Action Dad

Action Dad (Hangul: 액션 아빠; RR: Aegsyeon Appa; also known as Action Dad or The Family of Superspy, (Hangul: 수퍼 스파이의 가족; RR: Supeo paiui gajog), (Chinese: 家族超级间谍; pinyin: Zhīzhù xìliè)), officially subtitled Travel Around the World to Super-Spy and Super-Villain (Hangul: 슈퍼스파이와 슈퍼빌런에 세계 여행; RR: Syupeoseupaiwa syupeobilleon-e segye yeohaeng) is a 2011 Korean-Chinese-American animated series based on the Manhwa/Manga webtoons and superheroes of the same name, joint produced by Korean comic book publisher Ffango-Zone Entertainment (season 2-3), created by Andrew Dickman and Kyungjun Choi. The show features the voices of Chelan Simmons, Lee Tockar and Michael Donovan. The show premiered in Brazil on September 12, 2012, on Cartoon Network Brazil. The series debuted on the Korean broadcasting channel KBS2 from July 2, 2013, to April 9, 2015. The show has also aired in Portugal, Israel and France.^[1] Although previously thought to premiere in mid-2011, the show has yet to be distributed in the U.S. as of 2014.^[2]

Plot

The story revolves around Liz Ramsey (Chelan Simmons) and her little brother Mick Ramsey (Ashleigh Ball Joel McFarlene in the pilot), two normal teenagers with one exception; their father Chuck Ramsey (Michael Donovan) is a secret spy and their mother Angela Ramsey (Sarah Johns) is a super-villain. Although the two parents work for both good and evil, they have the same intention of keeping their children out of harm from their missions and enemies.^[3]

Cast (Seasons 1)

• Chelan Simmons as Liz Ramsey
• Ashleigh Ball as Mick Ramsey
• Michael Donovan as Chuck Ramsey
• Sarah Johns as Angela Ramsey
• Lee Tockar as Various
• Ian James Corlett as Baron Von Dash
• Peter Kelamis as Shortcut, Prince Eyeball, H.Q. Voice, Alam Voice, Director, Computor
• Trevor Devall as Nun Chuck
• Paul Dobson as Glass Jaw
• Cole Howard as Jack Poundpenny

Korean cast (Seasons 2-3)

• Ham Soo-jeong as Liz Ramsey (Hangul: 리즈 램지; RR: Lijeu laemji)
• Hong So-yeong as Mick Ramsey (Hangul: 믹 램지; RR: Mig laemji)
• Choi Jeong-ho as Chuck Ramsey (Hangul: 척 램지; RR: Cheog laemji)
• Kim Seo-yeong as Angela Ramsey (Hangul: 안젤라 램지; RR: Anjella laemji)
• Lee Won-chan as Block Ramsey (Hangul: 블록 램지; RR: Beullog laemji)
• Lee Jong-won as Various (Hangul: 여러; RR: Yeoleo)
• Kim Hwan-jin as Baron Von Dash (Hangul: 남작 폰 대쉬; RR: Namjag pon daeswi)
• Jeon Tae-yeol as Shortcut, Prince Eyeball, H.Q. Voice, Alam Voice, Director, Computor (Hangul: 바로가기, 프린스안구, H.Q. 음성, 알람음성, 감독, 컴퓨터; RR: Balo gagi, Peulinseu angu, H.Q. Eumseong, Allam Eumseong, Gamdog, Keompyuteo)
• Um Sang-hyun as Nun Chuck (Hangul: 천 척; RR: Cheon cheog)
• Jung Il-woo as Glass Jaw (Hangul: 유리 턱; RR: Yuli teog)
• Yoo Dongkyun as Jack Poundpenny (Hangul: 잭 파운드 페니; RR: Jaeg paundeu peni)
• Jeong Jae-heon as Red Scarf (Hangul: 레드 스카프; RR: Ledeu Seukapeu)

Crew (Seasons 1)

