Banijay Entertainment acquires Korean reality format "My name is Gabriel"

Banijay Entertainment confirmed it has acquired the worldwide format rights to "My Name Is Gabriel" ("Mai Neim Ijeu Gabeuriel"), from Korea’s TEO Corp, a content production studio led by PD Kim Tae-ho ("Infinite Challenge") and PD Jung Jong-yeon ("The Devil's Plan"). The original series was produced for JTBC and Disney+.

"My Name Is Gabriel" is a reality format that takes celebrities out of their comfort zones and gives them a new identity through a life swap. Participants assume the life of someone else, in another country, where no one recognizes them. In doing so, they experience living as their alter ego for three days, in an entirely new culture, even taking on their job, with each experiment culminating in a meeting with the real person behind their assumed identity. Kim Tae-ho, the producer of the program, wanted to convey that there is no such thing as a meaningless life, and if you peel back the layers of anyone's life, you will find beauty. How will the celebrities fare without the glamorous trappings of fame they have become accustomed to? Will they gain empathy and understanding of others’ lives beyond their star-studded circles?

Helen Greatorex, Head of Format Acquisitions at Banijay Entertainment, described the title: 'My Name Is Gabriel' is a clever reality format which strips back the identity of well-known faces and brings them back to earth with a bump, as they get to experience the lives of everyday people, without the trappings of celebrity. The universality of celebrity culture makes this format ideal for the international market, and we are confident it will appeal to local buyers;" outlined.

Recent additions to Banijay Entertainment’s third-party portfolio include the factual-entertainment format "Atypical Critics," created, developed, and produced in French Canada by Pixcom; the heist-themed gameshow "The Infiltrators" from Cowshed Studios; "The Game of Wool" from Hello Halo, part of STV Studios; the innovative dating reality show "Alumni Lovers" from MBC; and "Genius Game" from CJ ENM. These strategic acquisitions complement the group’s expansive 200,000-hour catalogue of multi-genre, premium content.