CJ ENM opens subsidiary in Saudi Arabia targeting K-culture boom in the Middle East

CJ ENM hit series Marry My Husband

South Korean media giant CJ ENM has established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as it seeks to grow the presence of K-content in the Middle East.

CJ ENM Middle East means the company is the first Korean entertainment outfit to establish a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia.

The Marry My Husband producer is seeking to grow its presence in regions such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which it has identified as an “engine” for strategic growth.

CJ ENM Middle East plans to pursue business collaborations across music, television, film, live entertainment and both scripted and unscripted content.

This includes the development of audition programmes based on what CJ ENM calls its “music creative ecosystem” and artist discovery initiatives in partnership with local studios.

In the live entertainment sector, CJ ENM plans to host K-pop concerts leveraging both its own and external IP, having last year signed a strategic partnership with Saudi entertainment and hospitality company Sela.

CJ ENM’s Saudi subsidiary will leverage Sela’s expertise in large-scale sports, music, and cultural events.

This follows CJ ENM signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture in 2022, followed by a 2023 MOU with Saudi Arabian content company Manga Productions to coproduce and distribute content across animation, TV series, films and webtoons.

Recently, CJ ENM inked a major content deal with Shahid, the MENA region’s largest Arabic-language streaming platform, to bring 20 Korean series to a broader MENA audience.

With over 62% of its population under the age of 30, Saudi Arabia represents a dynamic consumer base that shows strong demand for K-content across entertainment, live performance, gaming, and sports, CJ ENM said.

It comes as Saudi Arabia expands its entertainment industry as part of its plans for economic and cultural growth under its national roadmap Vision 2030.

Meanwhile, 2025 is CJ ENM’s first “official year of global expansion,” said Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, as it turns 30.

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

Hyun Soo Kim, general manager of CJ ENM Middle East, said: “The MENA region, and Saudi Arabia in particular, presents unprecedented potential for cultural and commercial collaboration.

“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.”