South Korean content giant CJ ENM has launched a fully owned affiliate in Riyadh, making it the first Korean entertainment company to establish operations in Saudi Arabia. This new venture, named CJ ENM Middle East, signifies an important step in their stated “first year of global expansion,” which aligns with the group’s 30th anniversary in 2025.
Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, stated that setting up operations in Saudi Arabia enables us to proactively participate in burgeoning international markets and boost our global market standing.
To position the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as a key driver for growth, CJ ENM is setting up its subsidiary to foster collaborations in music, television, film, and live entertainment – encompassing both scripted and unscripted content. The strategy involves creating local audition programs tailored to our existing creative infrastructure, nurturing talent through partnerships with regional studios, and organizing massive K-pop concerts utilizing both our own and external intellectual properties (IP).
Hyun Soo Kim, the newly appointed General Manager of CJ ENM Middle East, stated that the MENA region, and Saudi Arabia specifically, offers unparalleled opportunities for cultural and business partnerships. To establish robust local connections and maintain smooth operations, we are teaming up with Sela, Saudi Arabia’s premier live events and experiences company, to broaden the reach of K-culture in the region.
In late 2024, I was thrilled to be part of CJ ENM’s strategic partnership with Sela, expanding upon our collaborative efforts with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture (2022) and Manga Productions (2023). This year has seen us host K-pop fan festivals, KCON, in Riyadh (2022 and 2023), and we’ve just sealed a content licensing deal with Shahid, the leading Arabic streaming platform across MENA, to bring 20 top-tier Korean dramas to regional viewers.
CJ ENM is widely recognized in Hollywood for producing the Academy Award-winning film “Parasite”, popular K-dramas such as “Queen of Tears”, and K-pop performance brands like KCON and MAMA Awards. They run powerful production companies including Studio Dragon, Fifth Season, and CJ ENM Studios, along with Korea’s top streaming platform, TVING.
In the context of growing liberalization of entertainment within Saudi Arabia, major global entertainment companies are increasingly viewing the nation as a vital avenue for worldwide expansion. This is due to its young population, with 62% being under 30 years old and highly digitally engaged. The country has put significant resources into fostering cultural development as part of their Vision 2030 strategic plan, positioning entertainment as a crucial support for their post-oil economy.
CJ ENM announces that their Riyadh office will function as a central platform, collaborating closely with their headquarters in Seoul, to expedite the creation of content and forge partnerships throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at an accelerated pace.
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2025-07-23 09:24