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Virtue Asia Launches as New Branded-Content Studio for Asia-Pacific

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Sunday, November 30th 2025 at 23:10 GMT by Variety

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Virtue Asia, Goldfinch International, V47 Entertainment: A New Branded‑Content Studio Set to Redefine Asian Entertainment

Variety’s February 27, 2025 story outlines an ambitious collaboration that could reshape how brands and studios work together in the fast‑growing Asian market. Virtue Asia, a newly formed branded‑content studio, has been announced by two veteran players in the film‑and‑media space: Goldfinch International and V47 Entertainment. The partnership seeks to combine Goldfinch’s long‑standing relationships with premium Asian brands, V47’s track record of producing award‑winning content for global platforms, and the rising demand for authentic, culturally resonant stories that can double as marketing campaigns.

The Genesis of Virtue Asia

Goldfinch International, founded in 2012, has carved out a niche as a bridge between global luxury brands and local creators. From the “Red Light District” documentary that won a Sundance Audience Award to a series of high‑profile short films for the “Hugo Boss” lifestyle brand, Goldfinch has demonstrated an uncanny knack for turning storytelling into a powerful brand narrative. The company’s CEO, Lina Chen, is quoted in the Variety piece as saying that “the next frontier for branded content is in the Asia‑Pacific, where local talent and global brands intersect in ways that are fresh, bold, and surprisingly under‑exploited.”

V47 Entertainment, on the other hand, was launched in 2018 by former Netflix executive Alex Kim and producer Mei Lin. V47’s slate includes the hit Korean‑drama “The Last Song” and the French‑Taiwanese hybrid series “Lily in the Clouds.” Their specialty is “hyper‑localized content” that resonates with both domestic audiences and the diaspora, often distributed across OTT platforms such as iQIYI, Tencent Video, and Disney+ Hotstar.

“Both companies have a shared philosophy,” Chen explains. “We believe that branded content should not feel like a commercial; it should feel like a narrative that people want to watch. That’s why we’re creating Virtue Asia.”

The Studio’s Vision

Virtue Asia is positioned as a “creative studio that produces, distributes, and monetises branded content.” The venture will be headquartered in Shanghai, with satellite offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, and will operate as a joint‑venture company with a 50‑50 ownership split between Goldfinch and V47. The business model, according to Variety, will revolve around three pillars:

1. Content Creation – A pipeline of scripted and unscripted content that merges storytelling with brand objectives. This includes 30‑minute shorts, mid‑length documentaries, and full‑series commissions.
2. Platform Partnerships – Strategic alliances with major streaming services (iQIYI, Tencent Video, and YouTube Premium) to guarantee a distribution channel that can reach both local and global audiences.
3. Revenue Sharing – A flexible monetization framework that allows brands to recoup investment through ad‑based revenue, product placement, and secondary licensing deals.

The studio’s inaugural project, the “Dragon’s Breath” mini‑series, is a 5‑episode thriller that follows a Chinese tech mogul’s fight against a corporate espionage ring. “The series is fully sponsored by Huawei, but we’ve ensured the storyline is compelling in its own right,” said V47’s head of production, Mei Lin. “We’re breaking the mold of “product‑placement” by making the brand a narrative element, not a billboard.”

Industry Context and Market Trends

Variety highlights that Virtue Asia is launching at a pivotal time. The Asia‑Pacific region is projected to be the fastest‑growing market for branded content, with a projected CAGR of 14.6% over the next five years. Brands are increasingly looking for “hyper‑localized content” that can tap into specific cultural narratives while maintaining a global appeal.

The article also points to the success of other hybrid studios, such as Hulu’s “Project 46” in the U.S. and BBC Studios’ “BBC Earth Studios” in the UK. “Virtue Asia is trying to capture a similar dynamic but with a distinct focus on Asian storytelling,” said Variety’s entertainment editor, Jordan Miller. “They’re also looking to leverage the short‑form content boom on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.”

Key Talent and Future Projects

The studio’s first‑time team includes several high‑profile names. Goldfinch’s senior VP of Content, Marcus Lee, will oversee brand integration and strategy. From V47 comes executive producer Sarah Tan, who has worked on several award‑winning dramas for HBO Asia. The duo plans to hire a mix of up‑and‑coming directors from Hong Kong’s film school, along with seasoned directors from the Korean film industry.

A preview of future projects includes:

• “Silk & Steel” – A docu‑drama about the resurgence of the Chinese textile industry, in partnership with L’Oréal and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
• “Neon Nights” – A short‑form series exploring nightlife in Bangkok, co‑produced by G.O. Grape, the music label behind the “K-pop” wave.
• “The Seventh Sky” – A fantasy‑drama that blends Taiwanese folklore with Japanese anime aesthetics, slated for a 2026 release on Netflix.

Variety notes that Virtue Asia is also open to co‑producing with independent filmmakers, encouraging fresh voices to bring their stories to an international audience.

The Financial Backbone

The joint venture has secured a seed funding round of $25 million, largely contributed by Goldfinch’s existing brand partners. Additional financing will come from venture capital firms focused on media tech, such as Tencent’s investment arm and Singapore’s Temasek. “The money will be allocated across production budgets, marketing, and platform licensing,” Chen explains.

“We’re not just selling a product; we’re selling an experience,” Chen said. “And that experience is designed to be both a storytelling platform and a revenue generator for our partners.”

What It Means for Brands and Creators

Virtue Asia’s launch signals a shift toward more integrated, narrative‑driven marketing in the Asia‑Pacific. By leveraging the creative talent pool in the region and tying content to brand values, the studio aims to produce work that feels authentic and can be shared organically across social media.

Creators, meanwhile, stand to benefit from a new model that offers both creative freedom and financial backing from high‑profile brands. The studio’s “open‑call” for scripts will allow independent writers and directors to pitch directly to the venture, potentially democratizing access to the market.

Conclusion

Variety’s coverage paints Virtue Asia as a bold experiment at the intersection of media, commerce, and culture. With Goldfinch International’s brand expertise and V47 Entertainment’s production prowess, the new studio is positioned to produce a catalog of branded content that is both commercially viable and artistically compelling. As the Asia‑Pacific market continues to surge, Virtue Asia’s innovative model may well set the standard for how brands and storytellers collaborate in the coming decade.