CJ ENM, Japan’s Hakuhodo establish Chapter-I to expand global music IP

South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM has partnered with Japan’s leading advertising agency Hakuhodo to establish a joint venture named Chapter-I, the companies announced Tuesday.

The venture aims to create new business opportunities in the global music market.

Its first project under the joint venture will be “Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Pop Princess,” a Korea-Japan co-produced survival program set to premiere in October on Mnet. Mnet is a pay television music channel operated by CJ ENM.

The show brings together the production teams behind Mnet’s rap competition “Unpretty Rapstar” and dance program “Street Woman Fighter” with Hakuhodo contributing its storytelling expertise. The project seeks to discover global artists skilled in rap, dance and music production — expanding the scope of talent cultivation.

CJ ENM and Hakuhodo emphasized that Chapter-I is not limited to producing TV shows or training artists. Instead, the joint venture seeks to build sustainable and global intellectual property for music, securing new growth opportunities in an increasingly competitive entertainment industry.

Combining CJ ENM’s track record in innovative content creation with Hakuhodo’s creative strategies and marketing expertise, Chapter-I plans to develop a wide range of music-based IPs. Plans include content development, digital marketing, artist management, music production, live performances and merchandising — delivering integrated entertainment experiences for fans worldwide.

CJ ENM has already been expanding its global music IP ecosystem through initiatives such as its Music Creative eco-System, while Hakuhodo has built a reputation for tailored branding strategies and successful collaborations with global companies.