CJ EMN Hakuhodo

Photo Credit: CJ ENM + Hakuhodo

Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM announces a new joint venture with Japanese advertising giant Hakuhodo.

Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM is focused on global music expansion with a joint venture pairing the company with Japanese advertising firm Hakuhodo. The two companies have formed Chapter-I, focused on creating music intellectual properties designed for international audiences. According to CJ ENM, the name “Chapter-I” symbolizes “the first chapter where dreams begin” in a fresh creative direction for both.

The collaboration will pair CJ ENM’s acumen in music content creation and talent development through its MCS (Music Creative eco-System) with Hakuhodo’s data-driven market solutions and marketing expertise. This partnership aims to drive industry innovation through new audition formats that cater to evolving audience preferences across diverse markets, beyond Asia.

Chapter-I’s inaugural project will be “Unpretty Rapstar: Hip Pop Princess,” a Korea-Japan co-production survival show due to release in October. The program represents a global expansion of the “Unpretty Rapstar” franchise, which debuted in 2015 as Korea’s first female rapper competition series.

The new version will bring the creative teams behind both “Unpretty Rapstar” and the dance competition “Street Woman Fighter” with Hakuhodo’s marketing prowess to scout versatile global artists skilled in rap, dance, and music production.

However, the venture’s ambitions extend beyond television. Chapter-I plans to focus on talent development, music production, content distribution, live performances, and merchandising—poising itself as a powerhouse in the global music ecosystem.

The partnership forms a cornerstone of CJ ENM’s 2025 global music business roadmap, which revolves around three strategic pillars: Global Label, Global Content, and Global Platforms. The initiative is designed to further CJ ENM’s position in the worldwide music industry while accelerating K-pop’s international expansion.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, CJ ENM continues to reshape K-culture’s global footprint across multiple entertainment avenues. Meanwhile, founded back in 1895, Hakuhodo brings over a century of advertising and marketing experience.