MDJM LTD Wholly-Owned Subsidiary MD Local Global Announces Major Business Upgrade and Cultural Expansion -- Launching International "Journey to the West" Animated Short Film and Developing Fernie Castle Anime Art Gallery and Cultural IP Ecosystem

Rhea-AI Summary

MDJM LTD (NASDAQ: UOKA) subsidiary MD Local Global announced a strategic upgrade to build a global cultural IP ecosystem centered at Scotland's Fernie Castle and adjacent Oriental Garden.

Key milestones include a July 15, 2025 architectural design agreement with Kengo Kuma & Associates, a August 1, 2025 script contract with Isabel Herguera and Gianmarco Serra (screenplay completed), and a November 12, 2025 animation production agreement with Abano Producións to produce the short film Journey to the West. Planned operations include an anime art gallery, themed accommodation, festivals, merchandising, and IP licensing to generate cultural and commercial revenue.

Positive

• Architectural design agreement with Kengo Kuma signed on July 15, 2025
• Script contract signed with Isabel Herguera and Gianmarco Serra on August 1, 2025
• Completed original screenplay for the short film Journey to the West
• Animation production agreement signed with Abano Producións on November 12, 2025

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Architect agreement date July 15, 2025 Architectural Design Service Agreement for Fernie Castle Oriental Landscape Project

Script contract date August 1, 2025 Script Contract signed for Journey to the West short film

Animation deal date November 12, 2025 Animation Production Agreement with Abano Producións

Animac directorship period 2002–2012 Period Isabel Herguera served as Artistic Director of Animac

Film award year 2023 El sueño de la sultana winning Best Basque Screenplay

Market Reality Check

$2.85 Last Close

Volume Volume 25,724 is above the 20-day average of 20,135, indicating elevated trading activity ahead of this cultural IP update. normal

Technical Shares trade below the 200-day MA, with price at 2.5146 versus MA 3.03, reflecting a weak longer-term trend.

Peers on Argus 2 Up

Within Lodging peers, moves were mixed: SOND fell 23.96%, CVEO was down 0.22%, while GHG gained 3.45%. With UOKA down 10.51% and no clear peer pattern, trading appeared more stock-specific than sector-driven.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Sep 26	Crypto payments launch	Positive	-13.7%	Robin Hill Hotel began accepting cryptocurrency to enhance global guest convenience.
Sep 02	New bar opening	Positive	+0.6%	Opened themed Time and Stars bar to diversify revenue and cultural hospitality.
Aug 01	Design collaboration	Positive	-3.9%	Signed design deal with Kengo Kuma for Fernie Castle cultural redevelopment.
Jun 25	Hotel performance	Positive	+3.1%	Reported 301% booking growth and 20% ADR increase at Robin Hill Hotel.

Pattern Detected

Operational and cultural expansion news has often led to mixed or negative next-day moves, even when headlines highlighted growth or strategic upgrades.

Recent Company History

Over the last six months, MDJM highlighted several cultural and hospitality initiatives. On Jun 25, 2025, Robin Hill Hotel reported a 301% booking surge and a 20% ADR increase, followed by modest share gains. Subsequent updates on Fernie Castle redevelopment with Kengo Kuma, a themed bar opening, and crypto payments produced small gains or declines. Today’s Fernie Castle cultural IP ecosystem and animation strategy continues this shift toward experiential, East–West cultural offerings.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock surged +13.3% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with MDJM’s ongoing pivot toward cultural IP and experiential assets at Fernie Castle. Prior updates on Robin Hill Hotel performance and Fernie Castle design partnerships showed that operational milestones sometimes produced only modest moves. Investors later weighed regulatory context, including Nasdaq monitoring and increased authorized share capital, when reassessing risk around even upbeat strategic developments.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MD Local Global Ltd. ("MDLG" or the "Company"), the UK-based wholly owned subsidiary of MDJM LTD (NASDAQ: UOKA), is pleased to announce a significant expansion and strategic upgrade of its cultural and creative operations.

Building on its international collaborations, MDLG will utilize Scotland's historic Fernie Castle and its adjacent Oriental Garden as a core platform to establish an immersive animation art Gallery, inspired by the aesthetic and experiential philosophy of Japan's Ghibli Museum.

This strategic transformation marks MDLG's evolution towards a comprehensive global cultural IP ecosystem, integrating content creation, cultural tourism, international collaboration, and cultural asset management.

MDLG intends to focus its future strategy on:

1. Cultural IP Ownership & Original IP Development

• Creating original IP rooted in Eastern culture, aesthetics, and philosophy.
• Building cross-cultural storytelling with global appeal.

