CJ ENM and MBC GROUP Enter Long-Term Strategic Partnership to Expand Korean Entertainment Across MENA

- 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.”