The Russian production center Riki Group has signed an agreement with the Hong Kong Fun Union on creation of a joint company to promote animated cartoons Kikoriki (aka Smeshariki), BabyRiki and PIN-code on the territory of China and other Asian countries.

The Head of the International Promotion Department of Riki Diana Yurinova told Variety that China is an important region for Kikoriki. ‘A joint company would kick-start the development of our brands in China and around the world’, she said.

The American company Shout! Factory licensed Kikoriki last year. In the end of January, South Korean Big Film purchased the rights for the broadcast of animated cartoon. The beginning of the theatrical campaign of the full feature adventure comedy Kikoriki Legend of The Golden Dragon coincided with the national holiday Seollal – one of the most important traditional holidays that marks the beginning of a new lunar year.

Australlian Odin’s Eye Entertainment is responsible for the international distribution of the trilogy of Kikoriki (except for Russia, China, CIS and Baltic countries). The first part of the franchise about Kikoriki (Kikoriki The Beginning) came out in 2012. The second movie – Kikoriki Legend of The Golden Dragon premiered in Russia on March 17, 2016. In 2016, rights for the first two parts were sold to 25 countries.