5/22/2012

LA Curbed


http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/05/preview_the_ktown_reality_show_premiering_this_summer.php


Source: LA Curbed, May 22, 2012

Preview the K-Town Reality Show, Premiering This Summer

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, by Adrian Glick Kudler
2012.05_ktown.jpg
Oh, this will be glorious: the Koreatown reality show K-Town is officially a go and will launch on July 2 online. We first reported on the kids-leading-crazy-lives-in-Ktown concept way back in April 2010 (as Jersey Shore fever ravaged America) and met the cast in July that year, around the time the pilot was shot. Finally now The Hollywood Reporter reports that the studio Electus has greenlit the show for 10 episodes to run on its new LOUD YouTube channel; executive producers will also include former model Tyrese Gibson (and his partners Mike Le, Eugene Choi, and Eddie Kim) and Liz Gately and Tony DiSanto of Jersey Shore and The Hills. Meaning this will be some damn good trainwreck TV. Here're some of the people we'll see falling down drunk at Bobo's in just a few months: "a trouble-making former exotic dancer,  a gossip blogger who moonlights as a bartender and a club promoter." Episodes will only be10 minutes each, but the show could eventually "cross over into television."

5/21/2012

The Futon Critic

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/05/17/electus-announces-k-town-the-first-unscripted-series-from-its-pop-culture-youtube-channel-loud-set-to-launch-on-july-2nd-585201/20120517electus01/

Source: The Futon Critic, May 17, 2012


Electus Announces K-Town, the First Unscripted Series from its Pop Culture YouTube(TM) Channel, LOUD, Set to Launch on July 2nd
The reality series, from Tyrese Gibson's HQ Productions, "explores the lives of incredibly colorful Asian Americans who reside in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles."

[via press release from Electus] Electus Announces K-Town, the First Unscripted Series from its Pop Culture YouTube(TM) Channel, LOUD, Set to Launch on July 2nd
---Developed and Executive Produced by Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley's DiGa in Association with Tyrese Gibson's HQ Productions, K-Town Showcases the Asian American Experience and Subculture as it has Never Been Captured Before ---


NEW YORK, May 17, 2012 -- Ben Silverman's multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today announced K-Town - the first of many high-impact series from Electus' new pop-culture channel, LOUD, slated to launch on YouTube(TM) on July 2nd.

Created and executive produced by Tyrese Gibson's HQ Productions, K-Town is a new, dynamic unscripted reality show that explores the lives of incredibly colorful Asian Americans who reside in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles - the vibrant Korean culture center that is sandwiched between the bohemian spirit of downtown Los Angeles and the business district of the Miracle Mile. From karaoke bars to night clubs, the series follows the cast as they discover themselves and what it means to be Asian American growing up in the 21st century.


"We are excited to partner with such visionaries as Ben Silverman, Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley to launch K-Town into the pop-culture stratosphere," said Tyrese Gibson, Founder of HQ Productions. "LOUD is the perfect platform for chronicling the social rituals of this unique Asian American subculture. While nothing about this series is commonplace, the show is highly-relatable as the cast's personal stories, struggles and triumphs are universal."


"Asians have always been viewed through the media as either exaggerated stereotypes or the one-dimensional model minority," said Executive Producer Mike Le. "K-Town is a celebration of what it's like to be a young Asian in America today. It's not just about playing the piano and being great at math. We're also sexy, stylish, have swagger, and can party with the best of them."


Conceptualized by Electus Founder and Emmy and Golden Globe winning producer Ben Silverman (The Biggest Loser, The Office, Mob Wives, Fashion Star) with consultation from DiGa, co-founded by Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley - the former MTV executives responsible for the creation and development of the biggest hits in the network's history (Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, Laguna Beach, The Hills, 16 and Pregnant), LOUD will be the newest home for fresh, edgy, entertaining series featuring celebrities as well as popular YouTube(TM) talent, creating the perfect blend of unique characters and buzz-worthy content that will launch into the collective cultural consciousness.


