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JTBC’s Man to Man gets snapped up by Netflix

Looks like Netflix has got its heart set on breaking into the Korean drama scene: Only a few months after announcing two new Korean shows (Exhibits A and B) in its original series lineup, Netflix has announced that they have purchased exclusive international broadcasting rights to JTBC’s upcoming Man to Man. Now, I know this might seem like not-so-great news — I got Night Light flashbacks too, when the Netflix exclusivity meant that hardly anybody got to watch the show — but it sounds like Netflix will have a different approach this time around.

For the first time ever, Netflix will air episodes of Man to Man at the same time the show is aired in Korea (with the exception of viewers in the U.S., but I’ll get to that later). The episodes will also have subtitles in over twenty different languages immediately available upon release, which is definitely one advantage to choosing a pre-produced drama like Man to Man. I know English subbers are pretty damn fast nowadays, but it’ll be nice to see subs for lesser widely available languages become more easily accessible, and in real time at that.

Now, us Beanies stateside will have to wait a little longer for Man to Man to appear on the online streaming site. Netflix intends to release the show in two parts, with eight episodes each. The delayed offering is slightly annoying, but I’m just glad that Netflix is investing in Korean content, especially because I think their original shows are fantastic (Stranger Things, anyone?) and I’m excited to see them take on the Korean drama format.

Man to Man will premiere on JTBC and Netflix on April 21. Let the epic bromance begin!

Via Sports Donga

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I hope they will show the episodes right after it is aired in Korea. They air new episodes for Riverdale and other American TV shows weekly so hopefully, they will do the same for "Man to Man". Also, this 100% pre-produced - the Netflix team might have finished subbing it already. Anyway, can't wait!

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Did Park Hae-jin get thinner or is that poster just messing with my eyes?

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Awesome the kdramas are finally making it into the American market! Now all they need is to recognize some of the better movies. Sooo tired that the "representative " Asian flics are all stereotypic martial arts from the 70s ! Also, the strength of Korean format is the twice a week releases that encourage viewer loyalty to shows. As usual, American TV just doesn't get it. But, better something than nothing...

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I'd rather nothing if Netflix is going to screw with the Kdrama viewing experience like this.

I know Dramabeans gives all these good financial business reasons why it's a good thing, but for my immediate (admittedly short-sighted) personal viewing, it's not.

It's not just about not wanting to wait to see the show, it's about discussing the show and getting insight into cultural things I may not have understood or missed completely.

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Does that mean it won't be available on Dramafever or Viki? I just cancelled my Netflix because most of the dramas on there were on V & DF. I wonder if they will have it on OnDemandKorea...

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I love OnDemandKorea BUT, it's a turkey shoot as to which dramas they choose to English sub.

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Exclusive rights means no other site gets to pick up so it means usual subbers won't be subbing it so it will get delayed in the streaming portals that I use anyway, Man this is bad news. I'll wait till its complete.

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OMG YESSSSSSS!

As someone who has a non-US Netflix account and can't use services like Dramafever because they're not available in their country, I'm SO very happy for this news. Man to man is one of the dramas I was looking forward the most and now I'll get to see it on Netflix as it airs. Woohoo

Oooh, I so hope that after this, my country's Netflix will broaden its k-ent offering, which is very very poor rn. It probably as a couple of movies and a couple of kdramas.

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I'm so excited to watch this!! I love Netflix and my dramas, so I couldn't be happier to see my two worlds colliding!

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I'm a bit wary about this. Hoping it works out for the best though.

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I'm glad this is happening. I can now convince my family to watch it since it's on netflix! They'll probably think it's just some Asian show (cause they're against anything Korean thanks to moi) and watch it

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Ugh now I have to figure out how to trick Netflix into thinking I am not in the US. The wait is going to kill me

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Don't worry Americans, I'm sure someone non-American will rip the subtitles. You'll be able to watch it "live" with the rest of the world & support the drama legally later by rewatching it on Netflix.

I just worry that viki will go out of business, now that Netflix entered the landscape. the licensing&subbing business is a small cake and more and more players are appearing.

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For everyone with Netflix who doesn't like this 2 batch approach, the best thing you can do is... tell Netflix. Contact them and say that while some people enjoy binging K-dramas, you personally want the episodes weekly (say the 2 eps together is reasonable). You can also point out that while they normally do dump all the eps at once there have been times where they carried a foreign show that was currently airing and aired the eps as they were released. (This happened with Canadian show "Between" about a town where all the adults spontaneously died and the government walled the kids in for fear it was a plague.) It won't change how M2M airs but it will give them feedback for the future.

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I like the idea of having the drama released with lots of different language subtitles but the release in 2 parts is weird. Not enough info about it yet. So it will not drop all episodes at the same time as they usually do? I prefer the weekly wait so that we all watch it more or less at the same time to be able to comment etc. Also I do not like that the interest in Netflix shows dies down so fast since all episodes are out at once.
Would be interesting to see Netflix try out the kdrama for at with an original series. I assume the Asian market is something they long for and dramas are the way to get I to such a huge market.

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It actually doesn't sound like good news to me. The minute you get these big companies involved then it becomes more about profit and less about good fan service and having shows available from various avenues. I can imagine this show not being available to watch for fans who do not have Netflix or doesn't have access, and for the U.S. audience it means we have to wait two seasons for the whole show when if it were available through normal streaming channels we'd be able to watch it simultaneously with broadcast. Also, with popular shows there is a certain amount of "fervor" or "fandom" that goes into watching a show while it's airing and sharing in the enthusiasm of the show.

I have Netflix but I think I generally dislike the idea. Yes, sure it's nice to have American or other foreign investors interested in Korean dramas. But many times this results in less advantage and access to the fans. Let's be honest, its through the work of fansubs and streaming sites that Korean and other dramas have become so popular (believe me, I was watching these dramas when they weren't so popular and it meant driving an hour and a half to your nearest Korean market to rent the dramas on a weekly basis). We all know it's a billion dollar industry when you add in all the merchandising, advertisement, tourism and brand access. I just wish the tv execs will recognize that they do better in the long run making the dramas more widely then doing exclusive deals with companies like Netflix. (And no knock on Netflix bc, damn, Stranger Things is awesome.)

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This is pretty cool! I love Netflix and their original series and finding out that they got Man to Man makes me more giddy and expectant. I wonder how this will be received since it'll be available to a wider audience. Sure hope it's a positive response.

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me too... i hope it gets received good ... right now Netflix have a lot of Korean, Japanese and Chinese contents ... and some originals too... i cant wait ...

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bring it on NETFLIX im so ready to be hook

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Although Netflix is showing more kdramas, most are the cheaper, not so highly rated ones (Train to Busan an exception!). Plus they change the names so you've no idea what to search for. DramaFever, owned by Warner Bros, who's been sold to ATT&T who owns DirectTV, so my fear is once ATT&T gets their hands on DF it will only be available thru Direct (my fear since I loathe ATT&T). Hulu has reduced their dramas from 200 to 29 and hasn't added anything recently. I have mixed feelings about the Netflix co-producing Korean drama, as I'm afraid they'll make plots more like American tv, plot driven not character driven. Why do I have these cynical fears? Life experience with big corporations.

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