SEK Studio

The studio started operations in September 1957, as 4.26 Children's Film Studio (4.26아동영화촬영소).

SEK Studio worked with foreign animators and companies with relative frequency for a North Korean operation throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Around 1985, it began to outsource animation for European television.{{cite news|url=http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/pk/173rd_issue/2001122606.htm|title=Korean-made Cartoon Films Win Popular Acclaim among Animation Film Fan[s] in Europe|date=December 26, 2001|access-date=June 24, 2013|work=PK Report from Pyongyang|publisher=The People's Korea|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020223061949/http://www.korea-np.co.jp/pk/173rd_issue/2001122606.htm|archive-date=February 23, 2002}} It has also done subcontracting work on over 250 foreign animations. They mainly worked on subcontracting Russian, Italian, French, Spanish and Chinese animation, with American animation being outsourced in an indirect way.

SEK has done work on several animated series with Mondo TV, including Pocahontas: Princess of the American Indians{{Cite web |title=Mondo tv S.P.A - LIBRARY Pocahontas |url=http://www.mondotv.it/scheda-singola-pocahontas.html |access-date=March 6, 2017 |archive-date=January 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124175108/http://mondotv.it/scheda-singola-pocahontas.html |url-status=dead }} and Simba the King Lion,{{cite news |last=Khorsand |first=Solmaz |date=April 2007 |title=Knuddelachse |language=de |work=Datum |url=http://www.datum.at/0407/stories/3490038/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717015447/http://www.datum.at/0407/stories/3490038/ |archive-date=July 17, 2010 |accessdate=June 24, 2013}}{{cite news |author=Park Chan-Kyong |date=February 5, 2007 |title=North Korea supplies laughs as well as lethal weapons |newspaper=North Korean Economy Watch |agency=AFP |url=http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2007/02/05/north-korea-supplies-laughs-as-well-as-lethal-weapons/}}{{Cite web |title=Mondo tv S.P.A - LIBRARY Simba the King Lion |url=http://www.mondotv.it/scheda-singola-simba-the-king-lion.html |access-date=March 6, 2017 |archive-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221212622/http://www.mondotv.it/scheda-singola-simba-the-king-lion.html |url-status=dead }} (due to these two, it has been repeatedly misinformed that SEK has worked for The Walt Disney Company). SEK also has produced features such as the French science fiction epic Gandahar (The Light Years) and Empress Chung.{{cite news |last=Russell |first=Mark |date=August 31, 2005 |title=Uniting the Two Koreas, in Animated Films at Least |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/31/movies/31chun.html}}

It was registered as the SEK Studio which stands for Scientific Educational Korea in 1997 in order to take part in an animation festival in France.{{cite journal |author=Susan Kitchens |date=March 3, 2003 |title=Axis of animation |url=http://members.forbes.com/global/2003/0303/014.html |url-status=dead |journal=Forbes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504030514/http://members.forbes.com/global/2003/0303/014.html |archive-date=May 4, 2010 |accessdate=June 23, 2013}}

According to Cinema Escapist, its most prominent US projects were The Simpsons Movie, Futurama: Bender's Big Score and an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender.{{Cite news |author=Anthony Kao |date=6 June 2018 |title=A Short History of North Korea's Animation Industry |work=Cinema Escapist |url=https://www.cinemaescapist.com/2018/06/short-history-north-korea-animation-sek/ |accessdate=1 March 2021}} According to the Korean Film Council, SEK Studio outsourced episode 72 of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.{{cite news |title=North Korean animation industry, Expansion into overseas markets |script-title=ko:남북 애니메이션 교류 백서 |language=ko |url=http://kofice.or.kr/z99_include/filedown6_1.asp?filename=%EB%82%A8%EB%B6%81%20%EC%95%A0%EB%8B%88%EB%A9%94%EC%9D%B4%EC%85%98%20%EA%B5%90%EB%A5%98%20%EB%B0%B1%EC%84%9C(%EC%B5%9C%EC%A2%85%EB%B3%B8).pdf |access-date=2019-02-01}}

Recently, international collaborations between SEK Studio and other nations has declined significantly, with only China co-producing content. This can largely be attributed to rising tensions between North Korea and the West, notably the United States.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-06 |title=A Short History of North Korea’s Animation Industry |url=https://www.cinemaescapist.com/2018/06/short-history-north-korea-animation-sek/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=Cinema Escapist |language=en}} SEK Studio participated in "Shijiazhuang International Animation Exhibition" on September 30, 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://news.kotra.or.kr/user/globalBbs/kotranews/10/globalBbsDataView.do?setIdx=247&dataIdx=138670&pageViewType=&column=&search=&searchAreaCd=&searchNationCd=&searchTradeCd=&searchStartDate=&searchEndDate=&searchCategoryIdxs=&searchIndustryCateIdx=&searchItemCode=&searchItemName=&page=15&row=10|title=북한 애니메이션 산업 육성, 해외진출 확대 전망|language=ko|access-date=2018-04-23}} SEK Studio is expected to introduce a new science fiction genre animation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dihur.co.kr/1429|title=북한 "SF애니 과학기술 역군 육성위한 중대한 과업"|language=ko|access-date=2018-05-03|date=2017-04-18}} Since 2010s, SEK studio has contracted with many animation studios in China and outsourced in Chinese TV series, web animations, game graphics and commercials. SEK is currently pursuing large-scale projects with Chinese animation companies. It relates to web animated series that will be produced in China.{{Cite web|url=http://news.163.com/15/0308/20/AK78OQHE0001121M_mobile.html|title=韩媒:朝鲜动画达国际水准 用动画片教育孩子|language=zh|access-date=2019-01-24}}