"When Tony and I first met with Tyrese and his producing partners, we quickly realized that the concept behind K-Town was a very unique, untapped subculture in American media. We instantly saw it as a fertile ground for a highly entertaining, unscripted show that would play incredibly well to the LOUD audience," said Liz Gateley, Co-Founder, DiGa. "In the same way the culture of Jersey Shore has their own lingo and philosophies, the K-Town cast has theirs and audiences will become enthralled with the individual personalities and fascinating lifestyles depicted in the show."


"We are proud to make true on the promise of programming a YouTube(TM) channel where we can find a home for a show like K-Town that challenges what is traditionally shown on television in so many ways," said Drew Buckley, COO and Head of Digital at Electus. "We're looking forward to creating even more TV-quality programming by and for the YouTube(TM) audience."


The cast of K-Town includes:

Jasmine (@JASMINECHANG089): A hairstylist who was born and raised in Koreatown. Whether it's her platinum blond locks or her loud infectious laugh, Jasmine is the undeniable center of attention wherever she goes.


Scarlet (@Scarlet_Chan): A former exotic dancer who is sexually liberated and not afraid to express it. Scarlet is a self-admitted troublemaker who is introduced to the Koreatown scene by her close friend, Jasmine.


Violet (@violetcriMEs): A single mother and the drama queen of K-Town. Whether she's at work as a bartender at Vibe, a popular nightclub in Koreatown, or posting gossip on her much read and dreaded blog, drama and boys follow her wherever she goes.


Steve (@MohawkSteve): Known as "Mr. K-Town," Steve is the quintessential "drink all night, sleep all day" type of guy who possesses the uncanny ability to strike a lasting impression on any girl.


Joe (@JoeKtownCha): As the owner of Reflective Productions, Joe runs the biggest Asian nightclub in all of Los Angeles, which positions him at the epicenter of the K-town nightlife. Joe is weighed down by the pressures of the competitive Koreatown party scene while simultaneously juggling family responsibilities and his intense gym routines.


Young (@Younglee11): A promoter for the TAO Group, the hottest nightclub group in Las Vegas, Young comes to K-Town to fulfill his life-long dream of being an international star.
Cammy (@cammychung): Known as K-Town's sweetheart, Cammy is a waitress at the most iconic bar in Koreatown.


Jowe (@ITZJOW3): The self-proclaimed "Prince of K-Town" who drives a fast car and lives a fast life.
K-Town is created and executive produced by HQ Productions (Tyrese Gibson, Mike Le, Eugene Choi, and Eddie Kim) and executive produced by Electus (Ben Silverman, Drew Buckley, Evan Bregman) and DiGa (Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley).


Officially launching on Monday, July 2nd, Electus will announce The LOUD Channel's full talent and programming slate in the coming weeks. Viewers can subscribe to The LOUD Channel for trailers and show updates at http://www.youtube.com/loud. For additional information or to connect with LOUD's social media platforms, please visit:


Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOUDYouTube; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LOUDYouTube; Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/103051581188938584231


About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman in partnership with IAC [NASDAQ: IACI], the company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus' programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.


About DiGa
DiGa Vision, LLC is a newly formed, full-service entertainment production company co-founded by Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley. DiGa, which means "to speak" in Spanish and is a combination of DiSanto and Gateley's last names, will create, develop and produce prime-time cable and network reality and scripted television programming, feature films and digital content. DiGa's signature style and unique voice reflect the pop culture relevance, distinctive visuals and seamless execution that DiSanto and Gateley are well recognized for.

About HQ Productions
HQ Productions is the multimedia entertainment company started by Grammy-nominated singer and star of Fast Five and the Transformers franchise, Tyrese Gibson. HQ Productions develops and produces original content for film, TV, music, publishing and digital. Previously, HQ Productions produced the reality series First In for the BET network and published the bestselling comic book Mayhem through Image with The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. HQ Production's music division, Voltron Recordz, produced and released Gibson's latest album, Open Invitation.

