K-FAST Gains Momentum: Expanding to 20 Countries via AI Dubbing

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT) announced on the 30th that they have finalized the selection of 6 consortia and 20 "K-channels" for the "AI Dubbing Specialized K-FAST Expansion Support" project.

Following the allocation of an 8 billion KRW supplementary budget for this project last May, MSIT proceeded with a series of procedures, including a public call for operators (May 30 – June 30), presentation evaluations, and budget deliberations. The 6 selected consortia—New ID, Dost Eleven, CJ OliveNetworks, AnAI, East Soft, and Hudson AI—were recognized for their superior localization technology, such as AI dubbing, and their competitive edge in original media and content.

The consortia, a collaboration between 6 lead companies and 22 participating companies, will utilize AI technology to perform localization tasks essential for the overseas expansion of K-media and content. These tasks include dubbing, image quality enhancement, and background music (BGM) removal or replacement, with the ultimate goal of establishing 20 K-channels. In particular, AI dubbing technology will be used to sophisticatedly replicate non-verbal expressions, such as the speaker’s unique tone and intonation, tailored to genres like drama, K-POP, movies, and variety shows. Additionally, AI upscaling technology will significantly improve the visual quality of previously popular K-media titles.

The "AI Dubbing Specialized K-channels" are categorized by genre: 7 for drama, 5 for variety, 3 for movies, 1 for K-POP, and 4 others (gaming, travel, current affairs/culture, and general interest). To meet global demand and the scale of the FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) market, the channels are diversely configured by language: 12 in English, 7 in Spanish, and 1 in Portuguese.

Through this project, the ministry plans to secure approximately 1,400 hours of AI-dubbed content. A total of 4,400 K-media titles will be sequentially broadcast starting in the fourth quarter as K-channels on smart TV FAST platforms across 20 countries, centered on North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Moving forward, MSIT plans to host the "International FAST Conference" and the "K-FAST Advertising Business Meetup" in August to promote the globalization of K-FAST and seek future growth strategies. The "Global K-FAST Showcase" is also scheduled for the fourth quarter.

"By combining K-FAST with AI localization technology, we are building a foundation for the global expansion of our unique K-media and content," said Kang Do-seong, Director General for Broadcasting Promotion Policy at MSIT. "Through this public-private collaboration model, we will actively support K-channels to take root in the global market."