Extinct Dokdo Kangchi Revived in Animation... "Kangchi Island" to Premiere on KBS2 in November

Collaboration Among Gyeongbuk Content Agency, Ulleung County, and Professor Seo Kyungduk
13-Episode Series Showcasing Dokdo's Ecology and History

The "Kangchi," an extinct marine mammal and a symbol of Dokdo, will be brought back to life in an animated series.

On August 11, North Gyeongsang Province and the Gyeongbuk Cultural Foundation Content Promotion Agency (hereafter referred to as the Agency) announced that Season 1 of the TV animation series "Kangchi Island" will premiere on KBS2 on November 4.

This project was planned to address the shortage of content themed around Dokdo, following the 2017 short film "Dokdo Defense Team Kangchi." With support from North Gyeongsang Province and the Agency, production began in December 2023, resulting in a high-quality series of 13 episodes, each 11 minutes long.

The story is set in a magical school and follows the adventures of five Kangchi?Kangchi, Eumchi, Archi, Ichi, and Mangchi?as they grow into "guardian wizards" who protect Dokdo and the sea.

Notably, real-life species native to Dokdo, such as the Dokdo shrimp, box tree, black-tailed gull, and island goldenrod, appear as characters, naturally conveying the importance of ecological diversity and environmental conservation. The production team defines the series as "edutainment" (education + entertainment) content, aiming to engage children and adolescents while enhancing their learning experience.

The Agency is collaborating with Ulleung County to plan derivative projects, including the development of local character merchandise, tourism-linked programs, and educational materials. In addition, together with Seo Kyungduk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University and the "North Gyeongsang Province Dokdo Industry Content Ambassador," the Agency plans to accelerate promotional activities both domestically and internationally.

Professor Seo stated, "I hope 'Kangchi Island' will serve as an opportunity to share Korea's maritime territory and environmental conservation messages with the world."

Lee Jongsu, Director of the Agency, emphasized, "By infusing Dokdo's ecology and significance into a magical fantasy, we have created marine content with distinctiveness and rarity. We will further enhance the quality before the broadcast to widely promote the value and importance of Dokdo."

"Kangchi Island" will air every week on KBS2 starting November 4, and will later expand to various platforms, including cable TV, IPTV, and OTT services.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.