channel focused on Asian dramas. This month, GMA is adding to its digital channels with the music and reality-show-centric HallyPop, riding on the current Hallyu Wave (or Korean pop culture wave).

“We have the heart of fans and that’s going to be seen in the way we program HallyPop. A lot of people are looking forward to that Hallyu (Korean Wave) content. Having another channel that could actually focus on having certain materials like variety shows, K-pop, and reality shows, it can complement what we have started for the Heart of Asia so I’m excited about it because we have a lot of things to learn from these Asian contents,” Jose Mari A. Abacan, GMA’s first vice-president for program management, said in a press release.

The new channel will feature K-Pop (Korean pop music), variety and entertainment programs starting Sept. 20. The channel is done in partnership with international streaming company Jungo TV. HallyPop is one of the “one or two more channels” to be introduced within the year, according to an earlier BusinessWorld interview with Regie C. Bautista, GMA Network chief risk officer and senior vice-president for corporate strategic planning, and concurrent head for program support.

Some of the programs in the HallyPop channel lineup include Korean music show Music Bank, Korean variety show Running Man, and a concert stage HallyStage featuring “highly requested concerts in the country and across Asia.”

“HallyPop represents a new and exciting direction in the reimagined world of Asian entertainment,” said Jungo TV CEO and co-founder George Chung in the same statement.

The new digital channel is free but those using digital TV boxes need to re-scan in order to get the new channel. — Z.B. Chua

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