Fox doubles down on Korean formats with CJ ENM singing format

I Can See Your Voice

US broadcaster Fox is looking to build on the success of its remake of South Korean format hit The Masked Singer by acquiring rights to another singing show from the country.

I Can See Your Voice (ICSYV) is from Korean giant CJ ENM and was piloted by Fox last month. The US network has now ordered a full season, which is set to launch later this year.

It will be hosted and executive-produced by Ken Jeong, along with James McKinlay and Craig Plestis, founder of Endemol Shine North America-backed prodco Smart Dog Media. Plestis helped to bring the original Korean format King Of Mask Singer, on which The Masked Singer is based, into the US after watching the Thai version.

The US remake of I Can See Your Voice will be produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment (FAE) and marks its 12th remake, with local versions of the show already on the air in Thailand, Bulgaria, Romania and Malaysia

CJENM said numerous new adaptations are expected later this year.

I Can See Your Voice is a music studio show where panels and one contestant – usually a singer or a celebrity – must figure out whether the mystery singers are a good or a bad singer judging by rounds of lip sync challenges, hidden clues and true-or-false evidences.

The show does not involve real singing until the end, when the final remaining mystery singer gets to have the chance to sing. If the final singer can really sing, they will receive a cash prize.

The show was created by Lee Seon-young and launched in 2015 in Korea via music entertainment channel MNET. It’s currently in its seventh season in the country.

Seo Jang-ho, SVP of CJ ENM, said: “ICSYV has proven its strength and popularity by continuously renewing seasons worldwide. We are sure that ICSYV will become one of the most special K-formats in the US to great success.”

Yesterday FAE, the broadcaster’s in-house unscripted studio that also produces the US version of The Masked Singer, revealed it had appointed Allison Wallach to run its alternative entertainment arm.