Korea’s CJ ENM has announced a partnership with Saudi Arabian animation studio Manga Productions. Under the new pact, the studios will “co-produce and distribute content across all areas of media and entertainment including animation, TV series, films, webtoons, infrastructure and more. The partnership also aims to “mutually enhance talents and human resources,” according to an official release.
Manga Productions is known primarily for its animation and game production. CJ ENM is a Korean entertainment and retail giant that began life as CJ O Shopping in 1994. It has been known as CJ ENM since 2018. Its film division has been responsible for modern Korean classics like “Memories of Murder,” “Oldboy,” “Secret Sunshine” and “The Handmaiden.”
Dr. Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, said in a statement that the partnership “would enable the two creative forces to merge and offer exceptional entertainment content to audiences worldwide. The partnership would be an essential opportunity to reach Korean audiences with rich Saudi content for the first time through CJ ENM and introduce Korean creative contents to Arab world.”
Koo Chang-gun, CEO of CJ ENM, said in the official statement: “Through this partnership with Manga Productions, the leading content company of the Middle East, CJ ENM aims to accelerate its embark into the Middle Eastern market and spearhead the expansion of K-culture within the Middle East. By combining the expertise of both parties, we will produce content that appeals to a global audience and advance our cultural partnership with Saudi Arabia.”
CJ ENM previously made deals with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture in June 2022 to strengthen cultural ties. “Collaborative efforts between the two countries have expanded to encompass films, music, concerts and various fields of entertainment. CJ ENM has also successfully hosted the World’s No.1 K-culture festival KCON in Saudi Arabia for two consecutive years since its launch in 2022,” the statement said.
