Turning Mecard

Turning Mecard (Korean: 터닝메카드, a transliteration), released as Mecard in the United States, is a South Korean toyline and media franchise launched in 2014, developed for toy company Sonokong by Choirock (Sonokong's multimedia production arm). The toyline involves a model car that, using a card, transforms into an animal-shaped mecha.

Turning Mecard
Original workToys
Owned bySonokong
Films and television
Film(s)Turning Mecard W: The Revival of Black Mirror
Animated seriesTurning Mecard
Turning Mecard W
Turning Mecard R
Dino Mecard
Ghost Mecard
Bbasha Mecard
Television special(s)Turning Mecard W: The Secret of Van Dine
Miscellaneous
Toy(s)Turning Mecard

Outside South Korea, it is marketed and distributed by American company Mattel, which formed a partnership with Sonokong and acquired a 12% equity stake in the South Korean company in 2016.[1][2]

Line-ups
Turning Mecard
Other namesMecard
CompanySonokong
CountrySouth Korea
Availability2014–present
  • Turning Mecard (released as Mecard in the United States)
  • Turning Mecard W
  • Turning Mecard R
  • Dino Mecard (Korean: 공룡메카드): a spin-off featuring dinosaur-shaped toys.
  • Ghost Mecard
  • Sepa Mecard
  • Turning Mecard 3

Media
Television series
  • Turning Mecard (Korean: 터닝메카드; 2015): The 52-episode animated television series was premiered on 3 February 2015 on KBS2, and concluded on 5 February 2016.
  • Turning Mecard W (Korean: 터닝메카드 W; 2016): Season 1 (26 episodes) aired between 19 May and 17 November 2016 on KBS2. It was followed by season 2 (26 episodes) which aired between 2 March and 7 September 2017.
  • Turning Mecard R (Korean: 터닝메카드 R; 2017): Part of the franchise's soft reboot, it was produced in 3D computer animation unlike other productions in the franchise. The 26-episode series was aired between 14 September 2017 and 5 April 2018 on KBS2.
  • Dino Mecard (Korean: 공룡메카드; 2017): The television tie-in to the Dino Mecard spin-off was premiered on 23 November 2017 on KBS1.
  • Ghost Mecard (Korean: 요괴메카드; 2018): ???.
  • Sepa Mecard (Korean: 빠샤메카드; 2019): ???.
  • Turning Mecard NEW (Korean: 터닝메카드 NEW; 2019): ???.
Film
  • Turning Mecard W: Black Mirror-ui buhwal (Korean: 터닝메카드 W: 블랙미러의 부활, lit. 'Turning Mecard W: Black Mirror Revives'; 2017): Taking place between W's season 1 finale and season 2 premiere, the film was released on 18 January 2017. The film ranked as the fifth highest-grossing film in South Korea in its weekend of release.[3] The movie eventually grossed a total of KRW 3.1 billion.[4]
Miniseries
  • Turning Mecard W: Mechanimal Go (2016): The 9-part miniseries was aired on Sundays between 25 December 2016 and 19 February 2017 on Tooniverse (a specialty TV channel available on multichannel platforms).
  • Turning Mecard W: Van Dyne-ui bimil (Korean: 터닝메카드 W: 반다인의 비밀, lit. 'Turning Mecard W: The Secret of Van Dyne'; 2017): Taking place after the finale of Turning Mecard W, the 6-part miniseries was aired on Sundays between 15 October and 19 November 2017 on Tooniverse. Later, it was edited into an abridged, feature-length film which was released in South Korean cinemas on 8 February 2018,[5] and placed in eleventh place in the box office with KRW 120 million.[6]

Outside South Korea

Outside South Korea, Mattel is handling sales and distribution of Turning Mecard, as a result of a partnership deal the American company had with Sonokong in 2016; specifically, Choirock (Sonokong's multimedia production arm) granted a worldwide license of Turning Mecard to Mattel, and Mattel acquired a 12% equity stake in Sonokong, becoming the largest shareholder of the South Korean company.[1][2][7]

Prior to the Mattel deal, Lingdong distributed the toyline within Mainland China under license. Later, Lingdong released a similar toyline named Eonster Hunter to replace Turning Mecard in its line-up.

