CJ ENM targets India's 1.4 billion-strong market with Amazon Prime Video deal

CJ ENM is stepping up its push into India, home to 1.4 billion people, as the company moves to capitalize on surging demand for K-dramas and accelerate its global expansion strategy.

CJ ENM announced Tuesday that it signed a strategic partnership with Amazon Prime Video India in Mumbai on Monday to supply Korean content. Under the deal, CJ ENM will roll out more than 100 titles — including 26 new productions — on Amazon Prime Video India over the next two years.

The lineup will feature beloved intellectual properties and popular library titles. For new content, CJ ENM will strengthen localization efforts by providing English subtitles and dubbing in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

The partnership extends CJ ENM's ongoing global business strategy.

CJ ENM expanded its overseas distribution reach last year through a global strategic partnership with Amazon Prime Video and also entered India's ad-based OTT market via Amazon MX Player. The tvN drama series "Tomorrow, I'll Go to Work!" was released globally through Amazon Prime and has drawn wide attention in overseas markets, topping the non-English-language category for three consecutive weeks.

"Through this collaboration with Amazon Prime Video India, we have extended our reach into the local subscription OTT market, further strengthening our position in India," CJ ENM said.

CJ ENM plans to release a series of high-profile titles on Amazon Prime Video India, beginning with "Yumi's Cells Season 3," followed by "Secret Gratitude" and "The Legend of the Army Cook." A new romantic comedy, "My Favorite Employee," will also reach Indian viewers through the platform.

"Demand for K-content in India is growing rapidly, and we are delighted to expand our collaboration with CJ ENM," said Manish Menghani, head of content licensing at Prime Video India. "This partnership is a natural next step that reflects our customers' preferences and will play an important role in making Prime Video India the premier global content platform."

Seo Jang-ho, head of CJ ENM's platform business division, said it was meaningful to partner with Prime Video in India, the world's fastest-growing entertainment market. "Through this partnership, we will introduce CJ ENM's K-content to more Indian viewers and continue to expand the global reach of Korean storytelling," he said.