MIPTV Spotlight: CJ E&M Corporation

CANNES: Korea's CJ E&M Corporation is coming to MIPTV with a variety of drama series and entertainment formats.

First up is Emergency Couple, which tells the story of two divorcees who find themselves interning at the same medical facility. "It seems like a nightmare, but they end up working together and understanding each other," says Alex Oe, the company's sales director. There is also Let's Eat, about a man and a woman united by food, and In Need of Romance 3, which focuses on a group of career-driven women who are looking for love. "In Asia, Japan and China are always ripe [for sales], but Vietnam is growing fastest for us for finished versions," says Oe. "We also see high demand from Europe and America for our scripts.”

CJ E&M is also showcasing Cheo-Yong: The Paranormal Detective, which is about a man who uses his ability to interact with ghosts to solve crimes. "Since sci-fi and supernatural themes have been popular in many regions, this drama can appeal to the international market," says Diane Min, the company's sales manager. Also on this year's slate is the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). "As Asia's biggest music awards ceremony, MAMA brings Asia's music to the world," adds Min.

In the way of formats, there's The Genius Game. In order to win in the show, contestants must be able to outwit their opponents in this survival competition format. Other format highlights from the company include Let Me In, a makeover format, and Trot X, a talent format that highlights the oldest form of K-pop music. "Our approach with formats is particularly unique as it provides localization options of Korean content [that are] much more flexible to overseas markets," says Oe. "China is a big market for us, but we're also having good feedback from the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Italy and Latin America as well. So, we have now increased the format sales [further] this year."