Since its inception in December 1995, Tooniverse is currently one of the leading animation channels in South Korea. Tooniverse broadcasts an extensive collection of programs that encompasses cartoon shows, movies, and popular content targeted across all age groups, including children, teenagers, and adults.
History
Tooniverse officially launched on December 1, 1995, with the launch of cable TV in Korea, and was recognized as a channel more unfamiliar than terrestrial broadcasting in the early days. Up until its launch, cartoons were normally restricted to the 5-7pm timeslots on terrestrial television networks, as well as weekend mornings, per the law. This changed when Tooniverse launched and aired cartoons 24 hours a day. While the launch of the channel enabled cable subscribers to watch cartoons throughout the day, this raised concerns from viewers, as well as the nature of its programming, which was mostly imported, much like initial cable channels in Korea, which were considered to be plagued by repeats.[1]
Most of the imported animations were Japanese, requiring attention from parents.[2] As of 2009, the channel is operated under CJ ENM, which has steadily preoccupied the 5th place in the cable TV viewing market share as the viewership rate has gradually increased since 2000. A month before, the English education video Dooly's Backpacking was released.
On August 26, 1999, it received over US$10 million in foreign capital supplied by the Turner Broadcasting System, receiving programming and know-how.[3] On November 1, 1999, Tooniverse expanded from the initial 17 hours to a full-day 24-hour schedule. Two two-hour Cartoon Network blocks featuring Cartoon Network originals and Warner Bros. series were added, as well as StarCraft tournaments and related programming.[4] In June 2000, the channel started airing adult animation series; the first of which being Stressed Eric.[5]
On March 1, 2002, it started broadcasting on SkyLife channel 656, a digital satellite broadcasting service that has been officially commercialized, and became the most popular viewership rating in the skylife by overtaking other channels. However, in November of that year, On-Media (now CJ ENM) unilaterally refused to renew the contract, and was exclusively broadcast through cable TV from January 1, 2003, to August 31, 2011.[6][7]
In the meantime, as ad revenues in the pay-TV market fell sharply due to worsening management, the Internet Multimedia Broadcasting Business Act for IPTV commercialization passed the National Assembly in an environment of broadcasting and communication convergence, as part of the increase in revenues from subscription fees and diversification of the broadcasting market. In 2008, the second half of IPTV, the leading provider KT to start, and in 2009, latecomers, which was SK Broadband and LG U+ communications by three after consultation with IPTV operators, and initiate transmission. In 2011 CJ Group after the acquisition, the animation in the channel for children was to change the broadcast genre channels, the same year on September 1 from contingent upon the ongoing needs of satellite subscribers, the digital satellite broadcasting service, SkyLife (Hereinafter referred to as KT OTS), transmission to HDTV channels was resumed in 9 years. On August 15, 2012, the logo and slogan were changed to the current one, and HDTV broadcasting was officially launched on January 11, 2013, one year and four months after the establishment of the HDTV channel.
Currently, it can be watched through all cable TVs in Korea, KT's Olleh TV Live, SK Broadband's BTV, and other communication companies' IPTV and digital satellite broadcasting (KT SkyLife).
Preschool programs that aired on the morning of March 2011 was replaced by LittleTooni.
In 2012, Tooniverse created their first teen television series, Ma Boy.[8] The Starleague professional StarCraft: Brood War broadcasts began as a program on Tooniverse before being spin-off onto a dedicated gaming channel, Ongamenet.
In April 2013, Marvel TV Animation series program exclusive contract. On July 26, 2013, KidZania Seoul opened a "studio actors" where children could experience being a voice actor.
On April 2, 2018, Tooniverse's website has opened, and was shut down Tunisia Games website.
