CJ ENM eyes global market with estimated W1.15tr investment

South Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM, which owns cable channel tvN and streaming platform Tving, aims to expand globally this year with an estimated 1.15 trillion won ($793 million) investment.

At a press event, CJ ENM CEO Yoon Sang-hyun announced that the company is poised to make its largest investment to date in its content business.

"We will innovate our production system and strengthen our competitive edge in content to produce more, experiment further and enhance our presence in the global market," Yoon said at CJ ENM Content Talk, held Monday in Sangam-dong, Seoul.

To realize this vision, Yoon said that this year, CJ ENM is injecting an additional 150 billion won into its annual content investment, which is typically about 1 trillion won.

Yoon also emphasized that in 2025, CJ ENM will focus on global expansion.

"Currently, we are planning various intellectual property projects in collaboration with global studios, primarily in the United States, Japan and Southeast Asia. We aim to further expand these projects and advance our TV presence internationally," Yoon said.

"Additionally, we will put more effort into enhancing the global capabilities of our digital platforms, including Mnet Plus," he added.

According to Yoon, a record 65 productions — from scripted series to entertainment shows — are on the docket for 2025.

Park Sang-hyuk, head of CJ ENM’s entertainment division, announced that tvN will reinstate its Wednesday-Thursday TV drama slot in the latter half of 2025, an initiative designed to spotlight fresh creative voices.

For this year’s programming slate, Park emphasized two thematic pillars: "dopamine" and "harmless charm."

Headline-making projects at tvN include "Typhoon Company," starring 2PM’s Lee Joon-ho; "Tyrant’s Chef" (translated), featuring Lim Yoon-a; "Divorce Insurance," led by Lee Dong-wook and Lee Joo-bin; and "Seocho-dong," with Lee Jong-suk and Moon Ga-young.

The highly anticipated "Resident Playbook," a spin-off of the beloved "Hospital Playlist" franchise, is set to premiere in April.

One of the year’s most buzzworthy series is tvN's "Mean Love" (translated) starring "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae. The romance drama, starring Lim Ji-yeon alongside Lee, is slated to be broadcast sometime this year.

Another major announcement included the confirmation of a second season for hit series "Signal," slated for a 2026 release to commemorate tvN’s 20th anniversary.

On the entertainment show front, tvN is primed for the release of "Earth Arcade 3" in April, "Sixth Sense: City Tour" with Yoo Jae-suk, and "Business Genius Baeksajang 3" (translated).

At Tving, chief content officer Min Seon-hong outlined an aggressive content expansion plan, emphasizing a more diverse and boundary-pushing lineup. The platform is launching "Dear X," a melodramatic thriller adapted from a hit webtoon and helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Lee Eung-bok.

Other marquee projects include the unconventional period romance "The Scandal of Chunhwa"; fantasy-infused youth romance "Way Back Love" starring Gong Myung; and "Running Mate," the directorial debut of Oscar-winning screenwriter Han Jin-won.

Meanwhile, "Shark: The Storm," the much-anticipated sequel to "Shark: The Beginning," is set to continue the Tving original franchise.

In reality and variety programming, Tving is gearing up for "Transit Love 4," the next installment of its flagship dating series, alongside "The Great Escape: The Story," the latest evolution of its beloved escape-room franchise.