Kakao Entertainment's Success Secret is 'Collaboration'

Active Synergy Between Headquarters and Subsidiaries Leads to Success Stories Like Sanae Matseon, Navillera, Broker, and Hunt

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Kakao Entertainment is drawing attention for its achievements through collaboration with various entertainment companies, including its subsidiaries. It is evaluated that Kakao Entertainment is producing tangible results by completing its unique value chain through multifaceted mergers and acquisitions.

According to Kakao Entertainment on the 24th, the Story division (webtoons and web novels) has invested over 2 trillion KRW from the early stages of the business into CPs (Contents Providers) and intellectual property (IP) development to target the global market, currently securing more than 10,000 original IPs?the largest number in Korea.

In the Media division, capable subsidiaries have been acquired, encompassing film and drama production companies, management agencies, and music labels under its subsidiaries. Synergies between Kakao Entertainment headquarters and its subsidiaries have led to the production of numerous successful works.

In particular, earlier this year, "Sanae Matseon" (Office Romance), a frontrunner of the K-Romance wave, is a work planned by Kakao Entertainment and produced by its subsidiary Cross Pictures, based on the webtoon and web novel of the same name serialized on KakaoPage. It was planned and produced based on Kakao Entertainment’s original story IP, and the drama’s OST was also handled by Kakao Entertainment’s label, Flex M.

"Sanae Matseon" ranked first evenly across English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries such as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam during the first week of April. The already completed webtoon and web novel "Sanae Matseon" are also experiencing a resurgence.

In the Story division, the webtoon "Nabillera" recently gained attention by being nominated in the webcomic category of the 2022 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, known as the "Oscar" of the North American comic industry. The Eisner Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the global comic industry. The webtoon "Nabillera" recorded 96 million cumulative views domestically on Kakao Webtoon and is being serialized across Japan, North America, Greater China, and the ASEAN region through Kakao Entertainment’s global platform network.

Clear achievements are also evident in the Media division. Kakao Entertainment subsidiaries, the film company Zip Cinema’s "Broker" and Sanai Pictures’ "Hunt," were invited to the 75th Cannes International Film Festival, attracting high interest from global film fans and entertainment industry insiders. "Broker," released on the 8th, surpassed 1 million viewers, revitalizing the box office, while "Hunt," actor Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut, is scheduled for release on August 10, drawing anticipation.

Kakao Entertainment plans to continue diversifying its premium content IP portfolio by organically combining subsidiaries with production competitiveness and dedicated internal teams at headquarters. A Kakao Entertainment official stated, "We plan to consistently present works that have been solidly prepared from planning through steady collaboration between headquarters and subsidiaries after acquisition, as well as planning that leverages the production capabilities of each subsidiary."

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