Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM continues to make significant strides on the international stage following its trio of nominations at the Banff Rockie Awards 2025, which further cement its position as a global content juggernaut.
The Banff World Media Festival has named Korea as its inaugural Country of Honor for the 2025 edition.
Building on the momentum created by its historic success with Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” which won four Oscars in 2020, CJ ENM is now making its mark in the television space.
“CJ ENM is honored to be nominated at Banff Rockie Awards 2025. We are proud that Korean content is getting recognition in the global stage and CJ ENM to lead the path as the only Asia-based company to secure triple nominations,” Hyo-ju Jeon, the company’s head of international marketing, tells Variety.
The company’s nominated titles showcase its rapidly diversifying content portfolio, with period drama “Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born” (available globally via Disney+) competing in the Limited Series category, black comedy “LTNS” vying for Comedy Series: Non-English Language honors, and lifestyle program “Europe Outside Your Tent: France” rounding out the nominations.
Set against the backdrop of 1950s Korea, “Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born” follows a gifted vocalist on her journey to become the premier performer of gukgeuk (Korean female classical opera). “I believe this outstanding story of oriental female narrative of growth deserves recognition beyond the local borders and I am delighted to witness it earn success on the global stage,” Jeon notes about the period piece.
Meanwhile, “LTNS” (an abbreviation for “Long Time No Sex”) takes a darkly comedic approach to the story of a sexless married couple who begin blackmailing adulterers for financial gain. Jeon highlights the show’s unique appeal: “The blend of humor and an intriguing storyline, brought to life by K-content experts, captivates global audiences. As the plot unfolds, the unraveling of hidden truths keeps viewers anticipating what comes next.”
Completing the trio, “Europe Outside the Tent: France” follows four prominent Korean actresses on what Jeon describes as “a hyper-real yet healing camping trip to Southern France,” adding that “watching A-list Korean actresses embrace their freedom amidst breathtaking landscapes made the show truly worth watching.”
The nominations followed CJ ENM’s breakout 2024, which saw the company score in the global romantic comedy space with hits like “Queen of Tears,” “Lovely Runner,” and “Marry My Husband,” each finding substantial international audience success.
However, the company has been strategically expanding beyond its rom-com stronghold. “CJ ENM has been working to broaden its portfolio knowing the importance of genre diversity. Banff Rockie Awards nominees from CJ ENM highlight that we have been strategically diversifying the content offerings to appeal to a broader range of audiences globally, not resting on our laurels with romantic comedies,” Jeon explains.
The company recently scored another international hit with action comedy “Study Group,” further validating its genre diversification strategy. “CJ ENM takes great pride in seeing a wider range of genres being recognized in the global entertainment industry. We believe that ‘untold originals’ evoke genuine emotion that everyone craves,” adds Jeon.
Beyond content diversification, CJ ENM has been aggressively pursuing new international markets, with particular success in Latin America. The company has forged partnerships with major regional broadcasters, including Televisa, which has aired Korean shows like “True Beauty” on its linear channels, and Imagen TV, which made history by airing Korean drama “Another Miss Oh” for the first time in Mexico.
“True Beauty” has been a particular success story, becoming one of Televisa’s Channel 5’s most-watched programs, attracting between 700,000 and 1.1 million viewers in its 6:30pm slot — a performance that exceeded all expectations.
CJ ENM measures its international success through various metrics beyond awards and viewership numbers, including partner platform rankings, additional content acquisition by partners, and the increased global popularity of actors as measured by social media growth. The company also places significant emphasis on viewers’ qualitative evaluations.
Looking ahead, Jeon affirms the company’s commitment to international growth: “We are committed to striving for excellence at the Banff Rockie Awards and will continue to lead K-content on the global stage, including at international award ceremonies.”
