CJ ENM CEO Koo Chang-gun (L) & Manga Productions CEO Dr. Essam Bukhary (R)
(Courtesy of CJ ENM)
South Korean studio CJ ENM has entered into a MOU with Saudi Arabian content company Manga Productions to jointly co-produce and distribute content.
The deal covers content across all areas of media and entertainment, including animation, TV series, films, webtoons and infrastructure. The two companies said their partnership also aims to mutually enhance talents and human resources.
Manga Productions focuses on the production and distribution of animations and games and is expanding its portfolio of collaborations with various partners in Asia. The company is co-producing films with Japanese animation studio Toei Animation, including Shizuno Kobun’s The Journey.
Manga Productions CEO Dr. Essam Bukhary said the deal, “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 the Arab world.”
Koo Chang-gun, CEO of CJ ENM, said: “Through this partnership with Manga Productions, the leading content company of the Middle East, CJ ENM aims to accelerate its entry 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 signed a MOU with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture in June 2022 to strengthen cultural ties. The Korean studio has since held K-culture festival KCON for two consecutive years.
Deadline's Liz Shackleton contributed to this post.
