CJ ENM’s Top Creators Reveal Secrets Behind Award-Winning K-Content

CJ ENM hosted its Global Partners Day on July 16 in Seoul, reaffirming its position at the forefront of Korean content’s global expansion. Leaders from top-tier media and entertainment companies—including Prime Video, Netflix and The Walt Disney Company—convened for an exclusive showcase of CJ ENM’s production expertise and signature IP portfolio and to foster strategic partnerships. The event underscored the growing influence of Korean culture in the global media landscape and highlighted CJ ENM’s pivotal role in driving the international success of K-content.

As part of the day’s programming, CJ ENM brought together top producers from two of its subsidiaries—Studio Dragon and the music entertainment channel Mnet—for a series of in-depth sessions exploring the future of Korean content production and the global breakthroughs of its signature IPs.

Among the featured speakers were Jee In Chung, director of Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born; Jay Sohn, chief producer of Marry My Husband; and Shin Hye Yoon, the head of Mnet and executive force behind the MAMA AWARDS and I-LAND. In these sessions, the top creators behind globally acclaimed, award-winning content unveiled the core secrets to their success from innovative storytelling to next-generation IP development, offering exclusive insights into what makes top-tier, award-winning content with global appeal.

Korean Drama’s Global Breakthrough
WS: What makes for a drama series that will resonate with global audiences?
CHUNG: For Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, I tried to capture the universal emotions of domestic viewers, but in the end, the themes of family, women and personal growth seemed to resonate not just with Korean audiences, but with viewers from other countries as well.
SOHN: The title Marry My Husband itself is very catchy. The actors delivered outstanding performances and the story skillfully weaves in universally relatable themes like love, friendship, betrayal and jealousy. We aimed to present these elements in a simple, thrilling and fast-paced way that connects with viewers directly, and I believe that’s what sparked such strong resonance.

WS: The local version of Marry My Husband, released in June, has consistently held the number one spot among TV shows on Prime Video in Japan. Tell us about the planning and production of the Japanese adaptation.
SOHN: In the second week of July, the Japanese version of Marry My Husband entered the global top ten. It’s ranked as the most-watched Amazon original drama in Japan as of July 31. Usually, when Korean dramas gain popularity and the rights are sold overseas, the local production teams handle the remake. However, the Japanese version of Marry My Husband is different in that our production team began planning it simultaneously, even before filming the original Korean version. So, rather than being just a remake, it was able to come out as a completely new drama version for Japan. Since the original web novel was already very popular in Japan, the idea to create a Japanese version came up during the production of the Korean version. CJ ENM and Studio Dragon collaborated on the planning, while Japan’s Shochiku and Jayuro Pictures handled the local production. The script was written by Satomi Oshima, and the Korean director Ahn Gil-ho took charge of directing. All the actors and on-site staff were Japanese, and only a small team of five—including myself, the assistant director and the producer—stayed in Japan for about four months to carry out the filming. As for the postproduction, the entire process was carried out in Korea with Korean staff. Since this kind of project was a first-of-its-kind attempt for us, there were definitely many challenges along the way. But it was a truly meaningful experience, as it allowed us to see the potential of a new market.

WS: Striking a balance between cultural sentiments must have been a key element in producing the Japanese version. What were some of the differences you noticed, and how did you work to bridge them?
SOHN: During script meetings with the writer and director, we discussed how Japanese audiences emotionally respond to themes like infidelity. The writer showed us a scene from a Japanese drama where the wife finds out her husband is having an affair. She storms into the mistress’s house—but in the next scene, the three of them are calmly sitting around a table, having a quiet conversation. It was a real culture shock for me. I realized that in Japan, emotional expression is much more restrained—there’s no hair-pulling or slapping like you might see in a Korean drama. So, when we were deciding on the tone of the series, we moved away from the sharp, fiery, spicy part of the Korean version and instead focused more on the characters’ relationships and psychology. On the other hand, there were some parts in the Japanese version when I wondered, “Can the main character really go this far?” and exploring those directions made the process both challenging and enjoyable.

