CJ ENM sets up shop in Saudi Arabia

South Korea’s CJ ENM has established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Riyadh, becoming the first Korean entertainment company to create an operations base in Saudi Arabia.

The move will see the Parasite producer pursue collaborations in the MENA region across music, television, film, live entertainment, and both scripted and unscripted content. This will span content creation, production and distribution.

It coincides with CJ ENM’s 30th anniversary, which the company has declared its “first official year of global expansion”.

The move also chimes with Saudi’s expanding entertainment industry as it works to distance its economic reliance on oil under its national Vision 2030 plans.

“Establishing a presence in Saudi Arabia allows us to actively engage in emerging global markets and strengthen our global competitiveness,” said Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM.

CJ ENM has long been building ties with the MENA region. The company signed an MOU with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture in 2022, followed by a 2023 MOU with Manga Productions, a Saudi Arabian content company, to co-produce and distribute content across animation, TV series, films, webtoons, and media infrastructure.

The entertainment giant also hosted KCON, the world’s largest K-pop fan and artist festival, in Saudi Arabia in 2022 and 2023. More recently, CJ ENM signed a major content deal with Shahid, MENA’s largest Arabic-language streaming platform, to bring 20 Korean series to audiences in the region.

The company said it recognised that with more than 62% of Saudi’s population being under the age of 30, it represented a consumer base that showed strong demand for K-content across entertainment, live performance, gaming, and sports.

“The MENA region, and Saudi Arabia in particular, presents unprecedented potential for cultural and commercial collaboration,” said Hyun Soo Kim, general manager of CJ ENM Middle East. “To build strong local networks and ensure stable operations, we are partnering with Sela – Saudi Arabia’s leading live events and experiences company – to expand the influence of K-culture.”

Since signing a strategic partnership in December 2024, CJ ENM and Sela have been in ongoing discussions to develop joint initiatives.

In a statement, the company added that CJ ENM Middle East will serve as a regional anchor, coordinating with its Korean headquarters to accelerate pan-MENA collaboration. By combining its regional networks and production expertise, CJ ENM aims to broaden its global reach and solidify its position in premium content creation.

Internationally, CJ ENM is still perhaps best-known as the producer of Oscar-winner Parasite, hit K-drama Queen Of Tears, and K-pop brands such as KCON and the MAMA Awards. The group operates production powerhouses including drama outfit Studio Dragon, US-based studio Fifth Season, and CJ ENM Studios, as well as Korea’s leading streamer, TVING.