• Directed By John Kafka.
• Produced By Christine Danzo.
• Executive Producers: Konnie Kwak, Ira Warren.
• Animated By Kenneth Chu, Ashley Crivea, Olga Brio, Hye Yun Kim, Jason Moffat, Rory Neil, Leslie Rogers, Yumiko Sasakawa, Curt Spurging.
• Written By Tom Krajewski, Henry Gilroy.
• Edited By Kevin Yi.
• Created By: Andrew Dickman.
• Storyboard Artists: Leah Waldron.
• Art Director: Frank Montagna.
• Location Design: Jerry Benninger, Trevor Bentley, Chris Muzyka.
• Character Design: Rob Davies.
• Prop Design: Byron Leboe.
• Layouts: Bernard Lizon.
• Background Color Key: Michele Graybeal, Mike Hitchcox.
• Color Stylist: Bonni Reid.
• Backgrounds: Susan Erlich.
• Line Producer, Toonzone Studios, Canada: Ruth Vincent.
• Production Manager: Johnny Chen.
• Production Coordinator: John Vincent.
• Animation Supervisor: Cliff Saito.
• Animation: Kenneth Chu, Ashley Crivea, Olga Brio, Hye Yun Kim, Jason Moffat, Rory Neil, Leslie Rogers, Yumiko Sasakawa, Curt Spurging.
• Main Title Animation: Robert Etchingham, Yumiko Sasakawa.
• Main Title Theme Song: Gabrial McNair.
• Editor: Kevin Yi.
• Assistant Editor: Jessica Bayliss.
• Music: Rich Dickerson, Luigi Meroni.
• Sound Design & Final Mix Engineer: Rick Norman.
• Casting Agent: Neera Garg, BLT Productions Ltd.
• Voice Recording Studio: Griffiths, Gibson and Ramsay, Productions, Ltd. - Vancouver.
• Voice Recording Engineer: James Spooner, Dave Gaudet.
• Produced by: Toonzone Studios - Hollywood, California, Toonzone Studios Canada, LTD. - Vancouver, Canada
• With the participation of the Province of British Columbia and Production Services Tax Credit

Korean crew (Seasons 2-3)

• Directed By Jung Hye-On.
• Produced By Narae Ha, Junjae Maeng, Soo Min Lee, Jonghyeok Lee.
• Executive Producers: Jisoo Han, Dongsik Shin, Jongseo Seok, Daeshik Jung, Dale D. Yoon, Lee Tae-hun, Soichiro Fukutake.
• Associate Producer: Cai Dong Qing, Samuel Yeunju Ha, Min Young Hong, Lee Jea Woo
• Written By Seonhwa Geum.
• Screenplay By Inkyun Lee, Eunsook Kim
• Based on the Ffango-Zone Entertainment characters
• Edited By Kevin Yi.
• Created By: Andrew Dickman & Kyungjun Choi.
• Storyboard Artists: Ui-seok Jo.
• Art Director: Johen Lim.
• Location Design: Jeon Young Ki.
• Character Design: Kate Yoo, Seunghwa Kim, Yumi Jeong, Bora Kim, Young Shin Lee.
• Prop Design: Jiyoon Hyun.
• Layouts: Yong Ahn.
• Background Color Key: Moonjung Song, Seung Hyun Go.
• Color Stylist: Jieun Seo.
• Camera: Kwangseock Yang, Jung Bok Hyun, Young Yun Go, Hyun Heum Park, Gwang Hee Lee
• Backgrounds: Kyeonghwan Yoon.
• Line Producer - Ffango-Zone Entertainment, China: Ruth Vincent.
• Production Manager: Jongmin Ha.
• Production Coordinator: Sangwoo Nam, Eugene Jung.
• Animation Supervisor: Liang Gang.
• Animation: Tae-hoon Kim, Hyo Kung Lim, Young Shin Cho, Ji-Yeon Choi, Jung Soon Choi, Jung-Ok Choi, Shin Ae Ham, Eun-Hee Jun, Bo-Mi Kim, Sung-Woo Choi.
• Outsourcing Animation: Studio Vandal, Hanho Heung-Up, Akom Production Ltd., Sunwoo Entertainment
• Main Title Theme Song: Gabrial McNair.
• Editor: Kevin Yi.
• Assistant Editor: Jessica Bayliss.
• Music: Lee Sang-ho, Gim Hui-Jip
• Sound Design & Final Mix Engineer: Seung-yeop Lee.
• Video Editor: SBA Seoul Animation Center
• Casting Agent: Neera Garg, BLT Productions Ltd.
• Voice Recording Studio: Griffiths, Gibson and Ramsay, Productions, Ltd. - Vancouver.
• Voice Recording Engineer: James Spooner, Dave Gaudet.
• Domestic Business Team - Ffango-Zone Entertainment, Korea & China: Lucy Lee, Seockshin Cho
• International Business Team - Ffango-Zone Entertainment, Korea & China: Sowon Jeong, Ted Kim, Jung Mikyung, Soomi Lee
• Marketing Department - Ffango-Zone Entertainment, Korea & China: Mira Jeong, Sunny Yoon
• Investment and Finance Manager - Ffango-Zone Entertainment, Korea & China: Sang-il Han, Myun Young Jung
• Merchandising and Licensing: Harry Yoon, Kiyoung Kwon, Geonpa Woo, Soojung Park, Hyeji Chae, Jongrae Kim
• Franchise and Culture Development: Yeonok Kim, Junsuk Kim, Byunwoo Kim, Eunmi Park, Daehyun An
• Media Marketing Manager: Moon-gu Jeong
• Domestic Distribution: Kihong Lee, Katie Eunsun Lee
• Global Distribution: Hyunjung Lee, Hwajung Hur, Kenny Eom, Jeff Kim, Susie Lee, Alicia Park, Jangwon Kim
• China Distribution: Kangsan Lee & Meejee Lee
• Development & Investment Manager: Chankyung Jung, Doori Park
• Marketing: Hanbyul Kang, Liam Goo, Seunghee Cho, Kyungin Nam, Yeomin Yoon, Hyoungju Sohn, Soohee Sung, Juman Kim, Minji Kim, Mira Jeong
• Business & Legal Affairs: Park Do Yoon, Jihye Park
• Accounting Manager: Hwain Ahn, Jungran An, Yunjin Choi, Sungho Jang, Taeho Kim, Jiyoung Lee
• Production Plan / Investment: CJ ENM, Union Investment Partners, Ffango-Zone Entertainment, Ffango-Zone Entertainment China, China Film Group, Guangdong Alpha Animation & Culture Co., Ltd., Netmarble, KBS Korean Broadcasting System, SCE Media Group
• International Distribution: SCE Media Group - South Korea, SCE Media Group (USA) - Hollywood, California, USA, Alpha Group Company - China
• Production Support: Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea's, KOCCA Korea Creative Content Agency & GITCT Gwangju Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency

