Saerom Animation

Saerom Animation, Inc. (Korean: 새롬 애니메이션) is a South Korean animation studio headquartered in Seoul, founded in 1987 by animation veteran Gilhwan Kim.^[1] The company specializes in full-service animation production, encompassing planning, digital production, and post-production for television series and films, leveraging advanced digital systems to deliver high-quality overseas animation services primarily to American broadcasters.^[1] Over its history, Saerom has established itself as a key partner for major studios, contributing animation to iconic projects across networks like Disney Television Animation, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network.^[1] Notable early works include Disney's Aladdin series, Gargoyles, and Clerks: The Animated Series; Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold! (seasons 2–5), Dora the Explorer, and Go, Diego, Go!; and Cartoon Network's Johnny Bravo and Party Wagon.^[1]^[2] In later years, the studio provided animation services for Cartoon Network series such as The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Regular Show, Adventure Time, and Clarence, as well as Disney's Amphibia (2019–2022).^[2] More recently, Saerom has handled additional animation for Adult Swim's Smiling Friends (season 2, 2024–present).^[2] With a focus on international collaboration, Saerom continues to support a diverse portfolio of animated content, emphasizing creative possibilities in global storytelling.^[1]

History

Founding and early outsourcing (1987–1999)

Saerom Animation was founded in 1987 by Gilhwan Kim in Seoul, South Korea, initially operating as Sae Rom Productions Co., Ltd., amid a burgeoning animation sector driven by international outsourcing demands.^[1] The studio quickly established itself by providing essential services such as ink-and-paint and layout work for prominent American producers, capitalizing on Korea's competitive labor costs during the industry's early export phase.^[3] In its formative years, Saerom contributed to key projects for studios like Hanna-Barbera and DIC Entertainment, beginning with animation support for The Smurfs from 1987 to 1989, covering seasons 7 through 9. This period aligned with Korea's "Golden Age" of animation outsourcing (1986–1999), where low wages—such as $50 per week for cel painters compared to $444 in Hollywood in 1983—enabled studios to handle labor-intensive tasks for U.S. clients facing domestic strikes and rising costs.^[3] By the early 1990s, Saerom expanded significantly, securing major contracts including Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993–1996) for DIC Entertainment and Gargoyles (1994–1997) for Disney Television Animation, alongside other Korean firms like AKOM. These efforts helped fuel the studio's growth to approximately 300 employees by 1993, generating $4.8 million in exports primarily to American buyers such as DIC, contributing to Korea's overall animation export surge to $62 million that year.^[3] As the decade progressed, Saerom played a pivotal role in Korea's animation export boom, where the country captured about 30% of the global TV animation market by the late 1990s, largely through subcontracting from U.S. giants like Hanna-Barbera, which pioneered offshore production in East Asia.^[4] The studio's work emphasized cost-effective, high-volume output for foreign series, reflecting the industry's reliance on overseas revenue—over 90% of Korea's audiovisual exports by the mid-1990s.^[3] In the late 1990s, Saerom began transitioning to digital processes, as seen in its contributions to Hey Arnold! (seasons 2–5, 1997–2004) for Nickelodeon, adapting to the evolving demands of electronic animation formats amid a broader industry shift.

Growth and shift to originals (2000–present)

