CJ ENM Hopes to Prime K-Pop Pump With Unscripted Series ‘Planet B,’ KCON Expansion to Germany

variety.com:

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Some of the biggest players in K-pop are facing a business slowdown after several frothy years fueled by the worldwide success of BTS, Blackpink and other musical ambassadors of the K-content boom.

CJ ENM, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment conglomerates, has seen its stock price buck the downtrend. The company has no intention of trimming its ambition for its K-content slate, which spans music, movies, TV shows, merchandise and K-beauty products.

The company wrapped its annual three-day KCON LA 2024 fan convention and concert event in Los Angeles last weekend. The event at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena drew a broadcast partner for the first time in the CW network, which aired a live special featuring portions of the July 28 concert including a surprise appearance by actor Awkwafina.

CJ ENM did not disclose attendance figures for the KCON event or ticket sales for the evening concerts but said the event had broad reach largely through digital platforms. (Crypto.com Arena has a capacity of 20,000.) According to CJ ENM, some 5.9 million fans from more than 170 countries “enjoyed KCON LA 2024 both at the festival site and through digital platforms.” The event, held the same weekend as San Diego Comic-Con, drew thousands of ardent fans from around the U.S., Europe and other overseas locations.