'Secretly Greatly' sets model for OSMU strategy

English edition titled "Undercover Magnificence"

By Chung Ah-young

As “Secretly Greatly,” an action comedy film, starring teenage heartthrob Kim Soo-hyun, is sweeping local box offices, numerous versions inspired by the original work referred to as “one source multi-use” (OSMU) are jumping on the bandwagon. The OSMU indicates a content strategy for increasing profit returns by recreating the same content through various genres.

Based on the eponymous web cartoon created by Hun in 2010 with 250 million of accumulative page views, the film has recently surpassed 5 million ticket sales. Kim plays Won Ryu-hwan who masquerades as a loser and is one of three North Korean spies, including Rhee Hae-rang (Park Ki-woong), and Rhee Hae-jin (Lee Hyun-woo) from the elite special corps 5446. While waiting for missions from the North, they gradually adapt themselves to life in the South.

Dreamcomeus, a content management company, has the rights to diversify its uses such as publications, animation and merchandise. The company has recently sold the publication rights of the original in Indonesia.

The company specializes in making profits through a “one source multi-use” strategy and returning them to artists.

The characters from “Secretly Greatly” have been made into paper toys which are gaining popularity in other countries. The paper toys are high value-added products available on N Shop run by Dreamcomeus.

The company also published its novel in May. Its English edition titled “Undercover Magnificence” is available on the Internet at $3.99, targeting overseas fans.