Wall Street Journal

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/05/21/why-asia-is-a-hub-for-bikes/?mod=google_news_blog

Source: Wall Street Journal, May 21, 2012

By Jeff Yang

Why Asia is a Hub for Bikes


Tao Jones Index: Must-click quick-hits from across Asia and Asian America

Vincent Chin, Remembered: This is the 30th anniversary of the murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit, an incident that triggered the 1980s political awakening of Asian America around racist stereotyping and hate crimes. This Tuesday, May 22, at 6:30 pm, the Asian American Arts Alliance, the Museum of Chinese in America and the Asian American Bar Association of New York have organized a unique event called “Revisiting Vincent,” which combines a dramatic presentation of the case and the court proceedings that followed with a talkback led by University of California – Hastings College of Law dean Frank Wu, author of “Yellow.”
“K-Town” Rising: Soju! Drunken beat-downs! Even more drunken shirtless groping! It looks like “K-Town,” the notorious reality TV series set in Los Angeles Koreatown, executive produced by Tyrese Gibson and some of the team behind Jersey Shore and The Hills, is finally making its debut — as a web series on YouTube, now touting itself as the “reality show no TV network could show you.” Could, or wanted to? We’ll see.
“Happening,” now: In other online video news, Wong Fu Productions has teamed up with AT&T to create a unique web series — a rom-com called “Away We Happened” starring Victor Kim and Jen FrmHeadToToe (that’s what she calls herself), whose plot will be crowdsourced to viewers and shot on the fly. The teaser’s up on Facebook.
“Every Day Is a Holiday”: My friend Theresa Loong’s documentary on her father — who she discovered, late in life, spent much of World War II in a P.O.W. camp in Japan — has been making the rounds on public TV…and it’s coming here to New York! It’ll be on WNET-13 on Sunday, May 27 at 2:30pm, and WLIW-21 on Sunday, May 27 at 5:30pm. It’s a must watch. For additional info, visit here.
Up, Up and Away: Some of you know that a few years ago, I and three friends/co-geeks edited a graphic novel anthology called Secret Identities, which pulled together some of the brightest Asian talents in the comics world to create original stories of Asian American superheroes. Well, the second volume of “Secret Identities” is about to take flight. Called “Shattered,” it’s due this fall from The New Press — but we’re previewing concept art, sketches and other in-progress, behind the scenes sneak peeks every Saturday, or “SHATTEREDay,” at our Tumblr, right here. Check it out, and watch for “Shattered” to arrive this fall!
Tao Jones is Jeff Yang’s weekly column for Speakeasy on Asian and Asian American media, entertainment, technology and culture. Tune in next week for the next installment. Follow him on Twitter at  @originalspin.

8 Asians

http://www.8asians.com/2012/05/21/long-delayed-k-town-reality-show-to-be-released-on-youtube-in-july/

Source: 8 Asians, May 21, 2012


Long Delayed K-Town Reality Show To Be Released On YouTube In July

 |  | 
Remember K-Town, the Jersey Shore wannabe reality show based on Asian Americans?8Asians blogged the casting of an early promotional reel two years ago, as well asobservations about the cast members and even a guest post by the producer, only to have the show slip into what felt like development hell for two years.
The YouTube trailer claims the show is “the reality show no TV network could show you,” although at my cynical old age of 35, I usually interpret this as “no cable channels wanted to pick us up, even the Asian American ones.” Also suspicious is that Peter Le, the previously mentioned bisexual adult male model, has been replaced with a guy who is ‘the self-proclaimed “Prince of K-Town’ who drives a fast car and lives a fast life,” a reminder for anyone trying to produce a reality show that viewers want their bisexual adult models female, not male.
We’ve talked about the impacts of this show two years ago where the consensus was, “eh, this is going to be train wreck, but we celebrate that this train wreck exists in the first place.” But the show loses its novelty and shock value by being released on YouTube – a medium that mostly Asian Americans will watch – rather than on television, where random Americans will flip through the channels and accidentally stumble upon girls making out with each other and then stabbing each other in the face with broken bottles of Belvedere.
Still, we’re a blog — so if you create that salacious video still or animated GIF to post on tumblr, send a couple to us so we can plaster it all over the Internets. Thanks!

