After premiering Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure last month, BBC Studios Asia is set to co-produce another Korean show, 12 Seas (working title).
Co-producing with Korea’s Studio JanChi (Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody, A Nation of Kimchi), 12 Seas is a four-part series that will premiere in 2026.
The new series is supported by a partnership that BBC Studios formed with the Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) last August, to co-produce, co-develop and distribute Korean factual content globally.
12 Seas will follow culinary star Chef Edward Lee (Masterchef, Culinary Class Wars) and actor Ryu Soo-young (Real Men) as they traverse South Korea’s coastline across four seasons and unveil the secrets behind the country’s most iconic seafood dishes. From braving the rocky shores to harvest wild seaweed using the “Ttulidae” method, to joining local fishermen as they catch anchovies with centuries-old bamboo fish traps, Lee and Ryu will immerse themselves in Korea’s rich maritime heritage and discover how seafood is not just food in Korea, but also deeply ingrained in the culture.
BBC Studios Asia will broadcast 12 Seas on BBC Earth and BBC Player across Asia, with BBC Studios handling distribution globally outside of Korea.
Studios JanChi holds the Korean broadcast rights for the series.
Previously, BBC Studios Asia worked with Korean broadcaster JTBC on Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji Hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure.
“Studio JanChi are leading producers of K-food titles and we were immediately drawn to their concept for 12 Seas, which will offer BBC Earth audiences a new perspective on Korea and its seafood through the eyes of acclaimed chef Edward Lee and his foodie accomplice Ryu Soo-young,” said Ryan Shiotani, SVP Content of BBC Studios Asia. “We are grateful to KOCCA for their support and look forward to bringing BBC Studios’ global expertise and creative approach to the partnership.”
Heonseok Baek, CEO of Studio JanChi, added: “We’re thrilled to be working on this title with BBC Studios after our winning pitch last year. With three distinct seas, home to one of the world’s five largest tidal flats, and over 3,000 islands, the story of seafood and the ocean is inseparable from Korea and we’re looking forward to telling this story to audiences in Asia and beyond with BBC Studios.”
