BBC One turns to Korea for CJENM’s music format ‘I Can See Your Face’

I Can See Your Face

BBC One is looking to ramp up its primetime entertainment offering with a local version of hit South Korean music format I Can See Your Face.

The 8 x 60-minute show was created by Korean giant CJENM and is being produced in the UK by Fremantle duo Thames and Naked.  It will debut in 2021.

Each episode sees a team of two players, helped by a panel of celebrity experts and a famous performer, attempting to win a cash prize by guessing who can and can’t sing from a group of contestants, without ever hearing their voices.

Contestants take part in a series of lip sync challenges, with the panel offered entertaining hidden clues to help the players whittle down the group until there is only one singer left. The final remaining mystery singer then gets the chance to sing. If she or he can really sing, the players will receive a cash prize, but if the final mystery singer is an imposter, they take home the cash.

The show was created by Lee Seon-young and launched in 2015 in Korea via music entertainment channel MNET. It is currently in its seventh season in the country and has also sold to numerous networks internationally, including Thailand, Bulgaria, Romania and Malaysia.

Earlier this year, Fox in the US confirmed it was remaking the show for its music-skewing entertainment line-up, joining fellow Korean format Masked Singer.

Kate Phillips, controller of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, described the shows as “a riot, a funny and captivating show with so many incredible moments within a carousel of reveals.”

Amelia Brown, MD at Thames, added: “I Can See Your Voice is the ultimate play-along game the whole family can take part in. It’s fun, comical and full of heart and we can’t wait to get stuck in and work with the BBC to bring this successful format to the UK.”