Pororo the Little Penguin
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Pororo the Little Penguin (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) is a South Korean 3D computer-animated television series. The series premiered on EBS 1 in South Korea in 2003. It has eight seasons and ended on November 21, 2023.[1]
The series revolves around the adventures of a little penguin named Pororo, and his friends who live in the snowy village of Porong Porong Forest, who often encounter challenges and learn practical and moral lessons in each episode.[1]
Production
[edit | edit source]It was created in 2003 by Ocon Studios and Iconix Entertainment Co., Ltd, a company based in Seoul, South Korea.[2] The first two seasons of the show were jointly created between North and South Korea designers as one of the inter-Korean business projects stemming from the North-South Joint Declaration of 2000.[3][1] Choi Sang-hyun, a designer working at Iconix Entertainment, was tasked with creating a character that represents an animal living in the winter. Choi visited a zoo in order to see those animals and understand how children enjoyed watching them.
Several professional designers joined the project to come up with a character, but Choi's design was chosen as the winner, which then became Pororo. The original Pororo was a blue and white, petite penguin sporting an aviator helmet and goggles, which became popular among children. Pororo's helmet and goggles reflects its dream of flying and adventurous personality.[2] When it was introduced, it targeted children aged 4–7.
Pororo has no specific background or cultural coding, so that the series could be popular to children worldwide.[4] Pororo's design inspirations include iconic mascots Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty.[4] The creators picked the colours blue, pink and white to ensure familiarity for children, as well as representing said colors for boys and girls.[4]
When making episodes, producers focused to details that could be biased to certain cultural codes or give a historical reference, that is sensitive to viewers in certain parts of the world. For example, they ensured that the characters wave rather than bowing or nodding to each other.[4] In the third season, the characters were all given redesigns and outfits that correspond to their personalities.
Main Characters
[edit | edit source]Pororo
[edit | edit source]A blue and white penguin with an aviator hat.
Crong
[edit | edit source]A green, baby dragon known to be mischievous and only say "Crong!"
Loopy
[edit | edit source]A pink beaver who loves cooking and invites the friends over for meals.
Eddy
[edit | edit source]An orange fox who invents gadgets and is fueled by his love of science.
Poby
[edit | edit source]A tall, white polar bear who enjoys photography and going fishing.
Cast
[edit | edit source]English credits:[5]
- English translation: Ani100
- English voice director: Anna Paik
Korean cast[5]
[edit | edit source]- Lee Sun: Pororo, Monkey 1
- Lee Mija: Crong, Rody (seasons 3–7)
- Kim Hwan Jin: Poby, Dragon, Santa Claus (season 1), Wall Clock, Shark (seasons 3, 5–6)
- Ham Soo Jeong: Eddy, Popo
- Hong So Yeong: Loopy, Nyao, Monkey 2
- Koo Ja Hyeong: Narrator, Tong-tongi, Yeti, Whale (season 1, New 1), Santa Claus (New 1), Robot Cook, Dinosaur Robot
- Jeong Misuk: Petty
- Kim Seo Yeong: Harry, Monkey 3, Aliens
- Um Sang-hyun: Shark (seasons 4, 7), Santa Claus (season 4), Tu-tu's Creator (season 4), King Pullala
- Jang Eun Sook: Tutu, Butterfly 1
- Jeong Sun Hye: Butterfly 2
- Lee So Yeong: Jay
- Jeong Yeong Woong: Fuzzy Wuzzy
- Kim Eun Ah: Rody (season 8)
- Nam Do Hyeong: Singing King Robot
English cast[5]
[edit | edit source]Season 1
[edit | edit source]- Anna Paik: Pororo
- Tunde Skovran: Crong
- Lisa Kelley: Loopy
- Kristen Myung-hee Cho: Eddy
- Brandon Yu: Poby
- James Bondy: Narrator
Season 2
[edit | edit source]- Samia Mounts: Pororo, Viruses
- Bommie Catherine Han: Eddy, Petty, Harry, The Fairy, Good Crong and Bad Crong
- Andrea Libman: Hannah Grace: Loopy
- Tunde Skovran: Crong
- Robert William Gardiner: Poby
- Josh Schwartzentruber: Robots, Dragon
- Nancy Kim: Aliens
- Dean Wendt: Narrator
Season 3
[edit | edit source]- Bommie Catherine Han: Pororo, Nyao
- Tunde Skovran: Crong
- John Choi: Poby
- Erica Lee: Eddy
- Anna Paik & Samantha Kim Daniel: Loopy
- Samantha Kim Daniel: Shannon Chan-Kent: Petty
- Jenny Cho: Harry
- John Lee: Tong-Tong
- Adam Lofbomm: Rody
- James Bondy: Narrator, Wall Clock
- Caelyn Shin: Popo, Pipi
Season 4
[edit | edit source]- Bommie Han: Pororo, Summer Island Monkey
- Tünde Skovrán: Crong
- Samantha Kim Daniel: Loopy (most episodes), Petty, Butterflies
- Dana Gaier: Loopy (some episodes)
- Erica Lee: Eddy, Summer Island Monkey
- John Choi: Poby
- Jenny Hyobin Cho: Harry
- Anna Paik: Rody, Summer Island Monkey
- John Lee: Tong-Tong, Spider
- Caelyn Shin: Tu-Tu
- Greg Irwin: Narrator
Season 5
[edit | edit source]- Monique Dami Lee: Pororo
- Lee MiJa: Crong
- Kristen Myung Hee Cho: Eddy
- John Choi: Poby, Narrator
- Samantha Kimberly Daniel: Petty, Rody
- John Lee: Tong-tong
- Caelyn Shin: Loopy, Tu-tu
- Jenny Hyobin Cho: Harry