WS: In Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, you explore female gukgeuk, a traditional Korean theatrical form. What aspects did you focus on to turn such an unfamiliar subject into a drama with mainstream appeal?
CHUNG: I hadn’t personally seen much of female gukgeuk myself, and it was an unfamiliar subject even to viewers my age and those watching the drama. However, to make it more relatable, we put a lot of effort into grounding the story in universal themes. We focused on keywords like family, women and growth while portraying gukgeuk. Although this process wasn’t always easy, I believe the sense of universality came through well to the audience. We also held many meetings with the stage team to make sure the performances, dancing and singing were enjoyable for today’s viewers, putting a lot of thought into delivering them in a fun way.

WS: Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born was nominated for a Banff Rockie Award and has received praise for its artistic quality internationally. Why do you think it has captured this acclaim?
CHUNG: Since the subject was so fresh, I wondered whether overseas audiences would actually watch it. However, Jang Young-kyu, the director who was in charge of the music, has been active internationally with the band LEENALCHI, working with projects that blend traditional Korean music with modern styles. When he performed abroad, he realized that Korea’s unique rhythms and melodies are more universally accessible than expected. Honestly, I was skeptical before the series’ release, but after receiving such feedback and seeing the media coverage and nomination announcements, I realized that overseas audiences do appreciate these aspects of Korean gukgeuk. So, looking back, I think we could have been even bolder in emphasizing those elements.

WS: What are your thoughts on how K-content can continue to expand and what lessons have been learned from working on these projects?
SOHN: Working on the Japanese version of Marry My Husband, we created a unique feel that blends the vibes of both Korea and Japan. By combining the strengths of both countries, we generated a synergy that brought out elements different from the Korean original, making it truly distinctive. Moving forward, I think that through more collaborations with overseas partners—where Korean culture mixes with each country’s unique traditions and sentiments—we’ll see a greater variety of K-content and a broader scope for its influence.
CHUNG: I have been creating works based primarily on Korean sensibilities, and I still believe that the standards of domestic viewers remain important. While meeting the high expectations of Korean audiences, I’m also thinking about what global standards we should keep in mind—something we haven’t really considered before. Especially with Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, which was the first of my works to fully engage with global OTT platforms, I could clearly see which areas require my attention with global audiences. So, I now realize the need to consider the preferences of overseas audiences going forward, while still focusing on the domestic viewers as well.

K-Pop Generation Mnet
WS: Mnet’s I-LAND was nominated for an International Emmy in its first season. Mnet is known as the “home of auditions” and the “king of survival shows.” What has made Mnet’s audition survival programs so popular and long-running?
SHIN: Following the success of Mnet’s audition programs, there’s been a surge of similar shows, but Mnet holds originality in delivering immersive experiences through thoroughly planned concepts based on a well-established universe. This is why I-LAND received high praise at the International Emmy Awards. As participants complete missions designed around a cohesive universe, their stories build up, drawing viewers into an intense sense of immersion. This immersion motivates fans to actively vote for the contestants they support, making them feel directly involved in creating the debut group. This not only creates powerful content but also generates an explosive response as a human-centered IP.

Mnet’s strength also lies in showcasing each participant’s personal story and growth journey. This strength exploded in impact with Superstar K, a landmark show in the history of Korean auditions. With underdog stories that evoke emotional immersion, viewers became deeply invested in the narrative, sharing the heartfelt journey of a “nobody” becoming a “somebody.” Shows like Show Me the Money and Street Woman Fighter expanded the genre and delivered great entertainment and emotion through underdog stories. They helped bring genres that were once underground into the mainstream, driving significant changes in the industry. A world where participants compete, unite and create growth stories, while genres and formats expand—that’s what Mnet survival shows are all about. Mnet’s reality formats and story-driven production have deeply influenced Korean content overall and are now being used in broader ways across various genres.