In the early 2000s, Saerom Animation faced increasing global competition in outsourcing, as lower-cost production hubs in countries like China and India began capturing a larger share of international contracts, leading to a decline in Korea's animation exports from a peak of $167 million in 2000. This industry-wide pressure prompted Saerom, which had grown to employ around 300 staff by the early 1990s, to diversify beyond service-based work. By the mid-2000s, the studio had expanded its capabilities to offer full-service production, encompassing planning through completion, which marked a strategic shift toward developing original content amid the broader Korean animation sector's pivot from subcontracting to intellectual property creation.^[3]^[1]^[3] Key milestones during this period included the completion of long-term outsourcing contracts, such as animation services for Dora the Explorer from 2000 to 2019 and Adventure Time from 2010 to 2018, which provided stable revenue while the studio built internal expertise. Saerom's Seoul headquarters, located in the Geumcheon-gu district, underwent facility expansions to support this transition, incorporating cutting-edge digital systems for ink-and-paint and animation processes as the industry adapted to computer-generated techniques following the post-2000 globalization of digital tools. More recently, the studio has contributed to ongoing projects like Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (2023–present) and provided primary animation for Smiling Friends (2024–present), reflecting sustained involvement in high-profile international series.^[1]^[1]^[5]^[6] To further this evolution, Saerom engaged in selective international coproductions and continued limited outsourcing to hone skills, aligning with Korean government initiatives through the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). Established post-2001, KOCCA provided funding support for pilot projects and coproductions, offering up to 100 million won per initiative since the early 2000s to foster original development and global partnerships, with a total of 5.5 billion won allocated to 16 projects by 2008. As of 2025, Saerom maintains its headquarters in Seoul, balancing service-oriented outsourcing with original endeavors in a mature domestic market that emphasizes export-oriented content creation.^[3]^[3]^[1]

Productions

Television series

Saerom Animation has provided overseas animation services for numerous American television series, specializing in ink and paint, layout, coloring, and digital animation production for major studios and networks including Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Hanna-Barbera. The studio's contributions span decades, encompassing over 1,000 episodes across more than 20 series, often handling full production pipelines for entire seasons or runs.^[1] In the 1980s, Saerom's initial forays into television animation focused on traditional cel-based work, including seasons 7 through 9 of The Smurfs (1987–1989) for Hanna-Barbera, where they managed keyframe animation and inbetweening for the long-running series.) This marked the studio's entry into high-volume episodic production for U.S. broadcasters, establishing its role as a reliable outsourcing partner during the era's expansion of animated programming. The 1990s saw Saerom expand its portfolio with prominent Disney and Nickelodeon projects, providing layout, ink and paint, and compositing services. Notable examples include full-season animation support for Gargoyles (1994–1997) on Disney, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993–1996) for DIC Entertainment, and Hey Arnold! (seasons 2–5, 1996–2004) on Nickelodeon, where the studio transitioned to digital ink-and-paint processes starting in 1999, enhancing efficiency for later episodes like "Weighing Harold."^[1]^[7] Additional contributions included CatDog (1998) for Nickelodeon, handling background art and character animation. These efforts highlighted Saerom's growing expertise in adapting to evolving production demands, such as tighter schedules for prime-time network slots. Entering the 2000s, Saerom embraced fully digital workflows, delivering comprehensive animation for preschool and action-oriented series. Key works encompassed Dora the Explorer (2000–2019) for Nickelodeon, including early episodes like "Doggie Day!" (2000), where they oversaw digital coloring and effects;^[1] Dragon Tales (1999–2005) for PBS and Sony Pictures (uncredited); Go, Diego, Go! (2005–2010) for Nickelodeon; and Cartoon Network staples such as Johnny Bravo (1997–2004), My Gym Partner's a Monkey (2005–2008), and Party Wagon (2004).^[1] The studio's digital capabilities allowed for seamless integration with U.S. directors, supporting vibrant, character-driven visuals in long-running formats.^[1] In the 2010s and 2020s, Saerom continued as a primary overseas facility for Cartoon Network and other networks, focusing on 2D digital animation with occasional additional services. Representative projects include full production for Regular Show (2010–2017), from pilot to finale, under overseas director Hwang Gi-Ho; Adventure Time (2010–2018);^[2] additional animation for Amphibia (2019–2022) on Disney; ongoing work on Smiling Friends (season 2, 2024–present) for Adult Swim; animation for Animaniacs (seasons 2–3, 2021–2023); later episodes of Craig of the Creek (2020s); and We Baby Bears (2022–2023).^[2]^[8] These collaborations underscored Saerom's adaptability to diverse styles, from surreal comedy to adventure narratives, while maintaining high episode output during peak outsourcing periods.

