CJ ENM Launches Saudi Subsidiary To Drive K-Culture Expansion Across Middle East

CJ ENM, Korea’s leading entertainment company, has announced the launch of its new wholly-owned subsidiary, CJ ENM Middle East LLC, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This marks CJ ENM as the first Korean entertainment company to establish a direct subsidiary in the country.

The move is part of CJ ENM’s global strategy for its 30th anniversary year, official declared as the “First Official Year of Global Expansion.” The company aims to accelerate its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by collaborating across music, film, TV, life events, and content development.

Partnering with Sela, Saudi Arabia’s premier live events company, CJ ENM plans to bring large-scale K-Pop concerts and  localized audition programs to the region, while also nurturing local talent through its Music Creative eco-System (MCS).

the MENA region, and Saudi Arabia in particular, presents incredible potential for cultural and commercial collaboration,” said Kim HyunSoo, General Manager of CJ ENM Middle East. “This new base strengthens our commitment to growing K-Culture globally.”

CJ ENM has already built strong ties in the region, including MOUs with the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Manga Productions, hosting KCON in Riyadh for two consecutive years, and securing a major content deal with Shahid, the largest Arabic-language streaming platform in the MENA region.

With over 62% of Saudi Arabia’s population being under 30, the country is a key cultural market under its Vision 2030 roadmap — and CJ ENM is poised to help shape that future.