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| (Image Source: CJ ENM) |
Leading entertainment companies CJ ENM and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) recently announced a significant content production and distribution partnership, underpinned by a mutual commitment to bringing global audiences more premium K-entertainment. The new multi-year partnership includes exclusive premieres of original K-drama, hundreds of hours of the best of CJ ENM’s and TVING’s series, and a branded TVING hub on HBO Max in 17 markets across Asia Pacific – including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Launching in early 2026, HBO Max subscribers will have access to exclusive premieres of TVING’s new K-drama titles alongside existing scripted and unscripted entertainment from CJ ENM and TVING’s popular library.Ahead of the launch, fans can enjoy several K-content titles starting in November including the premiere of the highly anticipated drama “Dear X” on November 6, 2025. Recently premiered at the 2025 Busan International Film Festival, the 12-episode romance thriller drama series from TVING is adapted from the popular award-winning NAVERWebtoon of the same name written by Van Zi-un. Dear X tells the story of Baek Ah Jin (played by Kim You-jung), a successful actress who hides her history of trauma and rises to the top through manipulation and deception, protected at all costs by her love interest, Yoon Jun Seo (played by Kim Young-dae). The highly anticipated series has already garnered immense traction since its announcement and presents a star-studded cast including Kim You-jung (My Demon, Love in the Moonlight), Kim Young-dae (No Gain No Love, The Penthouse: War in Life), Kim Do-hoon (Love Scout, Your Honor) and Lee Yul-eum (The 8 Show, Queen: Love and War). The series, by legendary Director Lee Eung-bok (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Descendants of the Sun) and Park So-hyeon, is developed by Studio Dragon, produced by Monster Union and Siwoo Company, and written by Choi Ja-won and Van Zi-un. The partnership also announced that the two companies will co-invest and co-produce original Korean drama for global distribution on HBO Max.
“We are honored to partner with CJ ENM, a true leader in creating universally popular stories that resonate worldwide. This collaboration marks a cornerstone of our commitment to great locally relevant stories in key markets around the world,” said WBD President and CEO David Zaslav. “We are proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery, a global powerhouse whose stories have inspired audiences for generations worldwide. K-content captivates audiences everywhere with its creativity and originality. At CJ ENM, our mission has always been to connect people through the power of storytelling. This partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery takes that mission to a new level, combining Warner Bros. Discovery’s storytelling legacy with CJ’s unique voice. Together, we will deliver authentic narratives that transcend borders on a platform where fans can discover new favorites, revisit timeless classics, and experience the best in global content,” said CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Miky Lee. “As a long-established global leader in entertainment, we have always recognized that success requires a combination of the best of global and the best of local storytelling. HBO Max is the streaming destination for unique, premium storytelling so this partnership with CJ ENM, a leader in the enormously popular K-content genre, aligns perfectly with our strategy and brand,” said WBD President and CEO of Global Streaming and Games JB Perrette. “CJ ENM has spearheaded the industrialization and global expansion of K-content over the past 30 years, positioning itself as a global IP powerhouse. Through our extensive partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, we will strive for the sustainable growth of K-culture, which has now become a lifestyle for many across the globe,” said CJ ENM Global Business President of Content and CJ America CEO Pious Jung. Further details on the TVING branded hub and content line-up will be shared in the coming months ahead of its launch.
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| (Image Source: CJ ENM) |
Meanwhile, CJ ENM clinched six National Winner titles at the 2025 Asian Academy Creative Awards (AACA), the most of any Korean company this year. These wins affirm CJ ENM’s position as a frontrunner in global content creation and representation of Korean content on the world stage, demonstrating unmatched creative power and reinforcing its status as a trailblazer in global K-content. The awards spanned multiple categories — Best Visual or Special FX (TV or Feature Film), Best Cinematography (Fiction), Best Original Production by a Streamer (Fiction), Best Comedy Programme, Best Music or Dance Programme and Best General Entertainment Programme — showcasing CJ ENM’s creative firepower across genres with all six titles advancing to the Grand Awards Gala. “Study Group”, a TVING Original series (produced by Studio Dragon), earned double recognition for Best Cinematography (Fiction) and Best Original Production by a Streamer (Fiction). Breaking from traditional K-drama formulas, the series follows a boy with no academic talent but a natural gift for fighting. Enrolling in a notoriously violent school, he forms a study group to pursue his dream of college, embarking on a bloody yet comedic journey. With its high-quality direction and gripping narrative, the series is proving the strength of K-school dramas and winning over global fandoms. In comedy, “Head Over Heels” (produced by Studio Dragon, available on Prime Video) won South Korea’s Best Comedy Programme title. The fantasy rom-com centered on a high school shaman determined to save her first love. Blending teenage romance with Korean shamanism, the series has garnered global attention, ranking No. 2 on Prime Video’s TV charts according to FlixPatrol, entering the Top 10 in 43 countries and reaching No. 1 in 10 markets. “When The Stars Gossip” (produced by Studio Dragon, available on Netflix) chronicled an astronaut and a space tourist whose missions collided in orbit — only to fall in love. As the first Korean romantic drama set in space, the series stood out for its groundbreaking visual effects, earning a nomination for Best Visual or Special FX (TV or Feature Film).
On the unscripted front, “World Of Street Woman Fighter” won Best Music or Dance Programme, following last year’s National Winner recognition for “Street Woman Fighter 2”. Building on the franchise’s global impact, the series turned underground dance battles into a world-class spectacle, featuring six female crews from Australia, Korea, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S. Fierce rivalries, emotional storytelling and show-stopping performances enthralled audiences across the globe. Finally, the 2024 MAMA AWARDS won Best General Entertainment Programme. The world’s No. 1 K-POP awards made history in 2024 as the first K-pop awards ceremony to be held in Los Angeles in the U.S., followed by a back-to-back broadcast from Osaka, Japan, livestreaming to audiences in more than 200 regions worldwide.
