The Pinkfong Company will release "Bebefinn the Movie: The Missing Bebefinn and Pinkfong's Big Adventure" (hereinafter "Bebefinn the Movie") in Japanese theaters. With the confirmed release in Japan, the "home of animation," the film is being credited with demonstrating the competitiveness of "K-animation."
According to industry sources on the 27th, The Pinkfong Company plans to accelerate its push into the local market, starting with "Bebefinn the Movie" as its first theatrical release in Japan. The film will open on September 4 and will be screened in approximately 100 theaters across Japan. Notably, Kadokawa, Japan's largest comprehensive entertainment company that has released numerous hit animations including "Oshi no Ko," will handle local distribution. The synergy between the content competitiveness of the Bebefinn intellectual property (IP) and Kadokawa's distribution capabilities is expected to be maximized.
Based on the Pinkfong Universe worldview, "Bebefinn the Movie" is an animation featuring all of The Pinkfong Company's popular characters, distinguished by its integration of audience-participation interactive elements. Since its initial release in Korea in July last year, the film has drawn over 220,000 cumulative viewers and ranked in the box office top 10 for two consecutive weeks. It has since expanded into global markets, with sequential releases in 11 countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan.
Bebefinn's influence is also formidable in Japan's TV and offline markets. The Bebefinn original series proved its popularity when it aired during prime time on TBS, one of Japan's five major terrestrial broadcasters, in October last year. In December last year, the "Bebefinn Mother Goose Pad" simultaneously topped both the "Music Toys" and "Piano Keyboard Instruments" categories on Amazon Japan. In February, the company opened a pop-up store at Osaka's Namba Marui Department Store, one of Japan's largest department stores, further expanding the IP's reach.
The Pinkfong Company plans to expand its business across Japan in the first half of the year with a diverse IP lineup. First, through May 10, the company will operate Pinkfong pop-up stores at the Ebisu branch in Tokyo and the Kawasaki branch in Kanagawa Prefecture in collaboration with Tsutaya Bookstore, Japan's largest bookstore chain, to coincide with Japan's major holiday period, Golden Week. The stores will feature the Pinkfong Sound Book, which surpassed 130,000 cumulative sales within six months of launch, along with various books and toys, targeting family visitors. The company will also participate in "Licensing Japan 2026," Japan's largest licensing exhibition, from June 17 to 19 for the fourth consecutive year, introducing over 50 popular products and expanding global partnerships.
"Since establishing our Japanese subsidiary, we have expanded our influence in the local market across various platforms and formats," said Joo Hye-min, Chief Business Officer (CBO) and head of the Japanese subsidiary. "With this theatrical release, we expect to continue Bebefinn's global success in the Japanese market."