Uncle Grandpa To Teach Koreans How To Speak English

Turner Asia Pacific announced today that it is partnering with Korean mobile product developer Qualson to launch a new app that uses Cartoon Network shows and characters to teach the English language to users of different ages.

The app will feature characters from Cartoon Network shows like Uncle Grandpa, We Bare Bears, The Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, and The Regular Show. Targeted for launch in October in South Korea, there are future plans to roll out the app in other Asian markets including Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

Qualson is the publisher of Super Fan, an English teaching app that has exploded in popularity this year and currently ranks as the no. 1 educational app in South Korea. The new Cartoon Network app will use a subscription model and targets both kids and adults who want to “improve their fluency in both listening and speaking English.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with Qualson to enable more Koreans and Cartoon Network fans to watch their favorite shows and improve their English at the same time,” said Ron Lee, Turner Korea’s general manager. “We believe that learning is always more effective when it’s also fun.”

Other American corporations extend their brands in Asia through programs that use their characters to teach English. The most notable example is Disney, which operates the controversial Disney English in China, an immersive English language school using Disney characters that targets children as young as age 2.