WS: The 2024 MAMA AWARDS marked a milestone: it was the first K-pop awards show to expand into the U.S., with an event also in Japan and a relay broadcast to audiences worldwide. What goes into the planning of this event and keeping it fresh every year?
SHIN: MAMA AWARDS always strive to be the first and the best. Based on a deep understanding of music and performing artists, we focus on creating groundbreaking stages by introducing cutting-edge technologies never seen before and facilitating unique collaborations that audiences haven’t experienced anywhere else. Also, MAMA AWARDS goes beyond being just entertainment; it carries a mission to create positive influence through meaningful messages. It’s not simply a stage for performances, but a platform that conveys the identity and direction of K-pop to the world.

Each year, the concept and slogan are carefully planned based on in-depth research of global trends, with a special focus on messages that resonate with the sensitivities and emotions of the global young audience. In the early days, the focus was on the message of “connecting through music,” and now, “music makes one” has become MAMA AWARDS’ core vision. In a world where everyone is already connected, we aim to convey a more concrete and meaningful story that reflects this reality.

WS: CJ ENM is expanding its music business, focusing on three core pillars globally: a multi-label system, production studios and platforms. On the production side, you’ve had World of Street Woman Fighter, a global dance crew competition between countries, and the brand-new Boys II Planet. When planning projects with the global market as a key target, how does the approach differ from the past, when production was primarily domestic-focused?
SHIN: Mnet didn’t expand its global influence overnight. It had been thoroughly preparing for the global stage for over ten years, even before K-pop gained widespread popularity around the world. Mnet’s representative examples include hosting MAMA AWARDS and KCON overseas. Rather than simply exporting Korean content as it is, we established a system early on that involved collaborating with and producing content alongside local production teams. They also aimed to understand global sentiments and the cultural characteristics of different regions around the world. For example, in the survival series, we designed a structure where participants from various countries could compete and grow together. The series were built based on a deep understanding of the emotions and sentiments of viewers of each country.
This strategy was possible because the production team understands the expectations and preferences of content-consuming music fans better than anyone. Building on this expertise, Mnet is planning many more global projects in the future. Season four of Produce 101 Japan—a hugely successful Mnet audition program format—is currently in preparation, with casting calls set to start soon. The show has become a strong example of how Mnet’s original formats can be successfully localized for international audiences.

There’s also another Korea-Japan joint project in the works, HIP POP Princess. In addition, a global band-making project is currently in development. These large-scale productions, crossing both regional and genre boundaries, are set to continue, with more ambitious projects on the way.

Mnet, leveraging its comprehensive expertise in creating content that meets global standards, plans to continue expanding its global projects by targeting specific regions and audiences around the world. At the same time, Mnet is actively pursuing initiatives to connect directly with fans worldwide through global OTT platforms.

WS: How are you presenting K-pop in fresh ways?
SHIN: These days, the letter “K” itself has become a trendy and hip symbol. Watching global fans embrace not only the K-pop genre but also the emotions, feelings and style it embodies gives us a deep sense of pride. Having been in the industry for a long time, I’ve personally experienced the growth of K-pop alongside Mnet’s content like MAMA AWARDS and KCON, starting from the early days. Back then, we were focused on how to explain “K” to global audiences, but now, content featuring “K” itself has become a standard that resonates worldwide, which is truly inspiring. The saying “What is Korean is global” has become a reality.

When working with K-pop, I aim to go beyond simple themes and incorporate creative interpretations and fresh expressions of K-cool, such as the “BUMSUP” team’s mega-crew mission, which was loved worldwide. This includes a Korean traditional dance performance featuring “Gat”—the traditional Korean hat also used in KPop Demon Hunters. Uniquely and creatively incorporating Korean details like these will win even more love from global audiences. You can look forward to such efforts at this year’s MAMA as well, and Mnet is aiming to showcase a wide range of genres, innovative formats and diverse content through global platforms as a content IP powerhouse.