C21 Media

http://www.c21media.net/archives/82005

Source: C21 Media, May 18, 2012


Electus adds Korean flavour

US studio Electus is prepping a new online reality series for its forthcoming YouTube channel, Loud, that will follow the lives of Asian Americans living in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
K-Town is the first unscripted programme for the pop culture channel, which is due to go live on July 2. The show was created and executive produced by actor Tyrese Gibson’s HQ Productions. Electus and fellow IAC-backed prodco DiGa will also executive produce.
DiGa co-founder Liz Gateley said that K-Town would look at an untapped subculture in American media. “In the same way the culture of Jersey Shore has their own lingo and philosophies, the K-Town cast has theirs and audiences will become enthralled with the individual personalities and fascinating lifestyles depicted in the show.”
Gateley and DiGa co-founder Tony DiSanto are former MTV executives, responsible for creating and developing hits such as Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, Laguna Beach and The Hills.
Tyrese Gibson has starred in The Fast and the Furious and Transformers film franchises and is also a Grammy-nominated singer. HQ Productions develops and produces original content for film, TV, music, publishing and digital.
The Loud channel’s full slate of programming is due to be announced in the coming weeks. Electus is also targeting Spanish-language online viewers with a mix of scripted and reality programming on a separate YouTube channel called NuevOn, which launched last month.

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Media Post

Source: Media Post, May 18, 2012
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/175040/new-electus-series-spotlights-asian-subculture-ta.html

New Electus Series Spotlights Asian Subculture, Targets The Masses

by , May 18, 2012, 8:29 AM

Sensing an opportunity in developing content around subcultures, Ben Silverman and IAC’s Electus have partnered with Tyrese Gibson’s HQ Productions and new production studio DiGa to bring the lives of a group of Asian Americans to the masses in a new online video series called “K-Town.”


Set in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles (which is sandwiched between downtown L.A. and the Miracle Mile), “K-Town” is an unscripted reality show a la “Jersey Shore” that will follow the lives of eight K-Town residents, who each have their own distinctive profile.


For example, there is a sexually liberated former exotic dancer, a single mother who is a bartender, blogger and all-around drama queen, a nightclub owner of the hottest club in L.A. catering to Asians, etc.
“K-Town” is the first series from Electus’ new YouTube channel LOUD, which launches July 2 along with several other niche-oriented channels as part of Google’s push to host more premium original content on its video-sharing site.
Electus, a multimedia studio owned by IAC and Silverman, a former top network TV programming executive and Hollywood producer, is positioning LOUD as a video hub for edgy series featuring celebrities and other entertaining personalities.


This particular series is created and produced by HQ Productions and was conceptualized by Silverman with consultation from DiGa, which is co-founded by former MTV execs Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley, who collaborated on "Jersey Shore," "Laguna Beach," and "The Hills," among other programs.


"LOUD is the perfect platform for chronicling the social rituals of this uniquee Asian-American subculture,” said Gibson. “While nothing about this series is commonplace, the show is highly relatable, as the cast's personal stories, struggles and triumphs are universal."


"Asians have always been viewed through the media as either exaggerated stereotypes or the one-dimensional model minority," said Executive Producer Mike Le. "K-Town is a celebration of what it's like to be a young Asian in America today.”


You can check out the trailer for “K-Town" here.

Real Screen

http://realscreen.com/2012/05/18/electuss-loud-channel-heads-to-k-town/

Source: Real Screen, May 18, 2012

Electus’s LOUD channel heads to “K-Town”