Production

Dickman came up with the concept for the show as early as 2006, wanting to make a family orientated show. On the matter he said "I used to LOVE old action hero movies (which were also comedies sometimes) that starred either Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwartzenegger and etc... I miss those old movies, I wanted to see if I could bring that back, a little with this cartoon"^[4] However, Dickman had no involvement in the production of the series, nor was he acknowledged of the show's existence until he discovered it five years later and wasn't even contractually paid for the series at all.^[5][6] Dickman believes that the reason for being off the production was for the studio "to make all the changes they wanted."^[7] This may explain why the series' main antagonist, Baron Gash,^[8] was renamed to Baron von Dash and the characters gained new character designs and Flash animation.

Action Dad was flash-animated by ToonZone Studios for season 1, and Flash-animated by Studio Vandal, Hanho Heung-Up, Sunwoo Entertainment, and Akom Production Ltd. for season 2-3. The series lasted for four seasons and 131 episodes.

Development

Officially developed back in 2009, the series was created to educate children about protection and preservation of the environment and encourages parents and their children to appreciate friendship, harmony, honesty and courage. In pre-production and development season 2, the series is Manhwa/Manga webtoon comic book & superheroes character using in South Korea jointed created by Ffango-Zone Entertainment.

Originating as a pilot film in 2010, the series officially super spy and super villains into an animated series in 2011. The series's development first began back in 2012 after the Toonzone Studios. The series began as a pilot film selected by the Hawaii Film Partners took interest in the series which got officially superspy and supervillains in 2014, with Government Donation and finance support by the ADC Licensing Inc. In 2005, the series became one of ADC Star Project and aired a year later on Cartoon Network Brazil in September 12, 2012. The series was also broadcast in South Korea by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) in 2012 under the name (Action Dad) The Family of Super Spy. The second season is aired from September 2013 to February 2014 with planning, investment and support from both the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea's, KOCCA Korea Creative Content Agency & GITCT Gwangju Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency, CJ ENM, Union Investment Partners, Netmarble, China Film Group, Guangdong Alpha Animation & Culture Co., Ltd., and Ffango-Zone Entertainment and international distribution SCE Media Group and Alpha Group Company

An official musical is also made for the series, which run in 2007 to 2010. However, in 2011 due to financial issues and company restructuring, the series rights is sold to CJ ENM. In 2012, ADC Licensing Inc., KOCCA Star Project & KOCCA's stated that a theatrical film is currently in development alongside the second season. Ira Warren stated that "Investment for the season 2 is ongoing in South Korea and more success is expected. We believe we stepped off on the right foot with KOCCA's support.". This is also the first time that KOCCA's OSMU (One Source Multi-Use) model has been taken up in a collaborative venture between Korea, China and USA. A second season of the series was in the works in 2012 and aired between September 2013 to February 2014.

Showcase Entertainment currently handles the USA distribution rights of the series while CJ ENM, Alpha Group Company and SCE Media Group distributes the series inside worldwide after the rights transfer.

Broadcast

Action Dad debuted in South Korea on KBS2 from in July 2, 2013 to April 11, 2015. Action Dad debuted in Brazil on Cartoon Network Brazil in 2012.

References