Reception

The toyline became a fad in its native South Korea, helping propel Sonokong's stock price from KRW 2,980 to a peak of KRW 8,750 in 2015.[8] The brand accounted for roughly 80% of the company's record-breaking KRW 125 billion revenue that year.[9] However, by 2017 sales for Mecard toys had slowed significantly.[10]

Criticism and controversy

Similarities with Bakugan
See also: Bakugan Battle Brawlers

Sonokong was the distributor and license holder of Bakugan toyline and media franchise within South Korea.[11] Japanese writer Atsushi Maekawa worked as the head writer of both Bakugan and Mecard animated series.[12]

Spin Master, a Canadian toy company which co-developed Bakugan with Sega Toys in Japan, launched a series of lawsuits against Choirock and Mattel, alleging that the Mecard toys infringe Spin Master's patents related to the Bakugan toys. Spin Master brought the case against Choirock to a court in Mainland China in 2016, but lost in the first trial, and lost again in the second trial in March 2019.[13]

Separately, Spin Master sued Mattel (which distributes Mecard toys outside South Korea and Mainland China) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California over the alleged infringement (which the Canadian company confirmed in a press release published on 25 April 2018).[14][15][16] This and other lawsuits filed against Mattel in Canada and Mexico are still ongoing as of January 2019.[17][18][19]

Spin Master's legal actions came as Bakugan was given a reboot in 2019, and it follows similar moves made by the Canadian company against Chinese toy manufacturers.[14][15][16]

References
  1. Foster, Elizabeth (11 October 2016). "Mattel Creations adds content, marketing VPs". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  2. Yoo, Boo-Hyeok (21 November 2016). "Sonokong head excited to team up with Mattel". Korea JoongAng Daily. Joongang Ilbo. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  3. Kil, Sonia (January 23, 2017). "Korea Box Office: 'The King' Rules Weekend With Record Opening". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  4. "South Korea Box Office, February 3–5, 2017". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  5. 강인귀 (31 January 2018). ‘터닝메카드’ 두 번째 극장판 <터닝메카드W 반다인의 비밀> 설연휴 개봉. Money S (in Korean). Money Today. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  6. "South Korea Box Office, February 9–11, 2017". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  7. "Mattel Awarded Worldwide License For Wildly Popular Turning Mecard Franchise" (Press release). Mattel. PR Newswire. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  8. Cho, Chung-un (January 7, 2016). "Korean toy market driven by animation success, parents' pride". The Korea Herald. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  9. Park, Sang-soo (April 22, 2016). "Transforming toy mesmerizes kids as well as local toy market". Yonhap News. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  10. "Mattel-backed Sonokong reports 3rd consecutive quarterly loss". The Investor. The Korea Herald. August 9, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  11. 류의성 (25 July 2007). 손오공 "슈팅 바쿠칸, 국내 애니완구시장 평정할 것". EDaily (in Korean). Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  12. Priyah, Thanussha (8 November 2016). "Mattel Creations presents new kids content". Television Asia Plus. Contineo Media. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  13. "Mecard's Complete Victory over Spin Master's Bakugan Patent in China". Choirock Contents Factory. Business Wire. March 28, 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  14. Paddon, David (April 25, 2018). "Spin Master files patent suit against Mattel over Mecard toy cars". Business News Network. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  15. Foster, Elizabeth (26 April 2018). "Spin Master sues Mattel over Mecard toys". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  16. "Spin Master sues Mattel for patent infringement on patents relating to award-winning Bakugan® toy" (Press release). Spin Master. PR Newswire. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  17. "Spin Master settles lawsuit against Chinese company over Bakugan toys". The Canadian Press. January 14, 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019 – via CTV News.
  18. Hutchins, Robert (17 January 2019). "Alpha Group will pull Screechers Wild toys from UK in Spin Master settlement". Toy News. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  19. "Spin Master and Alpha Group Resolve Patent Disputes Relating to Award-Winning Bakugan® Toy" (Press release). Spin Master. PR Newswire. January 14, 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
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