K-Town

K-Town, a reality series billed as being a ‘Jersey Shore for Asians,’ is to be the first offering on multimedia studio Electus’ pop culture YouTube channel LOUD when it launches on July 2.
The show is developed and executive produced by DiGa’s Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley, the former MTV execs behind Jersey Shore and The Hills, in association with Tyrese Gibson’s HQ Productions, and follows the lives of a group of hard-partying Asian Americans living in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood. Electus’ Ben Silverman, Drew Buckley and Evan Bregman will also executive produce.
DiSanto and Gateley left MTV in 2010 to form DiGa and shot the pilot for K-Town that summer. The cast includes a “sexually liberated” former exotic dancer, a drama queen single mom that runs a gossip blog, and the owner of the biggest Asian nightclub in LA. A teaser for the show bills it as a series that was too hot for mainstream cable outlets.
“Asians have always been viewed through the media as either exaggerated stereotypes or the one-dimensional model minority,” executive producer Mike Le said in a statement. “K-Town is a celebration of what it’s like to be a young Asian in America today. It’s not just about playing the piano and being great at math. We’re also sexy, stylish, have swagger, and can party with the best of them.”
“When Tony and I first met with Tyrese and his producing partners, we quickly realized that the concept behind K-Town was a very unique, untapped subculture in American media,” Gateley added. “In the same way the culture of Jersey Shore has their own lingo and philosophies, the K-Town cast has theirs and audiences will become enthralled with the individual personalities and fascinating lifestyles depicted in the show.”
LOUD will feature pop culture and celebrity-centric programming. It was conceptualized by Electus founder Silverman in consultation with DiSanto and Gateley. Electus head of digital Drew Buckley says the channel will be a home for shows such as K-Town that “challenge what is traditionally shown on television in so many ways.”
Watch the trailer below:


Read more: http://realscreen.com/2012/05/18/electuss-loud-channel-heads-to-k-town/#ixzz1vXMfpEoH

Oh No They Didn't!

http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/69087353.html

Source: Oh No They Didn't!, May 18, 2012

K-town reality show still happening...premiering July 2 on the WEB!

THR EXCLUSIVE: Ben Silverman Teams With 'Jersey Shore,' 'The Hills' Execs for New Reality Series 'K-Town'

Teaser Vid:


The unscripted show, which premieres July 2 on YouTube, is set in L.A.'s Koreatown and produced by the Electus exec along with Tyrese Gibson, Liz Gateley and Tony DiSanto.

Ben Silverman's Electus has greenlighted a new web series exploring the lives of young Asian-Americans residing in the heart of Koreatown in Los Angeles.

The show, called K-Town, is the first offering on Electus' upcoming YouTube channel, LOUD, which launches July 2.It was created and executive produced by Tyrese Gibson's production company, HQ Productions; Electus execs Silverman, Drew Buckley and Evan Bregman are also executive producers along with reality TV veterans Liz Gateley and Tony DiSanto.

Gateley and DiSanto, the former MTV programming execs behind Jersey Shore and The Hills, left the network in 2010 to create the production company DiGa, which has a partnerships with Electus and HQ Productions. Buzz for K-Town began building that summer, when the pilot was filmed with the prospect of a network pickup.


Gateley told The Hollywood Reporter that Gibson (whose production partners are Mike Le, Eugene Choi, and Eddie Kim) approached the duo about six months ago. "Everyone is looking for subculture, subculture, subculture, and no one has really ever explored this sort of Asian-American world in L.A., so it was just perfect timing," she said. "We're so excited about it."

LOUD will focus on pop culture and celebrities, with consultation from DiGa. As for K-Town, "This could be the next Jersey Shore," said Buckley, adding that the10-episode seriesechoes MTV's hit franchise with colorful, engaging characters exposing their lives -- and drama -- on camera.Each video runs 10 minutes, and the show potentially could cross over into television,he said.
Thecast includes a trouble-making former exotic dancer, a gossip blogger who moonlights as a bartender and a club promoter. The plot unfolds in L.A.'s karaoke bars and nightclubs, and the new promo (see above) teases lots of skin, fighting and other Snooki-style shenanigans.

"What's great about it is that that they represent any sort of young, twentysomething crowd that's just trying to make their dreams come true," Gateley said. "But you're just seeing it through the streets of Koreatown as opposed to the streets of Jersey Shore."


Read more at ONTD:http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/69087353.html#ixzz1vXNXXdni