2. International Cultural IP Licensing & Collaboration

• Introducing and collaborating with internationally recognized cultural Ips.
• Expanding cross-border creative and cultural partnerships.

3. Cultural Experience Operations at Fernie Castle

Generating sustainable cultural revenue through animation & art exhibitions; themed cultural dining; boutique accommodation; oriental garden experiences, cultural festivals and immersive programming by leveraging the future Fernie Castle Anime Art Gallery and Oriental Garden Cultural Zone as core operational platforms.

4. Cultural IP Commercialization

• Producing animated shorts and feature films.
• Securing international distribution & streaming partnerships.
• Generating box office and exhibition revenues.
• Developing merchandise and derivative products.
• Licensing globally and expanding brand cooperation

This strategy builds a seamless chain from IP to content, cultural space, commercial value, forming a sustainable cultural ecosystem.

Architectural Design Service Agreement for Fernie Castle Oriental Landscape Project signed with Kengo Kuma & Associates, Inc.

On July 15^th, 2025, MDLG signed an Architectural Design Service Agreement for Fernie Castle Oriental Landscape Project with Kengo Kuma & Associate, Inc., a global architectural firm based in Tokyo Japan, to design Fernie Castle and its adjacent Oriental Garden, creating a new international cultural ecosystem that includes cross-cultural animation and art exhibitions, international artist residencies and cultural exchange, Eastern-aesthetic dining and themed boutique accommodation, and immersive experiences combining philosophy, narrative, and visual arts.

Script Contract Signed with Isabel Herguera and Gianmarco Serra

On August 1, 2025, MDLG signed a Script Contract with Isabel Herguera and Gianmarco Serra (the "Screenwriters") to develop the script and related written/graphic materials for the short film Journey to the West. As of the date of this press release, we have completed the original screenplay for this short film. Ms. Herguera is an award-winning visual artist, animator, and director from San Sebastián. Her short films include La Gallina Ciega, Ámár, Bajo la Almohada, and Amore d' 'Inverno. Her feature film El sueño de la sultana (2023), co-written with Gianmarco Serra, won Best Basque Screenplay at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. She previously served as Artistic Director of Animac (2002–2012) and currently teaches animation at KHM Cologne. Mr. Serra, is a co-writer, editor, sound designer, and composer of El sueño de la sultana. His work has been recognized at Annecy, Zagreb, Hamburg, and San Sebastián. He has collaborated on numerous films with Herguera as producer, writer, musician, sound designer, and editor. Before entering animation full-time, he directed cultural programs for Italy's's RAI television.

Animation Production Agreement Signed with Abano Producións

On November 12, 2025, MDLG signed an Animation Production Agreement with Abano Producións ("Abano"), a leading animation studio based in Galicia, Spain, to launch the production of an original animated short film inspired by the classic Chinese myth, Journey to the West.

Abano is a Galicia-based independent animation studio, internationally recognized for auteur animation and cross-border collaborations. Its films have won major festival awards and played an essential role in elevating European artistic animation. For example, its works have been selected and awarded by: Annecy International Animation Film Festival, San Sebastián International Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and Zagreb World Festival of Animation. It has also received multiple Goya Awards for Best Animated Short Film.

About MD Local Global Ltd.

MD Local Global Ltd., headquartered in the United Kingdom, specializes in cultural IP development and ownership, animation film production, international licensing, cultural tourism operations and cultural venue development.

The company is committed to building a globally influential cultural and artistic ecosystem, bringing Eastern philosophy and aesthetics into the world through contemporary storytelling.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Contact:
Sherry Zheng
WAVECREST GROUP INC.
Phone: +1 718-213-7386
Email: sherry@wavecrestipo.com 

 

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SOURCE MDJM LTD

FAQ

What did MDJM LTD (UOKA) announce about Fernie Castle on December 16, 2025?

MD Local Global announced plans to develop Fernie Castle and its Oriental Garden into an anime art gallery and cultural IP ecosystem.

Which architect firm did MD Local Global hire for the Fernie Castle project and when was the agreement signed?

MD Local Global signed an architectural design agreement with Kengo Kuma & Associates on July 15, 2025.

Who wrote the screenplay for UOKA's Journey to the West and is it complete?

Isabel Herguera and Gianmarco Serra were contracted on August 1, 2025, and the original screenplay is complete.

Which studio is producing the Journey to the West animated short for UOKA and when was production agreed?

Abano Producións was contracted to produce the short film under an agreement signed on November 12, 2025.

What commercial activities will UOKA pursue at Fernie Castle to monetize cultural IP?

Plans include exhibitions, themed dining, boutique accommodation, festivals, merchandise, film distribution, and IP licensing.