Season 6
[edit | edit source]- Bommie Catherine Han: Pororo, Monkey 1
- Lee Mi Ja: Crong
- Anna Desmarais: Eddy, Petty, Monkey 3
- Nancy Kim: Harry
- Anna Paik: Loopy, Tutu, Monkey 2
- Matthew Anipen: Poby, Narrator, Wall Clock
- Josh Schwartzentruber: Rody, Yeti, Fuzzy Wuzzy
- John Lee: Tong-tong
Media
[edit | edit source]Television series
[edit | edit source]- Season 1: 52 x 5' (2003–2004)[4]
- Season 2: 52 x 5' (2005–2006)[4]
- Season 3: 52 x 5' (2009)
- Season 4: 26 x 11' (2012)
- Season 5: 26 x 11' (2014)
- Season 6: 26 x 11' (2016)
- Season 1 (remastered): 52 x 5' (2017)
- Season 2 (remastered): 52 x 5' (2019)
- Season 7: 26 x 11' (2020–2021)
- Season 8: 26 x 11' (2023)
Films and bonuses
[edit | edit source]- Pororo: to the Cookie Castle (2004)
- Pororo and Friends: Dance with La La (2011)
- Pororo Goes to Korea (2012)
- Pororo: The Racing Adventure (2013)
- Pororo: Snow Fairy Adventure (2014)
- Pororo: Cyberspace Adventure (2015)
- Pororo, Dinosaur Island Adventure (2017)
- Pororo, Treasure Island Adventure (2019)
- Pororo, Dragon Castle Adventure (2022)
- Pororo and Friends Movie, Virus Busters (2022)
- Pororo: Dinosaur Castle Adventure (2023)
- Pororo, Popstar Adventure (2023)
- Pororo and Friends: Cyberspace Island Adventure (2024)
- Pororo, Underwater Adventure (2025)
- Pororo and Friends Movie, Curse Love Adventure (2025)
- Pororo: Sweet Castle Adventure (2025)
Others
[edit | edit source]Spin-offs
[edit | edit source]- Pororo Sing-a-Long: 14 x 3' (2006)[6]
- Eddy the Clever Fox: Season 2: 26 x 5' (2010–2013)
- Loopy, the Cooking Princess: 6 x 5' (2012)
- Pororo's English Show: 13 x 5' (2012–2013)
- Pororo in My Pocket: Season 1: 10 x 5 (2017)
- Pororo Sing Along S8: 13 x 5' (2023)
Shorts
[edit | edit source]- Netflix New Year's Eve Countdown 2018 (2017)
Reception and legacy
[edit | edit source]Initially, Pororo was created solely for entertainment. Later, parents suggested to Choi Jung-il of Iconix Entertainment that new episodes with educational value be included. Producers have received many requests, ranging from what the characters should eat and how to play in episodes to what they can do for society. By 2018, Pororo had been exported to over 140 countries and widely recognizable across Asia.[7] In one survey done by the Korea Content Export Information System in 2006, Pororo ranked second in character brand worth, only behind Hello Kitty and ahead of Winnie the Pooh and Pucca.[2] Due to Pororo's popularity, one of its nicknames has become the "children's president."[7]
Korean Air also provides Pororo-related merchandise for children including a doodle book, a colouring book and a plush toy of the character. In 2015, Pororo was chosen as the mascot for mass transportation in Seoul.[8]
In the summer of 2016, a Pororo Lounge opened at Seoul COEX Mall featuring rides and a parade of Pororo characters.[9]
The immense popularity of Pororo is apart of a larger trend of the growing character industry in Korea. Characters such as Pucca, Tayo the Little Bus, and Kakao Friends are all widely popular, driving ratings and merchandise sales.[10] In one 2019 study done by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the Korean character industry was expected to reach $11.9 billion in total sales with exports growing alongside with it.[11] Pororo contributes to a large portion of these figures, particularly leading sales among young children.[11]
Awards and nominations
[edit | edit source]In 2007, Pororo received numerous awards from the South Korean government, including the award by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 2010, Pororo got the president's award for Best Animated Characters. In 2014, Pororo got the award for Creative Brands.
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Iconix Official Website
- Pororo the Little Penguin Official Site
- Pororo the Little Penguin Official EBS Website Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
- Pororo in Netherlands Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
- OCON Studios
- Pororo IMDb page for Pororo the Little Penguin TV series.
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- 2003 animated television series debuts
- 2003 South Korean television series debuts
- 2023 animated television series endings
- 2023 South Korean television series endings
- 2000s South Korean animated television series
- 2010s South Korean animated television series
- 2020s South Korean animated television series
- South Korean children's animated television series
- Computer-animated television series
- Animated television series about children
- Animated television series about bears
- Animated television series about penguins
- Animated preschool education television series
- 2000s preschool education television series
- 2010s preschool education television series
- 2020s preschool education television series
- Educational Broadcasting System original programming
- Fictional aviators
- Korean-language television shows
- South Korean English-language television shows
- Boomerang (TV network) original programming
- Cartoonito original programming
- South Korean preschool education television series