South Korean entertainment and retail company CJ ENM has teamed up with Japanese advertising firm Hakuhodo to launch a joint venture called Chapter-I, which will develop music-based intellectual properties for global markets.
The partnership announced Monday (August 18) combines CJ ENM‘s content production capabilities with Hakuhodo‘s marketing expertise to create music-focused entertainment properties that extend beyond Asian markets.
Chapter-I will operate across multiple areas including talent development, music production and content distribution, live performances, and merchandising.
The venture’s first project is Unpretty Rapstar: HIP POP Princess, a Korea-Japan survival competition slated to premiere in October on CJ ENM’s music channel Mnet. The show expands CJ ENM’s Unpretty Rapstar”franchise, which launched in 2015 as Korea’s first female rapper competition series.
Production for Unpretty Rapstar: HIP POP Princess will involve teams from both Unpretty Rapstar and Street Woman Fighter, CJ ENM’s dance competition program, along with Hakuhodo’s creative resources. The competition aims to identify artists with skills spanning rap, dance and music production.
The partnership brings together CJ ENM’s Music Creative eco-System platform — which handles IP development, digital platforms and artist management — and Hakuhodo’s data-driven market analysis and marketing capabilities, the companies said.
CJ ENM said: “Through the planned joint venture, the two companies will leverage each company’s core strengths to create content and unlock new possibilities in the global music industry.”
“Through the planned joint venture, the two companies will leverage each company’s core strengths to create content and unlock new possibilities in the global music industry.”
CJ ENM
For CJ ENM, the joint venture is part of its global music business roadmap for 2025, which focuses on Global Label, Global Content and Global Platforms, for its music business.
The company said: “This strategy aims to strengthen its position in the global music industry and spearhead global expansion of K-pop.”
The Korean company has been diversifying its content portfolio in recent years. It produced Oscar-winning film Parasite and Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots. It also developed series like Queen of Tears and the music competition format I Can See Your Voice.
CJ ENM’s partnership with Japan’s Hakuhodo follows the launch of Lapone Entertainment, a joint venture between CJ ENM and Japan’s Yoshimoto Kogyo, in May 2019. Lapone operates as a talent agency, entertainment company and record label under Yoshimoto Music.
The deal also represents its ongoing global expansion. Last month, the company established a wholly owned subsidiary in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, called CJ ENM Middle East LLC. Through this, the company claims to be “the first Korean entertainment company to set up a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia.”
Music Business Worldwide
