It was a gathering of creative minds at the online media event of the newest streaming platform that launched in the Philippines – WeTV, the home of Asian Premium Content. It promises to deliver the very best in regional content, including highly-anticipated Chinese dramas, K-dramas, Indonesian horror, Thai series, and now the best in Filipino content. Apart from the Philippines, WeTV is also streaming in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India!
WeTV is owned by Tencent, one of the largest global tech and entertainment companies, which has built a reputation as an industry leader in internet-related services. Among their more popular brands are RPG titles League of Legends, Fortnite, Clash of Clans, Path of Exile, Minecraft, and instant messaging platforms Tencent QQ and WeChat. They have also expanded further into music and film production with Tencent Music Entertainment, which has partnerships with top global music labels, and Tencent Penguin Pictures, which produces popular Chinese movies and series.
In China, their streaming platform Tencent Video is the leading OTT platform, with more than 600 million users per month, delivering a large content library across many categories. They are also leading the pack in producing premium Chinese movies and series. In 2019, they expanded that reach into Asia, under the carrying brand of WeTV, delivering Asian premium content to a wider audience. The platform is also working with content producers in each territory to create original movies and series for its users.
There was a lot of creative energy in the air as WeTV presented its 2021 content slate to the members of the press. As country manager Georgette Tengco stated during her opening remarks, the arrival of WeTV is “…an exciting thing for the Philippine market, as we have fully embraced Asian content, making it part of our regular entertainment consumption.” With this in mind, she adds, “We have steadily introduced popular Chinese Dramas, Korean Dramas, Thai drama and BL series, and so much more! As we add more Filipino content to the mix, we are poised to deliver on all your entertainment needs.”
Among the top Asian titles coming soon are Chinese Dramas Oath of Love and The Golden Hairpin, the new Thai BL series Manner of Death, K-drama hits like Tale of the Nine Tailed and Flower of Evil, and Filipino rom-com James & Pat & Dave.
For its initial movie offering for 2020, WeTV is pulling out all the stops as it brings one of the biggest movies of 2019 – Miracle In Cell No. 7 – exclusively to its users starting November 27. The lead cast of the film – Aga Muhlach, Bela Padilla, and Xia Vigor – joined the media launch, sharing their enthusiasm that the film, produced by Viva Films and was the top grosser of MMFF2019, will be seen by a wider audience through the platform. It was a lively exchange, as the cast eagerly talked about their experience working on the film, and about how it was so warmly received by their fans.
Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the slate of WeTV Originals coming out in 2021. “As a streaming service, we have a distinct opportunity to offer our users the widest variety of content across genres. It also gives us a platform to work with really creative minds to tell unique and compelling stories,” Ms. Tengco explains. “Taking our cues from Tencent and Tencent Video, we have seen how well-crafted Chinese WeTV Originals are, and how they are gaining traction across Asia and other markets. WeTV Philippines carries on this DNA in creating quality original content designed to cater and appeal to the Filipino market.”
The selection process for a WeTV Original starts with a good story. “Whether it is just the seed of a story idea, I keep an open mind at every content pitch,” adds Ms. Tengco. From there, it is a collaborative process between the writers, directors and producers – delivering on the promise of compelling stories and good entertainment.
Among the first slew of titles launching under WeTV Originals are:
- Section St. Valentine: The Disappearance of Divine – A dark teen drama about senior high school students of Section St. Valentine, all of whom resume classes via Zoom except for “IT” girl in school, Divine Concepcion. Her absence triggers an online investigation to solve the mystery behind her disappearance. (Premiering January 2021)
- BetCin – This is a GL story about lesbian couple, Beth & Cindy, who are on the verge of a break-up, until they find themselves joining an online contest to become social media’s most favorite And adored loveteam. Beth sees the cash prize as a chance to start a new life with her new girlfriend, Kate. Cindy on the other hand, has other plans.
B&B: The Story of Battle of Brody & Brandy – This modern day romantic comedy starring Iza Calzado and Ian Veneracion. Brody is a charming guest staying at Brandy’s B & B. At the end of his vacation, he promises to return. And he does, except this time, it’s to open up his own B & B right across! (Premiering February 2021) - The Anatomy of Loneliness – A simple guy, Mamon, has one dream – to win the heart of his muse, Nene. The series tells the story about two lonely individuals who unexpectedly find real connection amidst the very impersonal platform of social media.
Joining host MJ Marfori and Ms. Tengco for the evening’s conversation to talk more about their upcoming work with WeTV were Anatomy of Loneliness Writer / Director Pertee Briñas, and B&B: The Story of Battle of Brody & Brandy’s Writer / director Mark Reyes along with his co-producers from Sanggre Productions (who will be line producing the series) Sunshine Dizon and Karylle Yuzon. Rounding out the group was B&B’s lead actress Iza Calzado, who could not contain her excitement on being able to work not only on a romantic comedy, but alongside Ian Veneracion as well.
The evening ended with a very spirited discussion during the Q&A portion of the program, as the stars, directors, producers and Ms. Tengco gamely answered questions from the press. They expressed their excitement over the upcoming show launches, especially since platforms like WeTV open up opportunities for filmmakers to tell unique stories. Aga was also quite intrigued by the premise for “Anatomy…” and was looking forward to seeing the show when it comes up.
2021 is gearing up to be an exciting year for WeTV as they work towards delivering 20 exclusive films alongside 12 WeTV Original productions.
To stream the very best in Asian Premium Content, just download the WeTV app from the App store and Google Play, and start watching! A monthly subscription rings in at only P59, quarterly at P159, and an annual subscription is only P599. Don’t wait, and spend some quality time with the family watching Miracle In Cell No. 7, exclusively on WeTV.