SAMG Entertainment Launches IPO... NH Investment & Securities Selected as Lead Manager

2022 Goal: Enter KOSDAQ
2020 Sales Increased 42% Year-on-Year to 23.5 Billion KRW... Targeting 40% Growth This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Hwajeong] SAMG Entertainment (formerly Samji Animation, hereafter SAMG), a leading domestic 3D animation company, is planning an initial public offering (IPO).

SAMG announced on the 25th that it has selected NH Investment & Securities as the lead underwriter and plans to finalize the IPO schedule and scale with the goal of listing on KOSDAQ within 2022. The company intends to use the new funds raised through the IPO to target the global digital content market.

This year, SAMG changed its name from ‘Samji Animation’ to ‘SAMG Entertainment’ and is transforming into a digital platform-based content entertainment company.

SAMG recorded sales of 23.5 billion KRW in 2020, a 42% increase from the previous year, and continues to show steady growth in overseas markets. In particular, due to the explosive popularity of 'Mini Force' in the Chinese market, merchandising revenue and media sales in China increased by 140% and 20% respectively compared to the previous year.

SAMG has set this year’s sales target at a level 40% higher than last year. The company plans to achieve this goal by generating stable revenue through existing business models such as video distribution using major intellectual properties (IP), new media content production, toy distribution, and licensing, while actively pursuing new businesses including launching new IPs and its own mobile video content platform.

Owning mega IPs such as ‘Mini Force’ and ‘Catch! Teenieping,’ SAMG is expanding its existing IPs into various forms such as games, education, and music through a ‘One Source Multi-Use (OSMU)’ approach this year. Additionally, to broaden the target audience for content consumption, SAMG unveiled last month a 3D digital idol ‘LULUPOP’ aimed at teenage consumers who are leading the metaverse trend.

Kim Suhun, CEO of SAMG, said, "The global content market is undergoing rapid digital transformation, creating an era of intense competition where only companies with top-level content production capabilities can survive. Through the IPO, SAMG will not only create unique IPs based on the technology accumulated over the past 20 years but also concretize platforms where digital K-content can be consumed, leading the global market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.