In December 2021, the US Treasury accused SEK Studio and companies and individuals related to it, of exploiting North Korean workers to earn foreign currency and avoid sanctions on North Korea.{{Cite web|url= https://news.yahoo.com/us-targets-chinese-north-korean-154944099.html|title= US targets Chinese, North Korean firms with sanctions|work=AFP|date=2021-12-10}} In April 2024, a server leak revealed that some Western television series, such as Invincible and Iyanu: Child of Wonder, as well as the Japanese anime series Dahlia in Bloom, had been worked on by SEK Studio despite sanctions.{{Cite web |last=Lyngaas |first=Sean |date=2024-04-22 |title=Documents found on a North Korean server suggest US studios may have unknowingly outsourced animation work {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/22/politics/us-animation-studio-sketches-korean-server/index.html |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Nwaenie |first=Chike |date=2024-04-23 |title=Anime: North Korea Believed to Have Violated U.S. Sanctions on Upcoming Isekai Series |url=https://www.cbr.com/anime-north-korea-tv-series-outsource-sanctions/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=CBR |language=en}}

SEK Studio was founded in 1957 as April 26 Children’s Animation Film Studio.

• Korean National Film Studio – Puppet Animation Film Research Institute (1957-1959)
• Korean National Film Studio – Animation Film Studio (1959-1960)
• Korean National Film Studio – Animation Film Production (1960-1964)
• Korean Children's Film Studio (1964-1971)
• Korean Science Education Film Studio – Animation Film Production Team (1971-1980)
• Korean Science Education Film Studio – Children's Film Production Team (1980-1996)
• Korean 4.26 Children's Film Studio (1996-2013)
• Korean April 26 Animation Studio (2013-)

As of 2003, SEK Studio employed over 1,500 or 1,600{{Cite web |title=North Korea Quietly Emerges as Major Player in Animation Industry |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/korea/nkorea_cartoon-20061206.html |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=Radio Free Asia |language=en}} people and subcontracted work for over 70 companies from around the globe, including Europe, South Korea, China, Canada and the United States. After the introduction of advanced equipment, the number of employees was reduced to about 500.{{Cite web|url=http://www.onbao.com/portal/sub_mobile_npc.php?type=N&sid=13729&gubun=onbao|title=북한의 비교우위 산업은?...애니메이션!|language=ko|access-date=2018-05-09}} There are 11 animation production teams in SEK Studio, 9 production teams are responsible for overseas animations subcontracting, and 2 production teams produce domestic animations.{{Cite web|url=http://unityinfo.co.kr/sub_read.html?uid=8103§ion=sc21§ion2=|title=북 대표적인 아동영화 제작소 '조선4.26아동영화촬영소'|language=ko|access-date=2018-05-23}} According to Animation Career Review, SEK is the 85th most influential animation studio of all-time. SEK Studio's staff is mostly from Pyongyang Art Academy, and SEK Studio has established an animation training institute to teach young students.{{cite web|last=Fronczak|first=Tom|title=Top 100 Most Influential Animation Studios of All-Time|url=http://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-100-most-influential-animation-studios-all-time?page=0,1|accessdate=October 12, 2012}}

In 2014, SEK Studio cooperated with Chinese companies to establish an office in Beijing. SEK Studio also invested $70,000 in Chinese companies.{{Cite web|url=http://news.kotra.or.kr/user/globalBbs/kotranews/10/globalBbsDataView.do?setIdx=247&dataIdx=161043|title=中 북한 대중투자 금지 조치의 영향은?|language=ko|access-date=2019-02-28}} Most employees are in their twenties.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=36428|access-date=2021-03-10|website=The Pyongyang Times|title= Prolific animated cartoon producer|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20201201115552/http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=36428|url-status=live|archivedate=2020-12-01}}

Much of the work produced by SEK Studio is considered to be propaganda for North Korean children, with SEK Studio being state-owned and creating animation intended for a young audience.

SEK has provided animation for the following works:{{cite web|title=SEK Animation Studio [kp]|url=https://www.imdb.com/company/co0157788/|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=October 12, 2012}}

SEK Studio has produced over 300 Animations.

{{expand section|information on local productions from this company|date=December 2019}}

The list below is a part of the works outsourced by SEK studio.

Canadian animator and cartoonist Guy Delisle documented his experiences whilst working at the SEK Studio in his graphic novel, Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea,{{cite book |last=Delisle |first=Guy |title=Pyongyang: A Journey into North Korean |year=2004 |publisher=Drawn and Quarterly |location=Montreal }} because SEK studio subcontracted the Corto Maltese animation.

{{Portal|North Korea|Animation|Companies}}

• Korean animation
• List of animation studios

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070321004339/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IC14Dg03.html US cartoons 'made in North Korea' (archived)]

Category:North Korean animation studios

Category:Children's mass media

Category:Mass media in Pyongyang

Category:Mass media companies established in 1957

Category:1957 establishments in North Korea