Under the Queen's Umbrella

- <Street Restaurant Fighter> Nominated for the Competition – Lifestyle Category at the Realscreen Awards

- CJ ENM Showcases Its Global Content Competitiveness Through Original Concepts and Outstanding Execution

CJ ENM’s <Street Restaurant Fighter> has been nominated for the Realscreen Awards, an international awards program honoring excellence in non-fiction programming, marking a milestone for the company’s original unscripted content on the global stage.

The series, which concluded its run in September, was directed by Woo-hyung Lee and Man-hee Kim. <Street Restaurant Fighter> is a real-world business survival competition that pits 20 top chefs and restaurateurs against one another, with customers deciding who stays in the competition and who is eliminated. Moving beyond conventional cooking competitions that focus primarily on culinary skills, the series explores the realities of running a food business, from analyzing commercial districts and calculating food costs to designing interiors and developing sales strategies. Its realistic portrayal of the challenges of entrepreneurship, combined with the contestants’ determination and unexpected twists, offers a fresh take on competition programming.

The series’ distinctive concept has also attracted international industry attention. <Street Restaurant Fighter> has been nominated in the Competition – Lifestyle category at the Realscreen Awards, which recognizes outstanding non-fiction programming. The awards bring together industry professionals from broadcasters, production companies and content distributors to evaluate programs across a range of categories. By moving beyond the conventions of traditional cooking competitions and placing real-world business decisions at the heart of the format, <Street Restaurant Fighter> offers a distinctive viewing experience for audiences worldwide.

The nomination follows the Realscreen Awards win by <Kiss the Future>, a documentary produced by CJ ENM’s global studio FIFTH SEASON, in the Non-Fiction Arts & Culture category last year. <Street Restaurant Fighter> marks the first nomination for a CJ ENM-produced original series at the awards. The recognition highlights CJ ENM’s ability to develop original unscripted formats with international appeal, supported by its distinctive concepts and strong production capabilities. It also underscores the potential of Korean unscripted programming to resonate with industry professionals beyond its home market.

Woo-hyung Lee, executive producer at CJ ENM, said, “We wanted to take a different approach by moving beyond traditional cooking competitions that focus solely on culinary skills and capturing the realities of running a business in Korea. I’m delighted that audiences around the world have connected with this fresh approach and become immersed in the series. CJ ENM has a diverse slate of reality programming, and I hope to see more of our content reach and resonate with audiences worldwide.”

- The psychological thriller will screen in HIFF’s Spotlight on Korea section on November 1 and 4, following sold-out screenings in Toronto and Busan

Paradise Lost, the psychological thriller from Train to Busan director Sang-ho Yeon, has sold to 118 countries worldwide and will make its U.S. premiere at the 46th Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF). Selected for the festival’s Spotlight on Korea section, the film will screen on November 1 and 4, continuing its international festival run following sold-out screenings in Toronto and Busan.

Starring Hyun-joo Kim and Hyeon-seong Bae, Paradise Lost follows So-young Ryu, a mother whose son disappeared nine years earlier when a bus carrying children to a camp mysteriously vanished. Her life takes an unexpected turn when her son, Sun-woo Ryu, long presumed dead, returns alive.

The film’s selection at HIFF brings it to a festival that showcases films from around the world, with a particular focus on Asia and the Pacific, and promotes cross-cultural understanding through cinema. This year’s edition runs from October 21 through November 15 across the Hawaiian Islands.

Paradise Lost previously screened in the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, where all four official screenings sold out, totaling approximately 2,300 seats. It went on to screen in the Gala Presentation section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, where all four screenings also sold out.

Alongside its festival run, Paradise Lost has sold to 118 countries worldwide. According to CJ ENM, international sales revenue alone has exceeded the film’s net production budget.

CJ ENM attributed the sales performance to international buyers’ confidence in Yeon’s filmmaking, the film’s distinctive story and the company’s global sales capabilities. Drawing on its extensive experience in international sales and distribution of Korean films, CJ ENM has built a global network that connects Korean stories with markets and audiences worldwide.

