Latest news with #CJENM
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
CJ ENM unveils plans to expand use of AI across content pipeline
Entertainment giant aims to streamline operations and cut costs with AI, spotlighting a new content strategy centered on AI-driven films, series and animation South Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM announced plans to expand its use of artificial intelligence across its content pipeline as part of a broader strategy to boost production and realize ideas that would otherwise be limited by budget constraints. During a press event Monday, the company said AI will be applied across four key areas: scriptwriting, production (such as the editing process), international distribution of content, and original content such as films and series developed using generative technology. Among its AI-driven projects is "Cat Biggie," a no-dialogue short-form animation about a cat who becomes a father to a baby chick. Created by a six-person team over five months, which is a fraction of the typical workforce and timeline, the 30-episode series will roll out globally on YouTube in July. Each episode will run for two minutes, and the series will be released for free to boost character recognition among global audiences, the company said. Jung Chang-ik, who created "Cat Biggie," said during Monday's CJ ENM Culture Talk event held at the company's Talent Studio in Seoul, that deploying AI significantly shortened the creation process. "In comparison to traditional animation production methods, which typically require at least 20 to 30 staff members and a development period of over one to two years when including the planning and development stages, our team of just six creators completed the project in only five months," said Jung. "This can truly be considered an innovative process, and it was made possible due to the integration of AI solutions," he said. Baek Hyun-jung, head of AI Business & Production at CJ ENM, emphasized the company's long-term vision for AI, citing two additional AI-based projects in development: the Greek mythology-inspired series "Legend" and the film "Apartment," both targeting late 2025 releases. Baek also pointed to AI's potential to unlock previously unattainable concepts, particularly in high-cost genres like sci-fi and fantasy. "As production costs and related factors continue to grow on a massive scale, the amount of content that can actually be produced each year is, in reality, very limited," she said. "Fantasy and sci-fi genres, in particular, require substantial budgets, which leads to genre-based limitations, especially when compared to Hollywood, where large-scale action blockbusters are produced much more frequently," she said. "Because these genres often involve astronomical production costs, no matter how many creative sci-fi or fantasy ideas exist, very few of them are actually realized. That's why our goal is to integrate AI-driven graphics technologies into traditional dramas and films, allowing us to tell richer stories and deliver higher-quality visuals without being restricted by subject matter," Baek added. One hurdle in AI-led production remains consistency, a critical component for serialized or long-form storytelling. "Even when using the same prompts, (AI is) very limited in generating identical characters or backgrounds. This makes it extremely challenging to produce video content with coherent storytelling. However, at CJ ENM, we are working to advance our solutions to ensure consistency tailored to the desired style," Baek explained.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Neon Nabs Park Chan-wook's ‘No Other Choice' Comedy Thriller
Neon has reteamed with Korean director Park Chan-wook and Parasite studio CJ ENM by taking the North American rights to the violent comedy thriller No Other Choice. Korean film royalty Lee Byung-hun and Son Yejin star in the thriller about Man-soo (Lee), who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. Man-soo grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, and eventually resolves to kill his job competitors. More from The Hollywood Reporter BBC Introduces News Paywall for U.S. Users Catherine Hardwicke Praises Heath Ledger, Talks 'Twilight' at Mediterrane Film Festival Masterclass Disney+ Sets July Premiere for Korean Treasure-Hunt Drama 'Low Life' Son plays Man-soo's wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri in the latest film from Korean cinema to reflect beyond a core narrative the Asian country's underlying economic and political tensions. Chan-wook's 12th movie is an adaptation of American novelist Donald Westlake's 1996 novel The Ax. Westlake's novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Ax). The ensemble cast for Chan-wook's Korean adaptation includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok. The latest film by Chan-wook (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden) is financed by Korean studio giant CJ ENM, which teamed with Neon on the Oscar-winning Parasite drama. Neon and Chan-wook also earlier collaborated on the re-release of Oldboy in theaters in 2023 to mark the film's 20th anniversary. No Other Choice is in post-production, and an awards season push for the Korean film is expected from Neon after its success with Parasite. The producer credits on No Other Choice are shared by Chan-wook, Back Jisun, Michèle Ray Gavras and Alexandre Gavras, with Miky Lee executive producing. The North American distribution deal was negotiated by Jason Wald for Neon and Namyoung Kim at CJ ENM. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
UPI