In 2018, Tooniverse plans that The Haunted House going to be in film, video game and other media series.[citation needed] And produced another drama series called Remember, Hari, which was a live action drama based on the animated series.[11]
After finished the Part 1, Tooniverse announced have right to streaming on TVING in special episode released on December 22, 2021, called The Haunted House Special Edition: The Vampire of Light and the Child of Darkness, and also aired this channel.[16][17] And then later release April 28, 2022 titled Guido Exorcist in Part 2.[18]
Following the partnership between CJ ENM and Paramount along with launching Paramount+ into TVING streaming platform, Tooniverse is bringing Nickelodeon cartoons to the channel under the Nickelodeon Time programming block.[19]
^"어린이 애니메이션 '신비아파트' 시즌2 11월 9일부터 방영" [Children's animation 'Shinbi Apartment' Season 2 aired from November 9th]. it.chosun.com (in Korean). October 26, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^Sung, Jonghyun (July 12, 2018). 투니버스 ‘신비아파트’ 실사 웹드라마 '기억, 하리' 포스터 공개...'호러 로맨스 드라마' [Tooniverse 'Shinbi Apartment' live-action web drama 'Remember, Hari' poster released...'horror romance drama']. News Free Zone (in Korean). Retrieved February 4, 2023.
^"'신비아파트 고스트볼X의 탄생 : 두번째 이야기' 8일 첫 방송" ['Shinbi Apartment Birth of the Ghost Ball X: The Second Story' first broadcast on the 8th]. Sporbiz.co.kr (in Korean). November 1, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^"투니버스 '신비아파트 고스트볼 더블X : 6개의 예언' 5일 첫 방송" [Tooniverse 'Shinbi Apartment Ghost Ball Double X: 6 Prophecies' first broadcast on the 5th]. www.xportsnews.com (in Korean). March 3, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^Newsis (October 6, 2020). "투니버스 '신비아파트 고스트볼 더블X: 수상한 의뢰' 8일 첫 방송" [Tooniverse 'Shinbi Apartment Ghost Ball Double X: Suspicious Request' first broadcast on the 8th]. mobile.newsis.com (in Korean). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^Newsis (June 17, 2021). "신비아파트 시즌4, 9월 방영 앞두고 '합체 귀신' 이벤트" [Shinbi Apartment Season 4, 'Combined Ghost' event ahead of airing in September]. mobile.newsis.com (in Korean). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^"티빙 오리지널 '신비아파트 특별판: 빛의 뱀파이어와 어둠의 아이' 12월 독점 공개!" [TVING's original 'The Haunted House Special Edition: Vampire of Light and Child of Darkness' exclusively released in December!]. CJ E&M (in Korean). October 13, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
^이엔엠커뮤니케이션팀 (October 27, 2021). "티빙 오리지널 애니메이션, 뜨거운 팬덤 열광시킬 공식 포스터 공개!" [TVING's original animation, the official poster that will make the fandom go crazy!]. CJ E&M (in Korean). Retrieved November 21, 2021.
^"'신비아파트 고스트볼Z: 귀도퇴마사', 28일 오후 8시 투니버스 채널 첫 방송" ['Shinbi Apartment Ghost Ball Z: Guido Exorcist', first broadcast on Tooniverse Channel at 8:00 pm on the 28th]. www.sportsw.kr (in Korean). April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^"인기 애니메이션 극장판 최신작 '신비아파트 극장판 차원도깨비와 7개의 세계' 12월 개봉 확정" [The latest popular animation theatrical version, 'Shinbi Apartment Theatrical Version of the Dimensional Goblin and the 7 Worlds' confirmed to be released in December] (in Korean). November 10, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
^"애니메이션 '신비아파트' 다섯 번째 시즌 '고스트볼 ZERO' 30일 투니버스 첫 방송" [Animation 'Shinbi Apartment' 5th season 'Ghost Ball ZERO' premiered on Tooniverse on the 30th]. www.sportsw.kr (in Korean). March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
^Kang, Ho Sung (February 20, 2023). "Tooniverse-". Tooniverse pre-air information (in Korean). Retrieved March 20, 2023.
^"'신비아파트'+타임슬립…하리, 조선 공주 되다" [Shinbi Apartment Special Edition: Joseon Exorcism Annals]. Nocutnews (in Korean). April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
