CJ ENM stands out as a forward-looking force in a legacy-driven entertainment industry, bridging cultural heritage with emerging creative voices. As one of the purveyors at the heart of the K-wave sweeping the world, the IP powerhouse celebrated the visionaries shaping Korea’s cultural impact by hosting the 2026 Visionary Awards at the CJ ENM Center in Seoul.
The Feb. 10 event signaled a new chapter. Beyond celebrating individual achievements, the Visionary Awards highlighted the dynamic synergy between CJ ENM’s iconic characters and the creative minds behind them, showcasing their combined influence on global culture. As a result, CJ ENM honored the forces behind six globally recognized IPs: “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty,” “Boys II Planet,” “Marry My Husband,” “Our Unwritten Seoul,” “Severance” and “Study Group.”
“Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” was a successful series in 2025, continuing CJ ENM’s trend of international hits, including “Crash Landing on You” (2019), “The Glory” (2022) and “Queen of Tears” (2024). Led by Lim YoonA and Lee Chae Min as Yeon Ji-young and Yi Heon, it captivated global audiences with its unique blend of historical drama, gastronomy and romantic comedy, offering a contemporary reimagining of the Korean historical genre. Director Chang Tae You was recognized for his globally accessible storytelling rooted in Korean sensibilities, and for delivering a refined visual style with a balanced narrative.
“Boys II Planet” engaged fans across 223 countries and regions through Mnet Plus and redefined the K-pop survival show. Built on a fan-driven model that empowered viewers as “star creators,” the project turns millions of votes into a shared journey. In September 2025, ALPHA DRIVE ONE emerged as a “super rookie” group delivering K-pop’s trademark momentum to a global audience. At the Visionary Awards, producer Kim Shin Young was recognized for turning millions of fans’ collective choices into a cohesive narrative.
Released concurrently in Korea and Japan, “Marry My Husband” demonstrated cross-border production capabilities, reimagining K-drama storytelling for Japanese audiences while preserving its K-drama appeal. Takeru Satoh portrayed a counterpart who reframes revenge as self-sacrifice, while Park Min Young’s Kang Ji-won redefined the K-revenge heroine by reclaiming her fate. Studio Dragon producer Son Jay was named a Visionary for showcasing the global competitiveness of K-content beyond conventional remake models.
“Our Unwritten Seoul” exemplified CJ ENM’s hyperlocal-is-global approach and showed how place-rooted stories could resonate worldwide. Set against Seoul’s nuanced urban landscape, the series explored young adults navigating contemporary uncertainties using restrained direction and emotional realism to highlight the global appeal of the healing genre. Park Bo Young’s dual performance as twins Mi-ji and Mi-rae emerged as a powerful symbol of connection and growth, while writer Lee Kang delivered another defining work marked by emotionally resonant dialogue and depth.
Produced by CJ ENM’s global studio Fifth Season, “Severance” marked a high point in the company’s international production capabilities and showcased bold world-building and sophisticated storytelling within the Hollywood ecosystem. Actor Adam Scott delivered a compelling performance as Mark Scout, a man navigating a fractured identity, while producer Nicholas Weinstock helped drive record viewership and set a new benchmark for premium content.
“Study Group” proved the global appeal of K-school action, blending academic ambition with high-energy storytelling. Combining school life with adrenaline-fueled sequences, the series resonated with young audiences across cultures. Director Lee Jang Hoon was recognized as a Visionary for unlocking the international appeal of the K-school action genre.
In 2026, CJ ENM is evolving into a global K-culture platform company. Building on its proven track record of creating mega IPs that have captivated audiences worldwide, the company is now positioning its platforms to bring global viewers together as a new core growth engine.
In his opening remarks, Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, shared the company’s vision: “We will expand ONLYONE IPs and build a new ecosystem for the global cultural business.”
At the center of this transformation are TVING, the global No. 1 K-culture OTT platform, and Mnet Plus, the global No. 1 K-pop content platform. TVING serves as a comprehensive hub for K-content, and offers Korean dramas, variety shows, films and sports all in one place. TVING is moving beyond its role as Korea’s leading national OTT platform, expanding branded partnerships with major global entertainment companies and creating a new growth model for K-OTT.
Last year, CJ ENM announced a strategic partnership with a leading global media and entertainment company to launch a TVING brand hub on its premium streaming platform across 17 Asia-Pacific markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. By directly supplying the latest hit dramas and variety shows to regions with strong demand for K-content, TVING seeks to consolidate global fandoms while enhancing accessibility and brand awareness in key international markets.
TVING also launched the TVING Collection on another major streaming platform in Japan. Through this collaboration, the partner platform strengthens its competitiveness by leveraging its established local K-content viewership and brand power, while TVING reduces market entry risks and quickly elevates its recognition as a leading K-content platform.
While TVING serves as a hub for K-content viewing, Mnet Plus serves as a global hub where K-pop fandoms around the world connect, engage and create shared values and experiences. Mnet Plus aspires to be an all-in-one “fan-teractive” platform where K-pop fans worldwide can enjoy everything in one place — from streaming content and voting to supporting artists and participating in community activities.
Currently available in approximately 250 countries and regions, Mnet Plus has a strong global presence with overseas users accounting for about 80% of total traffic. Its growth has been equally impressive: Mnet Plus’ monthly active users (MAU) increased by approximately 470% by year-end compared to the beginning of 2025, while daily active users (DAU) grew roughly threefold year-over-year, further strengthening the platform’s business competitiveness.
CJ ENM will continue to deliver well-made content through its domestic and international studios, while planning and producing programming designed to captivate audiences worldwide through strategic partnerships with leading global entertainment companies.
2026 Visionary — Six Best-Performing Global IPs
Marry My Husband
The series demonstrated the expansive global scalability of Korean IP. Upon release, the Japanese version drew record-breaking viewership over its first month. Star Takeru Satoh detailed what a great honor it was to create an unforgettable character and work with professionals to bring compelling characters to life.
Bon Appétit, Your Majesty
The cast and director described the drama as a heartfelt story about the power of Korean food to bring people together, also calling it a true gift and a joyful journey. Embraced by audiences worldwide, the 12 episodes earned industry recognition and ranked No. 1 for two consecutive weeks on Netflix’s global Top 10 (non-English TV), where it remained for 10 weeks.
Our Unwritten Seoul
Praised as one of the 10 best K-dramas of 2025, “Our Unwritten Seoul,” starring Park Bo Young, resonated with many viewers around the world. Writer Lee Kang was named a 2026 Visionary for creating a new drama that offered comfort to those navigating life’s uncertainties.
Boys II Planet
Through Mnet Plus, the show gave the next generation of K-pop stars a bright spotlight. Members of ALPHA DRIVE ONE accepted the award, acknowledging the power of music from Korea and the producers, including Kim Shin Young, who bring together millions of K-pop fans worldwide.
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Severance
Earning record-high viewership and numerous nominations, the award-winning U.S. series was recognized for excellence on and off screen. After expressing admiration for fellow global creators telling great stories, producer Nicholas Weinstock thanked CJ ENM for being a company “devoted to boldness and creativity” over just commercial metrics.
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Study Group
This TVING original was received with great acclaim and won an award for best original production by a streamer (fiction). The accolades continue for director Lee Jang Hoon, who maximized the appeal of characters like Youn Ga-min, portrayed by Hwang Min Hyun.
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