CJ ENM, the media and entertainment affiliate of CJ Group, said on the 16th that it signed a strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, a leader in the global content market, to expand the global reach and strengthen the competitiveness of K-content.
The two companies pledged broad cooperation, including: ▲ joint planning and production of K-content ▲ launching a Tving-branded hub within Warner Bros.' streaming service HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia ▲ expanding global distribution. A CJ ENM official said, "This agreement is significant in that it goes beyond simple content collaboration to include a joint push into platforms, thereby strengthening the sustainability of K-content."
Marking the 30th anniversary of its cultural business this year and declaring it the "first year of global acceleration," CJ ENM plans to lay the groundwork for a full-scale global push spanning content and platforms, broaden the horizons of K-culture, and take the lead in building a sustainable K-content ecosystem.
Domestic OTT Tving will make its first entry into the Asia-Pacific market—Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia—in the form of a Tving-branded hub within HBO Max. Targeting Asian viewers where K-content is popular, Tving plans to present the latest hit series and variety shows, securing both viewing access and brand recognition. HBO Max and Tving will, after swift consultations, unveil select content in early Nov. and officially launch the Tving hub in early next year.
The two companies will also pursue global co-production of K-content. Warner Bros. Discovery and CJ ENM will jointly invest to plan and produce content that captivates viewers worldwide. Content co-produced by the two companies will be released to global audiences via HBO Max.
Lee Mi-kyung, vice chair of CJ Group, said, "CJ ENM has led the globalization of Korean content by engaging with audiences around the world," adding, "This partnership brings together CJ, with its distinctive content capabilities, and Warner Bros. Discovery, a master of storytelling, and will be a turning point that further elevates the global status of K-content." Lee added, "Through the authentic stories the two companies will present, we hope global viewers experience special moments that bring new joy and rediscover the emotion of beloved classics."
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, said, "We are pleased to partner with CJ ENM, a leading provider of universal storytelling that resonates around the world," adding, "This collaboration is an important milestone that clearly signals our commitment to offering stories optimized for local audiences in key global markets."
Yun Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, said, "Over the past 30 years, CJ ENM has led the industrialization and global spread of K-content and has risen as a global IP powerhouse," adding, "We will continue to expand strategic partnerships in key global markets to drive the sustainable growth of K-culture, which has become a global lifestyle."