“The film combines a distinctive premise with a deeply felt exploration of family and motherhood,” said a representative of CJ ENM’s international distribution team. “These universal emotions are resonating across cultures and generating strong interest in international markets.”

Kim, who has collaborated with Yeon on multiple projects, stars as So-young, a mother confronted with the return of a son she believed she had lost. Bae takes on his first leading role in a feature film as Sun-woo, whose return brings an unfamiliar presence into his mother’s life. Their performances anchor the film’s complex mother-son relationship.

Presented by WOWPOINT and CJ ENM and produced by WOWPOINT, Paradise Lost opens in South Korean theaters on October 21, 2026, with distribution handled by CJ ENM.

International theatrical releases are scheduled for Taiwan on October 23 and Singapore on November 5, followed by North America and Vietnam on November 6 and Indonesia on November 13. WELL GO USA is handling North American distribution.

- Partnership to launch a dedicated TVING hub on MBC SHAHID and bring premium Korean content across MBC platforms announced at MIPCOM CANNES 2026

CJ ENM and MBC GROUP have signed a long-term strategic partnership aimed at expanding premium Korean entertainment across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), bringing together two leading media and entertainment groups with complementary reach across the region and Asia.

The announcement was made today at MIPCOM CANNES 2026, the 42nd International Co-Production and Entertainment Content Market.

The partnership builds on the existing relationship between CJ ENM and MBC GROUP and expands the collaboration across streaming and linear television, while creating further opportunities for long-term cooperation between the two groups.

At the center of the partnership is the launch of a dedicated TVING space on MBC SHAHID. The branded space will provide audiences across MENA with a curated destination for premium K-content from CJ ENM, TVING and leading South Korean production studios.

Audiences will gain access to a broad selection of Korean content, including TVING original productions. More than 13 new titles are scheduled for release during 2026, alongside more than 20 titles from CJ ENM’s existing content library, with the volume of available titles set to increase over the course of the partnership.

The lineup will include the recently premiered romantic comedy “My Bias, My Boss”, as well as titles including “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier”, “Filing for Love”, “The Judge Returns” and “Our Universe”. Arabic dubbing and subtitles will be available for selected content, while all new titles will be available for a simulcast on the MBC SHAHID app, allowing audiences across MENA to watch the latest Korean series alongside their release in Korea.

The agreement also extends the reach of K-content across MBC’s linear television channels. As part of the partnership, CJ ENM titles will also be introduced on MBC4 exclusively, for a specific period, with schedule to be announced in due course. This will further expand the reach of Korean content across MBC’s broadcast and streaming ecosystem. The partnership also lays the foundation for broader long-term collaboration between the two groups across media, entertainment and production.

Sebastian Kim, Vice President and Head of Content Distribution Business Unit of CJ ENM, said: “Expanding our collaboration this year to launch a dedicated TVING branded space, following our content supply agreement last year, is a meaningful achievement that once again underscores the competitiveness and growth potential of Korean content in the Middle East. Through the dedicated TVING brand hub on MBC SHAHID, we are making it easier and more convenient for viewers across the Middle East to access and enjoy premium K-content.”

Tareq Alibrahim, Director of MBC1, MBC DRAMA, and MBC SHAHID Content said: “This partnership brings together two companies with a shared ambition: to take great local storytelling to audiences far beyond its home market. CJ ENM has played a defining role in taking Korean entertainment global, while MBC GROUP has built an unparalleled connection with audiences across MENA. Together, we see significant long-term opportunities across content, streaming and entertainment.”

Alibrahim added: “The launch of a dedicated TVING space on MBC SHAHID, together with Korean content across our television channels, strengthens the breadth and quality of entertainment we can offer Arab audiences. It also reflects our broader strategy of building partnerships with leading international media companies and strengthening MBC GROUP’s position as a gateway between global content and audiences across the region.”