CJ E&M has been committed to the long-term goal of helping raise Korea’s national competitiveness through making business out of Korean cultural content.

Rather than simply using hallyu to net short-term profits, CJ E&M has focused on becoming Asia’s top cultural content company that leads trends and creates culture through various media platform service and content ranging from broadcast and film to music, performance and games.

“Considering that Korea’s manufacturing sector such as cars, electronics, ships and steel which have so far propped up the country’s economy is now being closely chased by China, we have no choice but to industrialize and globalize our cultural content as the next-generation growth engine,” said a CJ official.

CJ E&M is taking the initiative to serve as a bridge between the Korean cultural industry and global markets by helping Korean artists including film directors, actors and musicians go abroad.

In broadcasting, CJ E&M’s hit TV programs include “Superstar K,” which aired its fourth season last year and continued to achieve what was deemed impossible in the cable broadcast industry ― double-digit viewer ratings ― each year. The success of “Superstar K” led to a boom of audition programs.

“Respond 1997” was a popular series that broke the limits of cable drama and created more buzz than terrestrial broadcasters’ drama series.

In 2009, the company established a joint venture with Fox International Channels and set up “tvN Asia” channel which transmits Korean television programs to some 3 million households in nine countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia and Australia.

It revamped and renamed itself to “Channel M Asia,” which concentrates on K-culture, in November last year.

Channel M Asia transmits Korea’s popular dramas, reality shows, entertainment news, K-pop and lifestyle programs to Southeast Asia.

It also produced audition program “K-pop Star Hunt” jointly with FIC in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand.

The movie “Masquerade,” produced and distributed by E&M last year, received accolades as a well-made historical drama and attracted over 12 million viewers.

Other successful films include “May 18,” “The Good, The Bad, The Weird,” “Haeundae,” “The Man from Nowhere” and “Sunny.”

The Asia Media Journal said in 2011 that CJ E&M had a portfolio that “could not only deliver an international edge over rivals at home but also help achieve a hitherto elusive goal: becoming Asia’s first regional media company.”

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)