SAMG Entertainment's "Metal Cardbot" Succeeds in China and Russia... Season 3 Popularity Accelerates Global Expansion

Global IP content company SAMG Entertainment (CEO Kim Suhoon, hereinafter referred to as SAMG Entertainment) announced on January 22 that its animation series "Metal Cardbot" has demonstrated global IP competitiveness by achieving significant results in overseas markets. Following strong performances in major overseas markets such as China and Russia, Season 3, which is currently airing domestically, is also showing tangible results with high viewership ratings.

Season 2, "Metal Cardbot S" Part 2, which was released in China in August of last year, ranked first in real-time viewership on major local OTT platforms iQIYI, Youku, Tencent, and the leading kids channel Jinying Cartoon, and surpassed 500 million cumulative views on new media platforms. In addition, on Taobao, China's largest e-commerce platform, it ranked first among brands (second overall) for the keyword "robot," excluding generic terms, further confirming the IP's recognition and competitiveness.

In Russia, Season 1 ranked fifth in overall animation viewership when it aired on the state-run kids channel Carousel. Building on its local popularity, Season 2 is scheduled to air on January 23 (local time), continuing its momentum. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the export of Season 1 toys is scheduled for the second half of 2025, further raising brand awareness.

Alongside these overseas achievements, domestically, Season 3 "Metal Cardbot W" has maintained a stable success trajectory, recording a peak target viewership rating of 16.4%. The production, which strengthens the relationships and emotional lines between characters and combines card collecting and robot transformation elements, is evaluated as expanding the boundaries of the traditional mechanics genre and broadening the viewer base. It has demonstrated the potential to grow into an IP that can encompass not only the kids audience but also an adult fandom familiar with immersive universes.

Positive trends are also emerging in the toy market alongside the animation's broadcast. Pre-orders for "Metal Cardbot W" toys began on November 7 of last year, and following the first episode's broadcast on December 4, sales increased during the year-end season, especially for major product lines. As a result, a significant portion of the initial production volume has been sold out, reflecting strong market response. This demonstrates a virtuous cycle in which the success of the content broadcast leads to purchases of IP-related products.

A SAMG Entertainment representative stated, "'The Metal Cardbot series is a work that has proven the potential for IP expansion beyond specific countries and age groups," adding, "Based on the success of Season 3 in Korea, we will continue to pursue global IP expansion in overseas markets."