SEOUL, South Korea — CJ ENM is taking its K-content expansion deeper into Europe, using Poland as a strategic gateway to Central and Eastern European markets as the Korean entertainment giant looks to connect its dramas, films and other intellectual properties with new audiences.
The company announced September 17 that it is stepping up Korean-content distribution across the CEE region through a more targeted, market-by-market strategy focused on local viewing habits, platforms and audience preferences.
The move comes as demand for Korean entertainment continues to expand internationally, with CJ ENM simultaneously developing distribution deals, local partnerships and new ways for audiences to discover its content.
Poland becomes a key launchpad
A major part of the latest push came during the 2026 Poland-Korea Brand Week, organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).
During the event, CJ ENM signed a memorandum of understanding with KOCCA and the Korean Cultural Center in Poland aimed at strengthening cooperation and expanding Korean content in Poland and the wider CEE market.
The partnership gives CJ ENM another avenue for connecting with local industry players while introducing Korean entertainment to audiences through both business and consumer-facing activities.
Fans attending the event were also able to interact with content tied to CJ ENM titles including “Lovely Runner” and “The Legend of the Kitchen Soldier.” A special screening of The Legend of the Kitchen Soldier was followed by a discussion with chief producer Kim Tae-hoon.
The bigger move is distribution
The Poland initiative is only one piece of CJ ENM’s broader European strategy.
The company has also signed distribution partnerships with TV Markíza in Slovakia and TV Nova in the Czech Republic, both part of CME, a major European media group.
Together, those agreements cover 10 CJ ENM titles, expanding the availability of Korean scripted programming across additional CEE markets.
Rather than relying on a single pan-European approach, CJ ENM says it is adapting its strategy to individual markets.
That means examining how audiences consume entertainment, which platforms dominate each market and what types of Korean stories are most likely to connect with local viewers.
From K-dramas to a wider K-content ecosystem
CJ ENM’s European push also reflects how its international strategy has evolved beyond simply selling individual television programs.
The company operates across television, film, music, digital media, performing arts and animation, giving it a large portfolio of Korean intellectual property to distribute internationally.
That broader approach is already visible elsewhere.
Earlier in September, CJ ENM announced the launch of two free, ad-supported streaming channels on Prime Video in the United States — CJ ENM K-Stories and CJ ENM K-Pop — expanding the company’s direct branded presence in another major market.
The company has also been pursuing international remakes of its formats. Its hit dating reality series “EXchange” is expanding through adaptations in Japan and Brazil, demonstrating another route for Korean entertainment concepts to travel internationally.
Why Central and Eastern Europe matters
For CJ ENM, CEE represents another region where Korean entertainment can build a larger footprint through partnerships rather than relying exclusively on existing global streaming giants.
Sebastian Kim, head of CJ ENM’s Content Distribution Business Unit, said the company sees “strong potential” in CEE and plans to strengthen relationships with local broadcasters and platforms while expanding its content offerings.
The strategy also reflects a larger shift in the global entertainment business: Korean content is increasingly being distributed through a combination of streaming services, local broadcasters, remakes, licensing agreements and direct fan experiences.
For Poland, the latest cooperation could therefore mean more than a temporary showcase of Korean entertainment.
It could become part of a longer-term effort to establish K-dramas and wider K-content more firmly in the European media market.
And with CJ ENM now combining cultural partnerships, local distribution deals and international IP expansion, its Poland push may be the beginning of a much bigger European chapter.
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