Films and specials

Saerom Animation has contributed animation services to various theatrical films and television specials, often focusing on post-production tasks such as ink and paint, coloring, compositing, and digital animation for major U.S. studios including 20th Century Studios and Nickelodeon Movies.^[2]^[1] A notable early project was the 1992 environmental animated feature FernGully: The Last Rainforest, where Saerom provided overseas ink and paint services in collaboration with Rough Draft Korea for Kroyer Films.^[9] This traditional cel-animated film highlighted Saerom's initial role in supporting international theatrical releases during the studio's formative years.^[2] In television specials, Saerom handled full animation production for the 1992 pilot Battletoads, a short based on the video game series, produced for DIC Enterprises.^[10] They also animated holiday-themed Sonic the Hedgehog content, including the 1995 musical special Jingle Bell Rock and the 1996 episode Sonic Christmas Blast, both for DIC Entertainment, featuring the speedy hedgehog thwarting holiday disruptions by Dr. Robotnik.^[11]^[12] Saerom's work extended to anthology formats with contributions to select shorts in Nickelodeon's Oh Yeah! Cartoons (1998), providing animation services for pilot episodes that launched series like The Fairly OddParents.^[13] By the 2010s, Saerom shifted to digital animation techniques, delivering services for Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie (2017), a Nickelodeon television film reuniting the characters from the related series on an adventure to find Arnold's missing parents.^[14] In this project, Saerom acted as animation producer, emphasizing compositing and final digital effects.^[14] This evolution from cel-based processes in 1990s specials to fully digital workflows in later films underscores Saerom's adaptation to industry advancements.^[15]

Original Korean works

Saerom Animation entered the domestic market with its first original Korean production, Super Zuri: The Galactic Quest, a children's television series released in 2003. This series marked the studio's initial foray into fully self-owned content, leveraging prior outsourcing expertise to develop in-house capabilities for storytelling tailored to Korean audiences.^[3] Subsequent originals included Dreamy Pensee in the mid-2000s, alongside various pilots and short-form animations.^[3] These works were produced entirely in-house, encompassing scriptwriting, storyboarding, animation, and Korean voice acting, with themes blending adventure, fantasy, and educational elements to engage local viewers. The 2005 television quota system, which mandated national broadcasters to allocate 1% of airtime to indigenous animations, provided crucial support for developing and airing these pilots and shorts.^[3] Distribution focused primarily on Korean broadcasters such as EBS and KBS, prioritizing domestic reach over extensive international exports, in contrast to the studio's outsourcing projects. This approach aligned with industry efforts to build local content ecosystems, though limited global coproductions occasionally extended select works abroad.^[3] Saerom's originals contributed to broader revenue growth in domestic animation, where industry-wide earnings from such content rose from 75 billion KRW in 2004 to 137 billion KRW in 2007, reflecting increased viability for in-house Korean productions.^[3]