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Neon to release Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice'
1 of 5 | Park Chan-wook, seen at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, directs "No Other Choice." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo June 26 (UPI) -- Neon announced Thursday it will distribute South Korean director Park Chan-wook's next film, No Other Choice, in North America. Neon re-released Park's original Oldboy in theaters in 2023. No Other Choice is an adaptation of Donald Westlake's 1997 book The Ax. It is the second film adaptation following Costa-Gavras' 2005 French/Dutch film The Axe. Lee Byung-hung of Squid Game fame plays a man laid off by a paper company. In Westlake's book, the man becomes so desperate for work, he stalks his potential replacements. Son Yejin will play his wife. Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok also star. No Other Choice is in post-production. CJ ENM financed the project; the company also financed Neon's Oscar-winner Parasite. Westlake's other books have been adapted as the films Point Blank, Payback, Parker and more.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Trailer out now: Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia features Emma Stone's abduction by conspiracy theorist
Focus Features has unveiled the first trailer for Bugonia, the latest collaboration between director Yorgos Lanthimos and actress Emma Stone. The film, a remake of the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet, follows a pair of conspiracy-obsessed friends who kidnap a powerful CEO, believing she is an alien bent on destroying Earth. Stone plays the abducted CEO, with Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone also starring. Bugonia brings together Lanthimos and Stone for their fourth collaboration, following successful films like Poor Things, The Favourite, and Kinds of Kindness. The project is produced by Stone and Lanthimos through their respective companies, Fruit Tree and Pith Shingles. Alongside them are producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures, Ari Aster and Lars Knusden from Square Peg, and Miky Lee and Jerry Kyoungboum Ko of CJ ENM. The film is based on a script by Will Tracy and boasts a talented behind-the-scenes team, including editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis, cinematographer Robbie Ryan, production designer James Price, and composer Jerskin Fendrix. The sound mixing is handled by Johnnie Burn, with Jennifer Venditti serving as the film's casting director. Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski expressed excitement about working with Lanthimos, describing him as a "cinematic visionary" and highlighting the unique blend of talent involved. Miky Lee, from CJ ENM, also expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting the fusion of Lanthimos' style with the story's novel narrative. Bugonia will have a limited engagement release in select theaters on October 24, 2025, before expanding to a wider audience on October 31.
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Japanese version of 'Marry My Husband' hits Amazon Prime Video
CJ ENM, Studio Dragon join hands to create first-ever Japanese series based on hit web novel The Japanese version of the widely popular Korean series 'Marry My Husband" is hitting Amazon Prime Video. Based on the popular Naver web novel of the same name, the 10-part series marks a new chapter for Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM. The company looks to expand the K-drama playbook by producing localized content abroad — a strategy reminiscent of K-pop's global growth model. Produced in collaboration with Studio Dragon, the studio behind numerous hit K-dramas, 'Marry My Husband' is not a remake of the popular Korean TV adaptation that aired last year on tvN. Rather, it's a reimagining of the original web novel tailored specifically to Japanese culture and audiences. Starring Fuka Koshiba as Misa Kanbe, the Japanese version follows a woman who travels back in time after discovering her husband's affair with her best friend. Takeru Sato co-stars as Wataru Suzuki, her boss and potential love interest in her second chance at life. 'We were involved in the planning process even before the Korean adaptation was produced,' said Studio Dragon chief producer Son Ja-young, who worked on both versions of 'Marry My Husband,' during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. 'The Japanese version is an original drama, which made it a very new and significant challenge for us.' Son added that she hopes this kind of cross-border collaboration becomes a new model for K-drama creation. 'Just as similar attempts are already being made in K-pop, I thought that if Korean creators plan a K-drama and then have it produced locally based on that vision, it could become a meaningful way to expand the landscape of K-dramas.' To reflect Japanese sensibilities, Son said the creative team embraced a more restrained expression of emotions. 'Japan definitely has a more refined and subdued emotional tone,' Son noted. 'In our early script meetings, the writer showed us a scene from a Japanese infidelity drama where the wife, husband and mistress all sat down calmly for tea. The director and I were stunned — we kept thinking, 'Why isn't the wife slapping the mistress?'" she laughed. "But we came to understand this reflects a uniquely Japanese sensibility. So, those kinds of emotional nuances ended up being woven into the script quite a bit," she added. 'Marry My Husband' releases on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, and two episodes will be dropped each week.
