CJ ENM Establishes Middle East Subsidiary in Saudi Arabia as First Korean Entertainment Company

CJ ENM announced on the 23rd that it has established a Middle East subsidiary 'CJ ENM Middle East' in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the first Korean entertainment company to do so.
Marking its 30th anniversary in the cultural business, CJ ENM has declared 2025 as the inaugural year for global acceleration, planning to spearhead the spread of K-Culture based in Saudi Arabia. Leveraging its accumulated know-how in IP planning, production, and distribution in the content business, it intends to actively expand its K-Culture business in various fields such as music, TV programs, and films.
Hyunsoo Kim, head of CJ ENM Middle East, said, "Saudi Arabia is a young consumer market with over 62% of the population under 30, showing explosive growth potential in all areas of the popular culture industry," adding, "We will expand the influence of K-Culture by partnering with 'Sela (SELA)', a leading entertainment company in Saudi Arabia, to establish a local network and ensure stable business operations."
The two companies have been continuously discussing business since signing a business agreement for cultural business cooperation and joint content development in December of last year. Sela, a company funded by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, plans and operates large-scale sports, music, and cultural events, and is expected to create various synergies.
Saudi Arabia is currently experiencing rapid growth across the cultural industry. The music industry is rapidly expanding in scale as the consumption of various music genres, including K-pop, increases due to recent cultural openness and the spread of digital media. The film industry is also growing rapidly with active government policy support since the reopening of theaters in 2018, and the overall activation of the industry is taking place according to the 'Vision 2030' plan.
CJ ENM plans to conduct K-pop global localization by discovering artists through audition programs verified globally, based on its Music Creative eco-System (MCS) strategy in line with these market changes. To this end, it is also pursuing collaborations such as establishing partnerships with local broadcasters and operators.
In the performance business, the company plans to hold K-pop concerts using its own IP and external IP, produce content reflecting Saudi culture, and pursue local remakes of CJ ENM IP, according to the company.

solidkjy@fnnews.com Koo Ja-yoon Reporter