Role in Korean animation

Outsourcing for international markets

Saerom Animation has maintained a prominent role in the global animation outsourcing ecosystem, particularly through modular contracts with U.S. studios that often involve annual deals for high-volume television series production. These agreements typically encompass full-package services, from layouts to final compositing, allowing U.S. clients to delegate substantial portions of the animation pipeline while retaining creative oversight. In contrast, relational ties with Japanese clients, established amid the Korean animation industry's origins in the 1960s, emphasize long-term, skill-specific partnerships focused on targeted tasks such as in-betweening and coloring, delivered on a just-in-time basis for episodic projects.^[3] The studio's outsourcing activities have predominantly targeted the U.S. and Japanese markets, with the U.S. accounting for 73% of Korean animation exports in peak years like 1999, contributing to an industry total of $167 million by 2000. Saerom participates in compact supplier systems, where typically one or two Korean studios handle core animation for individual projects, enabling efficient scaling for international chains. Key U.S. clients include DIC Entertainment, for which Saerom provided production services in the 1990s, such as contributions to Captain Planet and the Planeteers, as well as Cartoon Network for ongoing series like Johnny Bravo (seasons 4, including holiday specials) and My Gym Partner's a Monkey. Japanese partnerships involve first- and second-tier studios like Toei Animation and Studio Pierrot, though specific project details remain more fragmented due to the relational, non-formal contract nature.^[3]^[3]^[16] Economically, Saerom's outsourcing has facilitated significant cost savings for international clients, as Korean labor rates during peak periods were approximately 10-20% of U.S. equivalents, allowing studios to handle evolving tasks from traditional inking in the 1980s to full digital animation post-2000. This model supported Korea's integration into global value chains, with Saerom contributing to the industry's export surge by employing specialized teams for high-output U.S. series while building technical expertise through Japanese collaborations.^[3] As of 2025, Saerom's outsourcing focuses on selective projects aimed at skill-building and maintaining relational networks; by 2023, industry exports had stabilized at around $120 million, with government initiatives announced in 2025 aiming to increase them to $170 million by 2030 through a $1 billion investment, driven by shifts toward cheaper destinations, digital tools, and original content production. This strategic pivot allows the studio to balance financial stability with opportunities for upgrading in international coproduction chains.^[3]^[17]

Contributions to domestic development

Saerom Animation played a pivotal role in upgrading skills within South Korea's animation sector by leveraging outsourcing contracts with international studios, which facilitated the transfer of advanced production techniques to domestic projects. Through handling key animation tasks for U.S. clients like DIC Entertainment in the late 1980s and 1990s, the studio enhanced local animators' expertise in areas such as key framing and character design via on-the-job training, contributing to the industry's transition from rudimentary processing roles—dominant between 1966 and 1985—to creative production after 2000.^[3] Saerom adopted digital ink-and-paint processes, replacing traditional cel animation and enabling more efficient workflows that were later applied to original Korean content, aligning with the broader sector's shift toward computer-assisted techniques.^[1] The studio's expansion supported significant employment and training growth in the post-1997 Asian financial crisis era, when government policies emphasized small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in cultural sectors for economic recovery. By 1993, Saerom had grown to employ over 300 animators, many as freelancers, fostering a skilled workforce through practical experience on global projects and helping stabilize the industry amid outsourcing fluctuations.^[3] This development was bolstered by state initiatives, including the Cultural Industry Promotion Fund (CIPF), established in 1999 with an initial 50 billion won ($42 million) seed from the government and reaching 301 billion won ($263 million) by 2004 through combined public and private contributions, which provided loans, guarantees, and technical aid to animation SMEs like Saerom.^[3]^[18] Saerom also integrated with evolving government policies that promoted local content creation, benefiting from and influencing the sector's policy landscape. The studio capitalized on the Korea Creative Content Agency's (KOCCA) support programs, which invested 43 billion won ($37.5 million) in 31 animation projects between 2002 and 2005, enabling firms to develop original works and expand market access.^[3] These efforts aligned with broader regulatory pushes, such as the 2005 mandate requiring at least 40% local programming in terrestrial TV airtime, which incentivized domestic production and reduced reliance on imports.^[3] In 2025, the government announced a 1 trillion won ($1 billion) investment to further boost the animation sector, aiming for 1.9 trillion won in revenue by 2030, supporting studios like Saerom in original production and global collaborations.^[19] On a wider scale, Saerom's trajectory helped elevate Korean studios—including contemporaries like Dongyang Animation and Sunwoo Entertainment—from labor-intensive subcontractors to participants in coproductions and originals, solidifying South Korea's position as a global animation exporter by the mid-1990s.^[3] This progress addressed early industry challenges, such as financial dependence on outsourcing, by balancing international revenue with creative domestic initiatives, thereby resolving tensions between export-oriented processing and local innovation.^[3]