CJ ENM capitalising on popularity of K-pop content among kids, under-30s with Mnet Plus

CJ ENM is planning to quadruple the amount of exclusive K-pop themed programming available on Mnet Plus as the app surges in popularity in markets such as the US, Japan and China.

Kim Jiwon

The Korean media giant will supercharge its K-pop content platform Mnet Plus, which launched three years ago with exclusive K-pop programming and fan engagement content.

The app allows global K-pop fans to watch original variety shows such as Sumbakkokjil and The City of Spy: NCT 127, stream Mnet’s broadcasts and live events, join in with live voting and collect digital goods.

It has attracted more than 40 million app users to date and a peak of over 20 million monthly active users, according to CJ ENM figures.

Updates coming next year include four times more original and exclusive programming, enhanced global live-streaming capabilities and integrated commerce and community features.

The platform will also introduce an ad-supported free viewing model to make it more accessible to users worldwide, while making more premium content available.

CJ ENM added Mnet Plus is particularly popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences (collectively those born since 1997), with approximately 80% of its traffic coming from markets including the US, China, Japan and Indonesia.

“Mnet Plus is more than a streaming service. It’s a place where global fans have the initiative to shape their own K-POP content experience,” said Kim Jiwon, senior VP of Mnet Plus at CJ ENM.

“Our goal is to build an integrated ‘Fanteractive (Fan + Interactive)’ platform that connects content, fandom, and business, redefining how global audiences absorb K-pop.”

The live finale of Boys II Planet, Mnet’s boyband survival reality show, recorded over 3.5 million votes in a single day, peaking at more than 70,000 votes per second. The 2024 Mama Awards also recorded more than 70 million votes.

K-pop was recently highlighted as a programming area that will continue to grow in popularity by research firm Glance during a presentation during MipJunior in Cannes this month.

The session spotlighted programmes from around the world that have struck a chord with young audiences, alongside upcoming projects that hint at emerging trends.

One such trend is an appetite for Korean-influenced content, driven by this year’s breakthrough cultural phenomenon, KPop Demon Hunters, a musical fantasy film from Sony Pictures Animation that premiered on Netflix in June.